The Environment Canterbury hearings process to decide on crucial water for 16 new dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas will continue, despite the Government calling in effluent resource consent applications and handing them to a board of inquiry to consider.
Millions of dollars have already been poured into properties in the Omarama-Ohau areas which two development companies want to turn into nine dairy farms housing up to 10,850 cows.
A farmer has been granted two resource consents to use groundwater in the Maerewhenua catchment for irrigation - the fifth decision on 52 resource consents in the lower Waitaki catchment being considered by Environment Canterbury (ECan).
The Government is considering intervening in the controversial dairy-farm proposals for the Omarama-Ohau area. but it looks unlikely the resource consent applications will be "called in".
More than 3500 public submissions have so far been received on proposals for three big dairy farm developments in the Ohau and Omarama areas with one day to go for public submissions on two of those.
International opposition to plans for 16 dairy farms with up to 17,850 cows in cubicles, in the Omarama and Ohau areas, is resulting in a flood of submissions to Environment Canterbury.
Ministers have released details of the review teams who will look into Environment Canterbury's poor performance.
