MOUNT MAUNGANUI AIRSHED - AIR QUALITY HAS IMPROVED MARKEDLY AT WHAREROA MARAE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS

Sitting Regional Councillors, as well as aspirant candidates have been misinforming the voting public that the Mount Maunganui Airshed is a huge issue. Local iwi want industrial activity within this airshed SHUT DOWN. The science tells a different story – a good story actually. A story of continuous improvement actually. Yes – it did need addressing – and it is happening.

Here is an update on air quality at Whareroa Marae that was recently sent to by Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff to Ngati Kuku representatives (the Marae iwi).

All available data indicates that air quality has improved markedly at Whareroa Marae over the last ten years. 

Table 1 below summarises current levels and standards:

Note: Whareroa Marae air pollutants vs. standards (latest data). Compliance with NESAQ has been achieved in recent years, while WHO’s stricter guidelines (especially for fine particulates) remain a longer-term target.

This is another example of a "loud" group of activists who have stirred up the local community, and yet never give credit to the work undertaken by Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Port of Tauranga (as well as other industry groups in the area - like Ballance Agri-nutrients) who have worked extremely hard to make substantive environmental improvements.

I chaired Plan Change 13 (the Regional Council's Resource Management Air Plan, in 2016 and I have been amazed at the misinformation that minority activist groups inject into the community.

Be careful who you vote for if your want genuine strong governance and financial accountability.