B-6 – Area 6 – Assessment of Environmental Effects 82 aquatic habitats including stable pools, gravel and cobble riffle habitats, and will provide for fish passage. As demonstrated in Section 5 and the GHD (2022b) report (and summarised above), the various activities undertaken within Area 6, both individually and when taken as a sum of their parts, will prioritise the health and wellbeing of water bodies and freshwater ecosystems, the health needs of people, thus the ability of people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural wellbeing, now and into the future. OGNZL continues to engage with tangata whenua regarding activities occurring within Area 6 and the wider WNP. Through this consultation process, OGNZL is focussed on how the project can establish and operate in a way that protects the mauri of the wai and restores and preserves the balance between water, the environment and community, will be established. 7.4.1.2 Policy 6 Policy 6 of the NPSFM seeks to ensure that there is no loss to the extent of natural inland wetlands and that their values are protected. Policy 6 also promotes the restoration of natural inland wetlands. There are no natural wetlands within the Area 6 footprint. Accordingly, activities within Area 6 will be consistent with this policy. 7.4.1.3 Policy 7 Policy 7 of the NPSFM seeks to ensure the loss of river extent and values is avoided to the extent practicable. This is supported by clause 3.24 of the NPSFM which requires Regional Councils to include a new provision in their regional plans which guides how this policy will be implemented at a regional level.7 Collectively, these provisions direct that river loss be avoided, unless: There is functional need to locate the activity in a way that causes loss of river extent and values; and If a functional need exists, the effects of the activity are managed in accordance with the effects management hierarchy described in the NPSFM. Specifically, the hierarchy requires: o adverse effects are avoided where practicable; o where adverse effects cannot be avoided, they are minimised where practicable; 7 Policy 3.A.3, Waikato Regional Plan.
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