| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind farm threatened by climate penalty
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
A wind farm development near Wellington has been threatened by Government climate change proposals that could add a $1.5 million penalty for chopping down “junky” pine trees.
Under climate change discussion papers published earlier this year, the Government proposed a series of measures to discourage deforestation, including tradeable permits and flat charges for tree removal.
Greater Wellington regional council is proposing to build 30 three-megawatt turbines on ridges at Puketiro, northeast of Pauatahanui, by 2010. Between 100 and 120 hectares of pine trees would be cut down for the wind farm, the environmental cost of which, according to the Government proposals, would be $13,000 a hectare.
If such a charge were imposed on Puketiro, the regional council would be liable for a bill of between $1.3million and $1.5 million.
The council says it is ludicrous that a project to produce renewable energy should be threatened with climate change charges.
A council briefing paper says paying the Government to create a wind farm would be “bizarre”. If such a charge were imposed, council officers could recommend the project be stopped. “Hopefully a more reasoned approach by the Government will prevail.”
Forestry Minister Jim Anderton said the Government had a preference for tradeable permits, by which forestry owners pay to change land use, over a flat deforestation charge. It was still working through climate change policy and would not want renewable energy projects “stymied when the net gain for New Zealand is positive”.
Council utility services committee chairman Rex Kirton said that, though the Government had not finalised its deforestation management plan, a $1.5 million charge was “just ludicrous”. “You are being penalised for the removal of some junky trees.”
Water supply, parks and forests divisional manager Murray Kennedy said the Government had not replied to a request for Puketiro to be exempt from any charges. “The sooner a decision is made by the Government, we would welcome it.”
Wind farm specialist RES has been contracted to develop the project. Mr Kennedy would not say how much it would cost the council to cancel the contract.
By Adam Ray
19 April 2007
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=4157 ]
