11 February 2005

Grants to help clean up contaminated sites announced

More than $300,000 has been allocated towards cleaning up two former gasworks sites, an old timber mill, a contaminated stream and a former sheep dip site, Environment Minister Marian Hobbs announced today.

"It is excellent to see more work getting underway around New Zealand towards cleaning up contaminated sites,"Marian Hobbs said.

A total of $303,937 has been allocated from the Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund in the first of two funding rounds for the 2004/2005 financial year.

The successful applicants are: $135,590 to West Coast Regional Council, towards the final stage of the clean-up of the former Westport gasworks site, in partnership with Buller District Council; $62,885 to Otago Regional Council towards planning the clean-up of the Tapanui Timber Treatment Site; $69,912 to Greater Wellington Regional Council, to help plan the clean-up of Waiwhetu Stream, in liaison with Hutt City Council; $24,000 to Greater Wellington Regional Council, towards assessing the Bentley St gasworks site in Masterton; and $11,550 to Environment Bay of Plenty, to help plan the clean up of a former sheep dip site in Ngongotaha Valley near Rotorua.

The fund has $1 million available each year to which regional councils can apply for assistance with cleaning up contaminated sites. The sites must pose a known or potential risk to human health and the environment to qualify.

Applications for the second funding round for this financial year will be called shortly and announced around May.

The Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund panel is currently considering an application from Auckland Regional Council for funding to develop a testing regime for residential properties on former horticultural sites in Auckland. This decision is expected to be announced soon, Marian Hobbs said.

ENDS

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