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Central Wind windfarm resource consent application: all-of-government submission for lodging

Crown submission

  1. As outlined above, Cabinet has previously agreed that the submission would cover only the matters of most importance nationally, and noted that the submission was likely to canvass a range of energy issues.

  2. The Crown submission notes that the Crown supports the proposed application, provided that the potential adverse effects on wildlife and on adjacent public conservation land are addressed through conditions imposed on the consent.

    DOC conditions

  3. DOC has discussed and agreed appropriate conditions with Meridian Energy to address the effects of the Central Wind proposal on local native wildlife.  A draft of the conditions is attached as Annex 2.  This draft is based on discussions DOC has had with Meridian before the lodging and notification of the Central Wind application.  Now that the application has been notified DOC officials are reviewing the Central Wind application and will revise the draft conditions if the application is different to that DOC and Meridian were discussing.    
  4. It is the local authority, however, that determines what conditions might be included in a consent.  DOC’s suggested conditions will provide guidance to the local authority about how to best protect local native wildlife in the Central Wind area. 

    Areas covered by the Crown submission

  5. The submission as drafted by interested departments covers the following areas:
    1. the reasons why I consider the proposal to be of national significance in terms of the RMA and why I have decided to intervene by making an all-of-government submission on behalf of the Crown
    2. the Crown’s overall support for the Central Wind proposal due to its alignment with government energy and climate change policies and objectives
    3. the restriction of the scope of the submission to actual and potential effects on the environment at the national level, with an acknowledgement that there may be some adverse local effects
    4. the contribution of the proposal to the government’s policies and objectives with regard to security of electricity supply, through meeting growth in energy demand and promoting a resilient energy system (including the ability to avoid dry year risks)
    5. the contribution of the proposal to the policies and objectives set out in the New Zealand Energy Strategy, the Sustainable Development Programme of Action for Energy, the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, the Government Policy Statement on Electricity Governance
    6. emerging climate change issues, the contribution of the proposal to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the government’s climate change policies and commitments
    7. the addition of climate change, energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions to the RMA in 2004
    8. the conditions sought by DOC to address concerns about the effect of the proposal on native wildlife and neighbouring public conservation land.
  6. Section 7(j) requires decision-makers to “have particular regard to the benefits to be derived from the use and development of renewable energy”. While the attached submission on the Central Wind proposal refers to section 7(j), any detailed discussion of previous Environment Court decisions relating to windfarms and in particular section 7(j) is more appropriately addressed during the hearings phase.

 

Last updated: 29 August 2008