10. STEVE CHADWICK (Labour—Rotorua) Link to this
to the Minister for the Environment
What recent initiatives has the Government taken to assist with the clean-up of contaminated sites?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for the Environment) Link to this
Protecting and enhancing the environment is a key priority for this Labour-led Government. New Zealand has, unfortunately, an unwanted legacy of potentially contaminated sites from activities like pesticide manufacture, coal gas production, mining, rubbish disposal, timber treatment, sheep dipping, and so on. Budget 2006 is providing an additional $4.5 million over the next 3 years, through Vote Environment, to clean up contaminated sites. This new funding represents a 150 percent increase in the amount of money that will be available annually to councils to clean up such sites in New Zealand.
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
The Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund is an example of local and national government working together to make a real difference to the environment and local communities by returning high-risk sites to safe and productive use. Since 2003 the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund has allocated a million dollars a year for the clean-up of the Māpua site near Nelson, considered New Zealand’s most contaminated, with the other $1 million being available to councils on a contestable basis. Setting the ongoing funding for the clean-up of Māpua to one side, this new funding represents a 150 percent increase in the amount of money that will be available annually to councils to clean up such sites.
Sue KedgleyCan he confirm that at this rate of funding for cleaning up contaminated sites it would take about a further 50 years to clean up the other 30 to 40 most heavily contaminated sites in New Zealand, and centuries to clean up the 8,000 to 10,000 contaminated sites in New Zealand that pose a threat to our environment and to human health?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
I can confirm, given the financial constraints and demands on ratepayers and constraints on local government, that I believe the funding is set at what is currently an appropriate level.