Site-specific Assessments of Environmental Effects

B-2 – Area 4 - Assessment of Environmental Effects 34 The Services Trench will be established across rural farmland and existing roading corridors with no significant terrestrial ecological values; 5 The Services Trench will cross either under or over two tributaries of the Ohinemuri River. The works associated with these activities will occur within the riparian areas of the tributaries and not within the stream bed. With erosion and sediment control measures in place, the effects of these activities on the tributaries have been assessed as negligible; 6 The proposed services will cross the Ohinemuri River via two new, purpose-built structures located adjacent to the existing road bridges on Willows Road and SH25. No instream works will be required, with the footings of the structures located outside of the bed of the Ohinemuri River. As all trenching works will occur in accordance with the sediment and erosion control measures described in Section 3 of this AEE, there will be no sediment runoff into the Ohinemuri River or nearby tributaries. Accordingly, the mauri and associated values of the Ohinemuri River and its margins will be maintained; 7 During construction, exposed soil will give rise to temporary visual effects. Once the trenching works are complete and the existing landcover reinstated, the landscape and visual amenity effects will be negligible; 8 The Services Trench will traverse areas of “high class soils”, as defined in the RPS. Any effects on this soil will be temporary, with site remediation allowing the land to revert to existing land use on completion of the works;9 and The Services Trench will pass through an area identified as a HAIL site. All soil disturbance activities within identified HAIL sites will be undertaken in accordance with a SMP to ensure the activities do not pose a risk to human health, plant and animal health, water, air and soil quality; 10 The historic Willows Timber Tramway (T13/962), Silverton Gold Mining Complex (T13/819) and the Favona Mine (T13/306) are all located within the vicinity of the Services Trench. The Services Trench is unlikely to be of a scale or depth to have any impact on these deep subsurface features. 11 5 Objective 3.19 and associated Policy 11.1, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 6 Objective 3.19 and associated Policy 11.1, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 7 Objectives 3.14, 3.16, 3.21 and 3.22, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 8 Objective 3.21, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 9 Objective 3.25, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 10 Objective 3.25, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 11 Objective 3.18, Waikato Regional Policy Statement.

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