New name – and a richer swill – for 20-year-old government fund to help clean up contaminated sites
Oinkers will be heartened to learn the Government has established something that looks like a new trough. Or rather, it has put more swill into an old trough and given it a new name.
Mind you, it’s not the most alluring of names. It’s the Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, a source of dosh intended to help councils and landowners clean up historic landfills and other contaminated sites that are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather.
“With this new fund, we will safeguard New Zealand’s natural beauty and the wellbeing of our communities for future generations,” Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.
The $30 million fund replaces the previous Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and covers a wider range of remediation projects.
Councils can apply for funding on behalf of landowners for sites that meet the eligibility criteria. The Ministry for the Environment can help with the application process.
And how do you get to slurp at the swill?
A panel of contaminated land management experts will assess applications. The assessment panel meets every two months.
The panel provides recommendations on whether the application should be approved for funding. The Ministry will consider recommendations and make final decisions for projects requesting less than $1 million. Projects requesting more than $1 million are decided by the Minister for the Environment.
The media statement announcing the fund has been posted on the government’s official website along with news that ….
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The $30 million fund replaces the previous Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and covers a wider range of remediation projects.
Councils can apply for funding on behalf of landowners for sites that meet the eligibility criteria. The Ministry for the Environment can help with the application process.
And how do you get to slurp at the swill?
A panel of contaminated land management experts will assess applications. The assessment panel meets every two months.
The panel provides recommendations on whether the application should be approved for funding. The Ministry will consider recommendations and make final decisions for projects requesting less than $1 million. Projects requesting more than $1 million are decided by the Minister for the Environment.
The media statement announcing the fund has been posted on the government’s official website along with news that ….
Our Foreign Affairs Minister scores himself a success
Winston Peters has issued a press statement to inform us he has wrapped up a week of “high-level” engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia. He has modestly headlined it: Foreign Minister completes successful week of international engagements.
He followed up on this by announcing seven diplomatic appointments.
Health Minister makes good-news announcement about a hospital
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti – no doubt still smarting from the blast of criticism that followed his dashing of Dunedin’s expectations about the hospital they were promised – today opened the refurbished Children’s Unit at Rotorua Hospital.
Wow- see what’s happening under Luxon’s Action Plans
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is assuring us we will be safer thanks to four new law and order bills being passed as part of the government’s Q3 Action Plan. He said he was proud to report “we have delivered on 39 of the 40 actions in our Q3 Action Plan, which had a particularly strong focus on restoring law and order” .
The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy.
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A new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund will help councils and landowners clean up historic landfills and other contaminated sites that are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.
30 September 2024
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia.
The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy.
New Zealanders will be safer as a result of the Government’s crackdown on crime which includes tougher laws for offenders and gangs delivered as part of the Quarter Three (Q3) Action Plan.
Let’s look into Penny Simmonds’ announcement of a new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund.
The $30 million fund is part of the Q4 Action Plan.
It replaces the previous Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and covers a wider range of remediation projects, like the one under way at Nelson’s Tāhunanui Beach.
“The sawdust used as fill at Tāhunanui Beach in the 1960s is an example of historic contamination,” Ms Simmonds says.
“Many areas across New Zealand bear the legacy of past practices. These sites can pose environmental risks and become a threat due to weather events. It’s estimated that there are hundreds of these sites around New Zealand.”
The Government has already granted more than $12 million towards remediation projects, including more than $3 million towards the final stage of the popular Nelson beach’s clean-up project.
As well as the Tāhunanui Beach project, remediation projects granted funding are: Little Tahiti Landfill in Milford Sound, Ocean Beach Landfill near Bluff, Te Raekaihau Point Landfill near Wellington, and Peel Forest Landfill in the Timaru district.
There is also funding to facilitate planning work ahead of the remediation of the Kettle Park Landfill in Dunedin.
“With today’s opening of the new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, we can proactively address more of these projects in the future.”
Councils can apply for funding on behalf of landowners for sites that meet the eligibility criteria. The Ministry for the Environment can help with the application process.
To find out more information and apply for funding, visit: Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund | Ministry for the Environment.
The Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund which is being replaced is more than 20 years old – it was announced in September 2003 by Marian Hobbs – remember her? – when she was Environment Minister.
It provided $9 million over three years for regional councils to assist in investigating and cleaning contaminated land.
Contaminated sites in New Zealand include a former pesticide manufacturing site, hazardous waste dumps, timber treatment plants and gas works.
Obviously successive governments have been topping up the fund and earlier this year Penny Simmonds announced the handout of $6.6 million to clean up old landfill sites.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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