November 9, 2006
New Zealand
New Zealand
Mighty River Power has refused an Official Information Request to provide reports on the proposed Turitea wind farm.
The Manawatu Standard asked for three reports draft water quality monitoring plan, visual landscape assessment and ecological impact assessment first from Palmerston North City Council and then from Mighty River Power.
A letter from the energy company’s legal counsel Sarah Ongley said the request was denied for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
It is not considered that this is outweighed by the public interest given that the reports were commissioned as part of the initial investigation phase of the wind farm, she said.
“The details of the wind farm project are still being developed, such that the information upon which these three reports were based are now superseded. To release these reports would cause confusion about the project.”
Mighty River Power intends to begin community consultation, which will involve full assessments of environmental effects, Ms Ongley said.
“This consultation will take place prior to any decision to lodge an application for resource consents would include an Assessment of Environmental Effects.”
However, the company has not decided on when the consultation will begin or what form it will take, a spokeswoman said yesterday.
By Helen Harvey
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/11/09/energy-firm-refuses-to-provide-draft-reports/