Buller Water Conservation Order Tribunal

A special tribunal has been appointed to consider an application to
amend the Buller River Water Conservation Order.

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A special tribunal has been appointed to consider an application to
amend the Buller River Water Conservation Order, Environment Minister
Marian Hobbs announced today.

The special tribunal will consider an application from Majac Trust to
alter the minimum flow regime on the Gowan River, a tributary of the
Buller River. The Trust would like to apply for a resource consent for
enough water to operate a hydroelectric power scheme from the Gowan River.

A team of three experts have been appointed to the tribunal. The members
are Richard Fowler (Chair), Dr Mike Johnston and Laurel Tierney.

"The members will bring a range of skills and expertise in RMA hearing
procedures to this inquiry such as legal, geological and freshwater
fisheries experience," Marian Hobbs said.

The tribunal will publicly notify the application, call for submissions,
conduct an inquiry and report to the minister.

"This is the first application I have received to amend a Water
Conservation Order and I wish the Tribunal well with their inquiry,"
Marian Hobbs added.

The Buller Water Conservation Order 2001 provides varying degrees of
protection for parts of the Buller River and its tributaries, which are
considered to have outstanding characteristics.

Water Conservation Orders are set up to recognise and sustain waters
that are considered to be outstanding as a habitat or fishery, or for
scenic, scientific or recreational values.

Members of the Special Tribunal

Richard Fowler
Richard Fowler, specialises in resource management law, environmental
law, defamation, public law and local government advice and litigation.
Richard has been a commissioner on a number of resource management
hearings mainly in the Nelson/Tasman area.

Dr Mike Johnston
Dr Mike Johnston, a geologist by profession has a wide range of local
government experience. Mike is an experienced hearings commissioner and
recently chaired the Mapua site remediation hearings. Mike was also the
Chair for the original Buller River Water Conservation Order tribunal.

Laurel Tierney
Laurel Tierney has considerable experience as a researcher and manager
of New Zealand's freshwater fisheries. Laurel has worked with Ngai Tahu
on a cultural health index for streams and waterways. More recently,
Laurel has acted as facilitator of the Guardians of Fiordland and
assisted in the development of the Fiordland Conservation Strategy.

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