Federated Farmers trying to raise $50k for PC10 challenge in Rotorua

A Bay of Plenty Regional Council plan to improve water quality at Lake Rotorua is under mediation. PHOTO/ BEN FRASER

Federated Farmers is trying to raise $50,000 to challenge a controversial plan to improve water quality in Lake Rotorua.

But opposition to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Plan Change 10 (PC10) has been labelled "ridiculous" by a group working to improve the quality of the district's lakes.

PC10 would introduce rules for rural properties in the Lake Rotorua Catchment, to limit the amount of nitrogen entering Lake Rotorua from land use.

To meet water quality standards set by the community, nitrogen entering the lake must reduce by 320 tonnes by 2032. Less than half of that, 140 tonnes, would come from these proposed rules, where landowners would need to make changes to their land use.

The plan is currently under mediation after four appeals were lodged in the Environment Court.

One of the appeals was lodged by Federated Farmers, which has called PC10 "flawed and risky".

The organisation had now put a call out to members for donations to raise $50,000 for its legal challenge.

A post on the Federated Farmers website states PC10 "requires irreversible land use change to achieve a nitrogen target in circumstances where the science no longer supports the target. The impact on farmers in the catchment will be devastating".

"We consider that it is necessary to appeal PC10 to the Environment Court in order to achieve a sensible, practical and affordable planning framework that achieves the water quality objectives."

The appeal was likely to cost upwards of $50,000, the post states, as the organisation would need to "contract in expertise not available in-house to develop the planning, science and economic aspects of our alternative plan".

"While it is not expected that there will be a surplus, any surplus funds at the end of the court process will be applied towards the costs of implementation of PC10."

All money received would only be used for the benefit of Lake Rotorua Catchment farmers, the post stated.

It was suggested farmers in the catchment contribute $1000 to $2000 each.

A Federated Farmers spokesman said apart from one issue being mediated, it was "very likely that the majority of the appeal points will proceed to an Environment Court hearing".

The Court had tentatively scheduled a conference next month to set a timetable to hearing, he said.

Lakes Water Quality Society chairman Dan Atkinson described the appeals against PC10 as "ridiculous".

"We believe Plan Change 10 is fair and reasonable," he said.

"We went through a three-year consultation process to try to avoid this. It seems to me to be ridiculous to be fighting a situation which was an honest effort from all parties."

A regional council spokeswoman said the council was in the process of mediation with appellants to discuss and clarify the concerns they had raised.

"This process and associated timeframes are being guided by the Environment Court."

More than 50 submissions were initially received on the plan change.

Four appeals have been lodged by CNI Iwi Land Management Limited, the Maori Trustee, Ngati Uenukukopako Iwi Trust, and Federated Farmers.

Each appeal included several parties who wished to be part of the proceedings.