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5 March 2001 |
Meeting Sought on Clean Air Issues
Christchurch’s Mayor Garry Moore is to try to set up a meeting between the City Council and Environment Canterbury over clear-air issues.
He said today that he would ask the City Manager, Mike Richardson, to call a meeting between the two councils, as their policies over clean-air matters seem to be at odds.
"I am concerned for the people of Christchurch in the present clean-air argument over solid-fuel burners," Mr. Moore said today.
The regional planning committee of Ecan has recommended that new homeowners not use solid-fuel burners and wanted a law to enforce the ban.
Mr. Moore said firing bullets in public about the matter is unfortunate and political comments are not helpful.
He was also critical of Ecan’s chief executive, Ian Cumming, who said he was disappointed that the City Council "well-meaning helping-hand" subsidy, intended to persuade people to convert to clean energy, had caused more solid-fuel burners.
Mr. Moore said it was not the place of a senior public servant to be voicing political matters.
"I have to say that it disturbs me to see an obvious split within Ecan as to how to deal with the clean-air issue. We have been working away in the past few years getting rid of open fireplaces and fireplaces burning coal and encouraging people to get approved solid-fuel burners.
"The manufacturers have gone to huge lengths and great expense to get their solid-fuel burners approved.
"Now the Ecan message is not good enough and it is time talk about the issues together."
"The people of Christchurch couldn’t care less whether the City Council or Ecan deals with clean air. But the issues has to be dealt with and I want a meeting with Ecan to talk about it," Mr. Moore said.