Waikato has secured more than $5 million in taxpayer funding to fast-track a suite of freshwater restoration projects. The Environment Ministry announced on Sunday plans to spend $62m on quick-start initiatives aimed at improving freshwater as part of the Government’s environmentally-focused Covid-19 recovery programme. Waikato Regional Council has been awarded $5.5m in funding for four projects focused on enhancing the region’s freshwater. Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington said the funding boost would ensure work on the four projects is fast-tracked. Cr Stu Husband, who chairs the council’s river and catchment committee, said all four freshwater restoration projects will involve working alongside iwi, landowners, the Department of Conservation and other agencies.

Source: Stuff July 06, 2020 00:56 UTC