Plan change 10 rules formally notified

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman Doug Leeder. Photo/Ben Fraser

The proposed Plan Change 10 rules to protect Lake Rotorua have been formally notified.

Yesterday marked the formal notification date of Proposed Plan Change 10 after the Bay of Plenty Regional Council unanimously adopted an Independent Hearing Panel's recommendations earlier this month.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman Doug Leeder said the formal notification of the decisions were the next step in the Resource Management Act (RMA) process.

"Submitters on Plan Change 10 have been publicly notified and can lodge an appeal to the Environment Court in the next 30 working days."

The rules are just one part of the solution to meet water quality standards set by the local community, with the level of nitrogen entering the lake needing to reduce by 320 tonnes by 2032.

Plan Change 10 introduces rules for rural properties in the Lake Rotorua catchment, to remove 140 tonnes of nitrogen entering the lake from land use.

Mr Leeder said that while a fair amount of farmers are already getting on with making the reductions required, there are still farmers who are yet to find out what the Plan Change means for them.

"The environment won't wait so we will continue to work with landowners and farmers to develop a pathway to meet their nitrogen discharge allocation. We also have funding available to revise any completed nutrient management plans based on the revised changes recommended by the hearing panel."

An announcement was made by the council in June offering free resource consents for over 40 hectare farmers ready to take the next step.

"This offer is available until September 30. Landowners in the catchment should call the dedicated landowners' advice line, (07) 921 3377, to take up the offer and see what funding and support is available."