A local iwi group have lost their bid against the dredging and expansion of Tauranga Harbour.
The case was dismissed in the High Court this morning.
“ Environment Court correctly considered the competing evidence before it. It gave careful and sympathetic attention to the cultural evidence ,” Judge Priestley stated in the summary.
According to sunlive.co.nz, this dredging project is intended to deepen the channels by three metres, allowing larger ships to use the port.
The proposed dredging would remove 15 million cubic metres of material, mainly sand but also fine sediment, some shell and boulders from Tanea Shelf alongside Mauao.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, September 18, 2012; Image: port-tauranga