by frog
I have just read a press release from Federated Farmers opposing the ”streamlining” of electricity projects. They are worried that this will remove the right of farmers to negotiate with Transpower when their land is used for power pylons.
Ironically, Fed Farmers has been one of the key lobby groups advocating for ”stream-lining” of the RMA consenting process, resulting in the current Resource Management (Streamlining and Simplifying) Amendment Bill. These proposed amendments to the RMA relegate the importance of public notification, remove the Conservation Minister’s right to advocate on behalf of the environment, and allow the Environment Court to require security for costs, among other “streamlining” changes which reduce the right to have a say and to protect environmental and community values, including over power pylons. All but a few amendments (like increased fines and some anti-competitive aspects) are backward steps for public participation and protection in things that affect our much-loved back yards.
The Feds say, “Most importantly, we are concerned a streamlined approval process may signal to Transpower that it no longer has to discuss suitable easement agreements with farmers or provide appropriate compensation.” Exactly – streamlining the RMA will mean that Kiwis of all walks of life will no longer have a say on what is most important to them. Note that we’re talking about a right to have a say here, not blanket nimbyism.
For more information about these changes to the RMA check out the Green Party’s submission guide.
I look forward to a press statement from the Feds opposing this latest round of RMA changes!
Published in Environment & Resource Management by frog on Thu, March 19th, 2009
Tags: conservation, environment, Federated Farmers, rma
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
Fed Farmers was responding to the revised Government Policy Statement on Electricity, which is about regulatory overview of the electricity sector rather than RMA issues. FF seems to confuse the two, which doesn’t help.
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I am not sure that the Fed Farmers complaint relates to consent processing as much as it does to fundamental property rights.
In most western countries infrastructure provides have to negotiate with property owners to enter their property and if they want easements they have to negotiate them too.
I am really bugged by the fact that Northpower can come to me and say that I have to top some trees because they are growing too close to their power lines which are crossing my land. If I don’t do it, then Northpower can come to my land and top my trees at a higher price than my local friendly contractor.
At least being in Kaipara I don’t need to get a resource consent to top the trees.
That would be the last straw.
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Fed Farmers like anybody else can approve of parts of the review and disapprove of others.
Many of the amendments will have the reverse effect to what is intended because it seems to me that Govt focuses on the stories from the Environment Court and the opinions of barristers etc rather than investigating what happens between the applicant and the person behind the counter.
The worst proposal is to say that Plans can only be appealed on a point of law – whatever that means. Does that mean that if a plan says “Consultation has shown that water runs uphill” that I cannot appeal this factual error?
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Owen, you want annoying… We had specimen trees growing along our farm boundary and the power lines were up the hill on the neighbors place. They decided to replace the poles and to realign the lines, you guessed it, over our boundary. I said ‘wait on, we have trees here, don’t put your lines over our trees’ They did anyway.
A few years passed and, you guessed it, they sent us a letter. ‘please trim your trees’.
A few more years pass, another letter, ‘your trees are a hazard, we are going to remove them’!!.
Now they are gone. I never liked Blue Spruce, Redwood, Copper Beech etc, power lines are so much prettier. A-holes!
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Well, now I know who to blame when the lights go out come kick-off time on October 23, 2011.
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