Preserving Our Geothermal Resources: Proposed Changes Now Open for Public Comment

Ensuring the sustainable management of geothermal resources in the Bay of Plenty for current and future generations is at the heart of Bay of Plenty Toi Moana Regional Council’s proposed changes to the Regional Natural Resources Plan (RNRP).

Under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), regional councils must review their Regional Natural Resources Plan every 10 years to ensure it is fit for purpose and addressing ongoing management issues. This review of the geothermal section of the Plan (Plan Amendment 11) will examine how this natural resource is used and managed.

Namuta Putasi, general manager of strategy and planning at Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council, says the release of the draft Plan Change 11 document sends a clear signal to the community about the Regional Council’s preferred management approach when it comes to geothermal energy.

“Geothermal energy is an important part of our region’s economy, culture and heritage. Careful management is essential to ensure the sustainable use of our region’s unique geothermal systems.

“The release of the draft document today will allow communities across the region to provide feedback on our management approach before formal notification of plan changes next year.”

As part of Plan 11 changes, the Regional Council is proposing changes that will help balance the need to preserve the region’s geothermal features (such as geysers) with the sustainable use and development of geothermal energy throughout the region. Proposed changes include new policies to protect important geothermal sites, allocation restrictions for Ngā Wai Ariki o Rotorua – Rotorua’s geothermal system, and the possibility of use in development systems such as Kawerau.

The review also included harmonization of several different plans used to manage geothermal energy, such as consolidating the geothermal objectives, policies and regulations currently included in the Regional Natural Resources Plan and the Rotorua Geothermal Regional Plan (RGRP) into one geothermal chapter in the Regional Natural Resources Plan (RGRP). resources.

In addition to the change to Plan 11, Regional Council has also released a draft Tauranga Geothermal Management Plan for feedback.

System Management Plans (SMPs) are required for high-use systems. In the Bay of Plenty, this includes Ngā Wai Ariki o Rotorua in central Rotorua (NSP adopted April 2024), Kawerau Geothermal Scheme (NSP under review) and the Tauranga Geothermal Scheme, which covers Tauranga and the western Bay of Plenty (NSP project in development ).

The Tauranga Geothermal System Management Plan is an operational document that describes how the Regional Council intends to manage the system. It will be used to inform regional plan changes for both the geothermal and freshwater chapters of the Regional Resource Management Plan next year. This is because Tauranga’s geothermal system is a low temperature system and represents the warm portion of the groundwater resource. This means that the use of one resource affects the other, and therefore the two resources need to be managed in an integrated manner.

Ms Putasi encourages anyone who wants to have their say on both the Plan 11 change and the draft Tauranga Geothermal Management Plan to submit a submission.

“Managing our geothermal resources will require all of us to work together. We need to know what the community values ​​and balance that with the technical information we have to ensure that this resource is used sustainably for current and future generations.”

The full draft Plan Change 11, draft Tauranga System Management Plan and supporting documents, including summaries and explanations, can be found on the Regional Council’s participation web portal at participation.boprc.govt.nz.

Applications open today, Thursday 17 October and close on Friday 31 January 2025. These can be submitted at parts.boprc.govt.nz.

Plan Change 11 and the Tauranga Geothermal Management Plan cover complex and technical topics. For support in understanding these plans or to discuss them further, the community can contact the Regional Council’s geothermal team at [email protected].

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