Concern a renewed consent for a Canterbury irrigation scheme will reverse climate change efforts
Concern a renewed consent for a Canterbury irrigation scheme will reverse climate change efforts
5 April 2021
The region's Mayfield/Hinds/Valetta irrigation scheme is seeking a 10-year replacement consent on more than 56-thousand hectares of farmland.
But the move's angered environmental groups, who allege the practise will leech nitrates into drinking water, at a rate 25 times above safe levels.
Freshwater advocate Angus Robson says the high-polluting consent gives the green light for intensive dairy farming to continue.
He says the two often go together and it'll lead to soaring greenhouse gas emissions - a step backwards from our efforts to reduce climate change.
A public meeting's been called at Christchurch's Burnside High School on Wednesday to shed light on the potential impacts.
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