The Surfbreak Protection Society (SPS) made a verbal submission on the 7th of May at the Otago Regional Council (ORC) Planning Hearing in Dunedin regarding a consent application to continue disposal of maintenance dredged material by Port Otago Ltd (POL) the 100% owned subsidiary of ORC, for a further 3 years (a renewal of an existing dredging disposal consent that expired in December 2011).
After this 3 year consent, it is the the intention of POL to apply for new consents to dispose spoil at these sites, and an already consented off shore disposal site (AO), for the Ports capital expansion project, Next Generation.
The Hearing Panel were expected to release their decision around about the 6th of June, though after consultation with the applicant, the release date for has been extended out to the 19th of July.
The inshore disposal sites (Aramoana and Heyward Point) are in the swell corridors of three of New Zealand’s legally protected surf breaks, Aramoana, Karitane and murderers (Whareakeake) and Pol are requesting a much greater increase in disposal volumes that have occurred since 2005.
More info
[mappress]
Press Release, June 10, 2013