Environment BOP Policy Our candidate for the Environment BOP council is Noel Peterson.

• Keep Environment Bay of Plenty Headquarters in Whakatane
• No to Kaituna River Dam.
• Not sell Port Shares to fund State Highways.
• Balance Fertilizer works to clean up the sea lettuce mess they have created.

I find it interesting the Sitting Regional Councillors all seem keen to accept and promote without further discussion the incomplete science on the origin of sea lettuce growth; suggesting El Nino climate events and deep up-welling ocean nutrients are the cause of sea lettuce blooms.

We at Harbourwatch have met with and suggested to the Councillors there is a direct relationship between pollutants and sea lettuce growth (science from other sources state sea lettuce is a pollutant indicator) and physical observation and published comments about ship inlets risking being blocked at the tanker berth suggest a connection with the Fertilizer factory outfall as being the source.

According to the consents issued by these Councillors the Fertilizer factory discharges Nitrogen, Phosphate, Fluorine, Cadmium and other hazardous substances into the Harbour and into the air.

I leave it up to your imagination to ponder why they choose to conveniently ignore this pollution source, and by the way, the Fertilizer Company makes a considerable financial donation to the Environmental Enhancement Fund each year.

Noel Peterson
Chairperson Tauranga Harbourwatch.

These photos are from rafters in the area of the proposed dam site