October 24, 2012
Māori want protection built in to irrigation scheme
Iwi have joined with environmental groups to demand a referendum on the proposed Makaroro dam in the foothills of the Ruahine ranges.
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council will vote next week on whether it should push ahead and apply for resource consent to build the multimillion-dollar dam.
Eight environmental groups including Te Roopu Kaitiaki ō Te Wai Māori have released what they say are necessary safeguards, including setting water permits for farmers and irrigators at levels which allow river flows to return to normal, cutting back on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus coming off the land and registering the Tukituki river as an outstanding freshwater body.
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