The Government's response to an agreement on development of the Omarama, Ohau and Mackenzie Basins will determine the next step in a process that will need special legislation to implement it.
ECan and the Mackenzie and Waitaki District Councils have all endorsed the Mackenzie Agreement, reached last year after about three years of negotiations between community representatives and conservation and environmental groups.
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said yesterday the agreement had been referred to Minister of Conservation Nick Smith, who, as environment minister, encouraged reaching an agreement in November 2010, after a forum at Twizel discussed the issues.
She expected a response from Dr Smith soon.
The agreement called for law changes that might require special legislation, so that had to be carefully considered, Mrs Dean said.
The Mackenzie Sustainable Futures Trust, involving about 20 organisations, developed the ''Mackenzie Agreement'', a shared vision for resolving land-use issues in the three basins.
Community-based groups as diverse as irrigators, mountaineers, tourism operators, farming representatives, protection societies, Fish and Game, Forest and Bird, salmon farmers, environmentalists and others equally important had met and worked through environmental and community issues.
Part of the agreement was to develop a new ''property to property'' approach for future development of 269,000ha of land in the Ohau, Mackenzie and Omarama Basins. Although government legislation was needed before it could be implemented, Mrs Dean yesterday said the agreement was already inspiring others to take the same collaborative approach.
Up to 100,000ha might eventually be set aside for protection.
Up to $3.7 million a year from the Government, donations or sponsorship is needed to implement it.
