The Daily Blog Open Mic – Wednesday 31st August 2016

1. 31ST August 2016.
   Dear Nick,

   We operate an Environmental watchdog group in HB/Gisborne for 15yrs and require our input in your press release today on our water quality since it’s a hot subject in Napier Hastings, Havelock North right now.

   Our response is below to the Nick Smith coverage plastered all over RNZ today, we heard you say to RNZ that we need to accept only “wade-able water quality” and Federated farmers Mr Rolleston says we need “to step back” and not blame farmers. We agree with Mr Rolleston, -Here below is our evidence of “the elephant in the room, – Road runoff pollution”

   Statement

   NICK YOU IGNORE “ROAD POLLUTION RUNOFF” in water quality.

   A HBRC SIGN at the Clive river signage – is evidence HB our water steams alongside truck highways such as karamu and Pirinui stream water road runoff pollution is now loading into our water supply regions.

   “Our Environmental Centre provides evidence all the evidence of “road pollution runoff’ now as a major contributor to our degradation of our water quality that Nick Smith has not regarded yet as a major contaminant contributing to pollution of our water causing declining water quality.”

   HB Regional Council has already placed warning signs on a river last year and has consequently warned all residents in HB that the Clive river is unsafe to enter now because of road pollution runoff entering the river as the State highway carries heavy road freight trucks with stock and other hazardous freight. (see above Screenshot pic’s) especially the river scene with the warning sign # 20160103_1003 this is clear evidence our roads are a large contributor to pollution of our waterways today.

   So how come Nick perhaps you should provide this evidence to Gov’t and request why road runoff into our waterways is not considered for him to propose some environmental regulations now before all our water is poisoned?

   If a local council such as HBRC has advised the population of road runoff pollution why has the Government not also done yet, instead of saying we need to be realistic and accept only wade-able water in our once known clean green NZ?

   We advocate a safe clean answer to the road pollution is to increase NZ freight be moved back onto rail and be increased from the low rate now at 6% be increased to 50% over the next 5 -10 yrs.

   WORDS SPOKEN BYT NICK TODAY. OUR RESPONSE.

   “It’s impossible to make all New Zealand lakes and lagoons swimmable without a massive bird cull, the Environment Minister Nick Smith says.”

   Come on Nick, this is so wrong and we will show you know better than this!!!!

   We remember when we meet you at the Gisborne Environment Centre in 2012, and asked for help to re-open our damaged rail service and we then strongly stated that truck freight causes bad “road pollution runoff” and that it is recognised globally as a serious problem.

   We said it was especially bad in HB/Gisborne as we had many trucks polluting our rivers, streams and lakes especially from stock trucks as they were overfilled with effluent and spraying the stuff all over our roads and windows and we needed rail to take some off the roads and you agreed. We still are without rail and things are dire now.

   We said that road freight takes over 90% of our NZ wide freight today and we want half back on rail again as used to be, a no brainer wouldn’t you agree?

   You agreed then.

   Anyway if you now have just forgotten or doubt that “road pollution runoff” is not a big polluter of our rivers, streams, lakes and water supplies you had better come to Napier because at the Clive river now HB Regional Council as warned the public here last year of this issue, and have placed a warning sign on the river warning that road runoff is now among all things causing “quote” Contaminants from land, roads, car parks, industry, & households wind up here,” unquote.

   So Nick if that public HBRC warning also advise “Caution” this river is frequently unsuitable for swimming & recreation” why don’t you place more restrictions on truck freight industry and more freight back to rail.

   We also worked with you in Nelson in 2002-3 when we started to oppose the transit NZ “southern road” a truck route to the port of nelson then with you as you then recognised that the air quality was poor already and adding more trucks to the air quality problem would push it over the limit remember that?

   We lost our fight in Napier to stop the HB Expressway that now carries 2000 trucks a day and poisoning all the water there.

   Nick do the right thing, & get real rail freight back again before all NZ water is unsafe to drink let alone wade in or touch.

   https://www.niwa.co.nz/our-science/freshwater/tools/kaitiaki_tools/impacts/chemical-contaminates
   NIWA – Chemical contamination
   Chemical contaminants are chemicals toxic to plants and animals in waterways.
   The phrase ‘chemical contamination’ is used to indicate situations where chemicals are either present where they shouldn’t be, or are at higher concentrations than they would naturally have occurred. Chemical contaminants can be found as organic and inorganic molecules in mass produced products used day to day by almost everybody. These include plastics, resins, pharmaceuticals, disinfectants, deodorants, detergents, petroleum products, road runoff, pesticides and biocides, along with the results of land fill and incineration.
   For many of these substances accumulation into aquatic environments can cause environmental problems, although some chemical contaminants do not damage the environment, and for many chemical contaminants the consequences are currently unknown. Chemical contaminants are often transported by water as it flows across the land, roads, and other impermeable surfaces. With little prior treatment, many of these contaminants may eventually discharge into waterways.
   Some contaminants can increase bacteria growth and oxygen consumption within a waterway. In extreme cases, such as a large spill of sewage or milk, low oxygen conditions may kill mahinga kai species. Lower levels of nutrient contamination in waterways can result in eutrophication. Most eutrophication is due to the inorganic nutrients nitrate and phosphate that induce the growth of algae. The algae subsequently die, resulting in more organic matter and low oxygen conditions.
   Find out more about eutrophication
   Find out more about nutrient overloading
   There are two types of chemical contaminants:
   (1) Organic contaminants
   These include oil and petrol spills from roads and concreted areas, hormones, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides originating from agricultural and horticultural industries that are situated close to waterways. Organic contaminants are not only present as single molecules dissolved in water but can also be found as suspended solids.
   Find out more about potential agricultural effects on waterways
   Find out more about potential horticultural effects on waterways
   (2) Inorganic contaminants
   Inorganic contaminants include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Increases in these simple chemicals in waterways are nearly always as a result of land use activities like fertiliser runoff or direct discharges from industry. Both the concentration of these chemicals and the means by which they enter a waterway vary greatly. The impacts of these simple chemicals are discussed in the nutrients pages. Inorganic contaminants also include metals and metal particles. These can be found in stormwater runoff from urban development and will accumulate in drainage systems or low lying areas of land. Many of these contaminant sources eventually discharge into waterways with little prior treatment to remove chemicals.
   Find out more about the potential impacts of various industries and land use activities on water quality and mahinga kai
   Find out more about nutrient overloading
   Find out more about potential urbanisation effects on waterways
   Alternatively, industries like forest processing, meat and dairy processing, mining, energy, and wastewater treatment may discharge wastewater that can potentially contain inorganic chemical contaminants (e.g., bleach and curing agents, and certain metals like mercury, copper, chrome, zinc, iron, arsenic, and lead). Prior treatment of these discharges is now strictly regulated and controlled via the resource consenting process, and will vary depending on the type and quantity of material discharged.
   Find out more about potential wood processing effects on waterways
   Find out more about potential meat and dairy processing effects on waterways
   Find out more about potential mining effects on waterways
   Find out more about potential energy industry effects on waterways
   Find out more about potential wastewater treatment effects on waterways
   Potential impacts of chemical contaminants on water quality and mahinga kai
   • Local loss of fish species – fish may be harmed by contaminated water. Discharges and runoff into rivers and streams can be lethal to aquatic life depending on the strength of the toxin and size of the waterway; contamination can cause fish kills.
   • Local loss of invertebrate species – contaminants, such as synthetic pyrethroids (in sheep dip), can be particularly lethal to invertebrates, e.g., kōura. Invertebrates are also food for fish, and persistent discharges that kill invertebrates could cause fish to travel farther in search of food and expose them to greater risks and stress.
   • Decreased dissolved oxygen (DO) levels – waste compounds released into waterways initiate biochemical reactions that use up oxygen as the stream bacteria break down the organic matter (Biogeochemical Oxygen Demand, BOD). Excess nutrients can also lead to algal blooms, and oxygen is used up when the algae die and decompose. Fish ‘breathe’ oxygen through their gills; a decrease in available oxygen (anoxia) in the water column threatens their ability to respire, which may lead to death. Fish that tolerate low levels of dissolved oxygen (such as the introduced fish gambusia) may replace native populations that are less tolerant.
   • Increased turbidity and decreased water clarity – water may become cloudy or discolored with chemical contamination which reduces the ability of fish to see prey and detect predators.
   • Damage to species – repeated exposure to sub-lethal doses of some contaminants can cause physiological and behavioural changes in fish that have long term effects on the population, such as reduced reproductive success, abandonment of nests and broods, a decreased immunity to disease, tumors and lesions, impairment of the central nervous system, and increased failure to avoid predators.
   • Some contaminants, such as mercury, may bioaccumulate in animal tissues and be carried to human consumers of the fish.

   • +100 CLEANGREEN

2. @cleangreen – You are wasting your breath on Nick – the man is a puppet.

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