Trustpower's appeal against the resource consent for its $380 million wind farm near Gore was likely to be resolved without going to an Environment Court hearing, Gore district planner Keith Hovell said yesterday.
However, Mr Hovell declined to comment on whether that meant Trustpower would not be paying a development levy.
The levy, which was set by the Gore District Council's consent panel at 0.2 percent of the project's cost, or about $760,000, was one of three consent conditions Trustpower . . .
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Energy companies are pushing the Tararua District Council to loosen the rules on wind farm consents, making it easier to build on the ranges.
Genesis Energy, Trustpower, Meridian Energy and Mighty River Power have all made separate submissions to the Tararua district plan, currently up for review.
They are campaigning for new policies to make wind farms a priority in the district, and pushing for a slackening of present guidelines.
In the current policy on environmental heritage, the skyline of . . .
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Press Release: New Zealand Government
Hon David Parker
Minister of Energy
5 September 2008 Media Statement
Renewable generation gets boost from law changes
Unnecessary barriers to electricity lines companies investing in renewable generation have been removed by a Bill amending the Electricity Industry Reform Act passed in Parliament today, Energy Minister David Parker said.
The Bill is a major rewrite of the Electricity Industry Reform Act, which requires separation of monopoly electricity lines and competitive generation and retailing businesses.
"The . . .
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Mighty River Power's request to Environment Minister Trevor Mallard to "call in" the resource consent application to build a wind farm in the Turitea Reserve seems to have most people scratching their heads. Many people don't know what to think simply because they're not sure what such a move would mean.
The ministry calling in a consent application is indeed unusual, but is not unheard of. Just last week Mr Mallard announced his decision to call in Contact Energy's consent . . .
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The Crown has made a submission on Meridian Energy's wind farm proposal in the Central North Island, Environment Minister Trevor Mallard said today.
Since changes were made to the Resource Management Act in 2005, the Crown has been able to make a submission on an application for a resource consent that the minister considers to be of national significance. This allows the government to have input into local decision-making processes, while leaving the decision and hearings to be made locally. . . .
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Does the answer to our future energy needs lie in industrial-scale wind farms or giant hydro projects? Neither, argues Richard Reeve.
A recent question asked of many Otago wind farm opponents is, would they prefer giant hydro on the Clutha to wind farms?
The question is sometimes intended rhetorically as a taunt: what alternatives do we have? Dams on the Clutha have historical notoriety, and the industrial wind farm option is insinuated, rightly or wrongly, as a palliative to more . . .
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State-owned Mighty River Power is asking the Government whether its application to build a wind farm development at Turitea near Palmerston North can be fast-tracked by being called in.
The Environment Minister can call in a proposal if it is deemed to be of national significance and direct the matter to either a board of inquiry or the Environment Court.
Last week Environment Minister Trevor Mallard announced he was calling in Contact Energy's proposal for a 180-turbine 540-megawatt (MW) wind . . .
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Manawatu locals are worried they'll lose the democratic process if Mighty River Power's application to "call-in" the proposed Turitea Wind Farm goes ahead.
But, Environment Minister Trevor Mallard says the public's input won't be compromised if the ministerial intervention happens.
Last week, the Palmerston North City Council received notification of the power company's application to have the ministry take over the decision-making process, taking the power out of the council's hands.
Instead, a call-in would see the application heard by . . .
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The Puketoi ranges are a step closer to sporting wind turbines, with Contact Energy lodging a resource consent application for its Waitahora farm at the Tararua District Council yesterday.
In a press statement, Contact Energy Chief Executive David Baldwin said the site was chosen because it was very remote, minimising visual impact, and was a good wind resource.
"This is a very good wind farm project that will provide clean, renewable energy for current and future generations, as well as . . .
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The Government is to make a submission backing a central North Island wind farm to get resource consent, Environment Minister Trevor Mallard said today.
It was important those considering the Resource Management Act application by Meridian Energy had information on the national energy implications and effects of the proposal, he said.
The plan to build 52 turbines near Moawhango on the border between Rangitikei and Ruapehu districts has met with some resistance from local residents.
The Crown's submission is the . . .
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