Government Minister Shane Jones recently announced government funding for a feasibility study into improved wharf and harbour facilities at Coromandel town as part of the Provincial Growth Fund initiative. But sea level rise flooding of land beside the wharf/harbour has not been properly considered, and a series of previous studies showing high concentrations of mercury and arsenic toxins in the mud suggest the project should not proceed.
Tag: Resource Management Act
Doubling Down on a Double Standard by Regional Council
Some consistency please on enforcement of illegal coastal structures
An earlier article described how Waikato Regional Council had a double standard by requiring the removal of an illegal stop bank at Kaiaua but allowing an illegal beach groyne at Flaxmill Bay to remain. Now, Regional Council has doubled down on its double standard by fining a Whitianga farmer $30,000 for illegal work on a coastal wetland but still taking no action in respect of the illegal beach groyne.Read More »
Sand to Mud
Intensive farming, mining and forestry has turned our estuaries from sand to mud and losing productive soil.
Since Parliament’s Select Committee reported back on the Thames-Coromandel District Councils Mangrove Management Bill there has been no public reaction from the Council. After being all gung-ho about their Bill the strange silence from the Council is probably because the Select Committee gutted the Bill by limiting its cover to only mangroves in the Whangamata harbour and recommended stringent other controls on mangrove removal. Read More »
“Stuff” Reports on Thames Coromandel Sea Level Rise
It was super exciting to see Stuff’s National Correspondent Charlie Mitchell’s brilliant feature article on Thames-Coromandel sea level rise issues on the front page of the Hauraki Herald. Read More »
Thames Coromandel’s Coastal Environment Line. Why it’s Important
The Coastal Environment (CEL) is the inland area from mean high water springs subject to coastal processes and influences with significant coastal qualities. Where the line is drawn by Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) has a huge bearing on where coastal development can take place around the District’s 400 km of coastline, and to what scale.
TCDC’s initial CEL took a very “developer-friendly” position and drew the line very close to the high-water mark and omitted all major coastal settlements in the District, such as Thames, Whitianga Whangamata and Coromandel. (green line on the maps). TCDC got this horribly wrong. After appeals, TCDC has backed down, at huge cost to ratepayers. Now, the line will include coastal settlements and be much further inland.Read More »
Denis Tegg - teggtalk 