Tolaga Bay cleanup could cost $10m but who should pay?
Wednesday, 6 June 2018
Masses of forestry debris that flooded a small town north of Gisborne has created a $10 million cleanup, but questions have been raised about who should pay.
Heavy rain caused water to flood through Tolaga Bay, crashing through homes when the Mangaheia River burst its banks on Monday.
It took slash – forestry debris – in its wake damaging roads and bridges and piling up on farms and in gullies.
Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon said while the forestry sector would support in what he expected to be a $10m cleanup, ratepayers would have to help pay.
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* Forestry labelled 'reckless'**
The Gisborne District Council's contractors and NZTA are also expected to be involved and Task Force Green will support clearing farms.
Foon said most of the flood damage affected roads and bridges.
When asked if forestry should foot the whole bill for clean-up efforts, Foon said forestry had been supportive in the past.
The council began looking into the issue of slash in the wake of ex-tropical Cyclone Cook in April last year.
As of two months ago a national environment standard meant there were stricter planting and fresh water rules. 'We will be making sure that we implement those,' Foon said.
Forestry Minister Shane Jones called the debris-strewn flood an extraordinarily severe weather event and a 'wake-up call'. The Government, he said, would decide in the next week or so what it could do to help.
'We've got to do better. I don't know of anyone in the forest sector who does not accept that their practices need to improve.'
He was saddened for the landowners but said any help would have to wait until the report on damages was completed and then approved by Cabinet.
Associate minister Meka Whaitiri flew around the region with assessors on Wednesday and said there was no doubt the area had been devastated.
Slash now floated out to sea, there were slips in the high country, beaches covered in debris and sediment flowing into the flats.
'It's localised but quite significant,' she said.
New Zealand Forest Owners Association communications manager Don Carson said the land which held slash and timbers was some of the most 'highly erodible' land in the world.
Similar incidences were known to happen but no landscape could have tolerated such a high amount of isolated rainfall.
The area was forested in 'less enlightened times'.
Carson said anyone who caused environmental damage should not buck their obligations, nor should anyone be held totally accountable.
'I do know that companies in the Nelson area assisted in the cleanup there. I would expect the same sort of thing to happen in Tolaga Bay.'
Plans for the cleanup come as parts of the Gisborne region recovering from flooding could be hit by more rain, and possibly hail.
A strong cold front was expected to reach Gisborne on Wednesday evening, MetService meteorologist Kyle Lee said.
Rain could be expected from about 9pm onwards. There was also the possibility of light snow and hail.
On Thursday, the rain and the southerly winds would continue.