A University of Otago professor questioned the ‘‘independence of the science'' at hearings into consent applications for an expansion of a milk-processing plant near Waimate yesterday.
The bulk of the environmental evidence provided in the hearings was ‘‘stuck in the time warp of ‘the solution to pollution is dilution' of 30 years ago'', zoology professor Liz Slooten said.
Prof Slooten said the risks associated with a proposed ocean outfall, which could discharge wastewater containing pathogens and cleaning chemicals at a rate of 280 litres per second, were not fully understood.
‘‘I feel a lot of these reports present the risks honestly ... but then they tend to downplay them [risks],'' Prof Slooten said.
She said she wanted to see data ‘‘that would get a little bit closer to the reality of what would come out of the expanded Studholme''.
Prof Slooten was one of six experts presenting for the Wise Response society advocacy group yesterday at the Waimate Community Centre.
The group spoke against consent applications that would allow Fonterra to significantly expand its operations at Studholme and argued that if the applicants were to make their case around the ‘‘knock-on effects'' the expansion would have on the region's economy, there ought to be consideration of environmental effects including dairy intensification in the region and the industry's effect on climate change.
The proposed expansion includes the addition of two new 30-tonne-per-hour dryers and two coal-fired boilers.
A new powder dry-store building would be erected as would rail siding and loading facilities. The proposed development would include about 10.5ha of new building area.
The number of employees on site would increase from 50 to 150, while the number of tanker drivers would rise from 15 to 150. After stage 2 of the expansion, the total number of vehicle movements per day would increase from 162 to 1237.
Extensive earthworks, new on-site stormwater retention ponds, an off-site wastewater treatment plant and a pipeline and ocean outfall were also planned.
The hearing panel's chairman, Paul Rogers, quizzed Prof Slooten on the risks provided to the marine environment, particularly New Zealand's endemic Hector's dolphins.
Prof Slooten said it was ‘‘likely to the point of almost certain'' there was a resident population in the proximity of the proposed outfall, which would extend 600m from the coastline.
She said the cetaceans already showed a ‘‘high pollutant burden'' due to the species' inshore habitat.
The Wise Response submitters included retired engineer Dr John Peet, retired physicist Dr Bob Lloyd, land-use strategist Christopher Perley, agribusiness consultant Dr Alison Dewes and Waitaha Trust chairwoman Anne Te Maiharoa-Dodds.
She said in the past her family had caught ‘‘sacks'' of eels near her Glenavy home, but now three eels was considered a good catch.
Further, she said she was troubled by the length of the consents. She would prefer a review every ‘‘three to five years'' rather than a consent granted for 35 years, as proposed.
The consent hearings, which began on April 4, are scheduled to continue until Friday.
Coal Action Network Aotearoa organised protests at Fonterra premises in Auckland, Christchurch and Edendale last week to protest the co-operative's continued reliance on coal as a source of energy.
Three experts from the Coal Action Network Aotearoa are scheduled to present at the hearings today.hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz