The battle is won and now the bills have to be paid.
The appellants to the Environment Court against Meridian Energy's Project Hayes wind farm say they are counting the cost of their three-year fight - in time, energy and money.
Still celebrating the decision against the $2 billion wind farm, appellants contacted by the Otago Daily Times yesterday said their efforts took a toll but the end result was worth it.
"This matter has occupied our lives for more than two years and for some it's taken its toll - on relationships, on work and on finances," appellant Graye Shattky said.
Mr Shattky is the co-ordinator for Save Central, an umbrella group which represented the Maniototo Environmental Society, Central Otago Environmental Society and several individuals at the appeal hearing.
He estimated Save Central had spent about $400,000 on the campaign.
It had already paid accounts totalling $200,000, had another $100,000 in bills outstanding, and there was a further $50,000-$100,000 that was owed to people who had already done work on the basis they would be paid when money was available.
The organisation had raised funds and also been given grants totalling $70,000 from the environment legal assistance fund, through the Ministry for the Environment.
"Our other funds have come from individuals. In some cases, they've paid up to $20,000 each and we've raised at least $150,00 by individual donations from people all round New Zealand," Mr Shattky said.
The group was hoping for more assistance from the public in meeting its debts.
"Passion and emotion" about the cause had helped the support for their case.
"There's no doubt about whether we did the right thing. If we hadn't done it, no doubt Project Hayes would have gone ahead and, in 10 years' time, there would have been problems and people would've said, `how the hell did this ever get through the consent process'.
"That's the system. Even if it does seem unfair that the public future has to be defended at huge cost by small organisations and individuals," he said.
Another appellant, Upland Landscape Protection Society, is in liquidation.
But society trustee Ewen Carr was still hopeful it might be able to pay off its debts and get out of liquidation.
"That's down to a few key members," he said.
He estimated the total cost of the society's campaign against the wind farm was more than $200,000.
Mr Carr was also an individual appellant.
"It was a big task as the appeal had to be fought on all fronts and when you read the decision, it was all those things that tipped the scales to decline the project.
"The fight began in 2006, so it's been almost three years of pretty much full-time work to oppose this project."
Meridian has spent about $8 million on the wind farm project, including pre-feasibility planning, consent applications, the appeal and land.
The Central Otago District Council has spent about $200,000 on the appeal.
Details on the Otago Regional Councils costs were not available yesterday.
Contact Energy initially opposed the wind farm plan but withdrew its appeal in June 2008.
Spokesman Jonathan Hill declined to reveal the cost.
lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz