B-5 – Area 5 - Assessment of Environmental Effects 158 Accordingly, activities within Area 5 are not expected to generate any unacceptable or intolerable level of risk for those working in and around Area 5 or those residing downstream of the site. 7.5.1.9 Soils Objective 3.25 of the RPS seeks that the soil resource is managed to safeguard its life supporting capacity, for the existing and foreseeable range of uses. Associated policies direct that: the soil resource is managed to minimise sedimentation and erosion, maintain or enhance biological, chemical and physical soil properties and retain soil versatility to protect the existing and foreseeable range of uses;78 a decline in the availability of high class soils for primary production due to inappropriate use or development is avoided;79 and contaminants in soils are minimised.80 With respect to these directives: based on the NZLRI, Area 5 is not located within a mapped “high class soil”;81 activities undertaken within Area 5 will revert areas of existing pasture utilised for mining purposes. Post closure rehabilitation will enable the land to be reverted to agricultural use or other alternative land uses, as set out in Section 3.2.5.3 (Closure and Rehabilitation) of this AEE and in WWLA (2022);82 erosion and sediment control plans, as set out in Southern Skies (2022) and Section 3.2.3 of this AEE, will be implemented on-site during construction of the GOP and associated activities, such as stockpiles, to ensure sedimentation and erosion of the soil resource is minimised;83 measures are being implemented to minimise the potential leaching of contaminants from the TSF and associated features into groundwater, surface water and surrounding land. These measures will all minimise the potential for soil contamination generated from the TSF and associated features;84 and on closure of the mine, Area 5 will be rehabilitated in line with the closure plan. As described in Section 7.10 of the Overarching AEE, it is intended that the site will be 78 Policy 14.1, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 79 Policy 14.2, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 80 Policy 14.3, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 81 Policy 14.2, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 82 Policies 14.1(c) and 14.3, Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 83 Policy 14.1(a), Waikato Regional Policy Statement. 84 Policy 14.3, Waikato Regional Policy Statement.
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