Canal clean-up gets extra $2.4m

An additional $2.4 million of remediation work at Kopeopeo Canal near Whakatane is to begin this December as part of a new initiative to prioritise clean-ups of the country's contaminated sites.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced a new initiative to identify and rank priority sites for clean-up under the Government's contaminated sites remediation programme.

This initiative allows regional councils requests – where the contamination is historical and the responsible party cannot be pursued – to be assessed and prioritised in a robust and transparent way, ensuring funding goes where it's most needed.

As result the Government will immediately invest an additional $2.4 million for the remediation of the Kopeopeo Canal near Whakatane, taking total government funding for the project to $4.7 million.

Kopeopeo Canal Contamination Remediation Project has seen Bay of Plenty Regional Council – as owners of the canal – work with the community to clean up dioxin contamination of the sediment in the Kopeopeo Canal.

The canal was contaminated in the 1950s to late-1980s as a result of stormwater from the local sawmill, which treated timber using Pentachlorophenol. The PCP contained dioxins as an impurity.

Kopeopeo Canal along with Christchurch's Rudolf Steiner School, which is receiving an additional $42,000, are among 10 sites on the priority list and eligible for funding under the Government's Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund.

In order to qualify for the fund, applicants, in most cases are regional councils, are required to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent towards the cost of remediating a site.

Amy says the priority list will be updated as sites are remediated, new sites come to light or sites are no longer considered a priority for funding following further investigation.

Green Party toxics spokesperson Catherine Delahunty says her party and the National Party agreed to include toxic site management work in their Memorandum of Understanding in 2011 and this national register is a big step forward.

'New Zealanders will be pleased to see progress on the identification and cleaning up of toxic sites,” says Catherine, who says the Green Party is proud of the role it played in working with the Government to make this happen.

'We're also working with the Government and Local Government New Zealand on ensuring greater transparency and consistency for the regional registers.”

Cleaning up New Zealand's contaminated sites is a priority for the Government, says Amy.

Since 2008, more than $31 million has been invested to clean up contaminated sites throughout New Zealand, including Tui Mine, Patea Freezing Works, Minginui sawmill and dump, and the Waiwhetu Stream.

Remediation work at Kopeopeo Canal, near Whakatane, is due to start in December 2014.

The 10 priority sites are:

Prohibition Mine, West Coast

Total project cost: Still to be determined

Government contribution to date: $302,000

Council/Landowner: West Coast Regional Council and Department of Conservation

Alexander Mine, West Coast

Total project cost: Still to be determined

Government contribution to date: $137,500

Council/Landowner: West Coast Regional Council and Department of Conservation

Kopeopeo Canal, Whakatane

Total project cost: $11,164,900

Government contribution to date: $4,720,950

Council/Landowner: Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Remedial work is due to start in December 2014.

Calwell Slipway, Port Nelson

Total project cost: $184,631

Government contribution to date: $92,000

Council/landowner: Nelson City Council and Port Nelson Limited

Te Mome Stream, Seaview, Lower Hutt

Council/landowner: Greater Wellington/Multiple landowners

Miramar Gasworks, Wellington

Council: Greater Wellington Regional Council

Onehunga Aquifer, Auckland

Total project cost: $2.56 million

Government contribution to date: $627,093

Council/landowner: Auckland Council

Rotowaro Carbonisation Plant, Waikato

Total project cost: $270,996

Government contribution to date: $189,669

Council: Waikato Regional Council

Masterton Gasworks, Wairarapa

Total project cost: $54,000

Government contribution to date: $24,000

Council/Landowner: Masterton District Council

Rudolf Steiner School, Christchurch

Total project cost: $150,000

Government contribution to date: $75,500

Council/Landowner: Environment Canterbury and Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School Trust

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