Conservation group Forest and Bird has lodged an appeal against resource consent being granted for a large hydro-electricity project on the West Coast.
State owned Meridian Energy this month won resource consent for a 100-megawatt dam, in a split decision by commissioners for the West Coast Regional Council and the Buller District Council.
The 85m-high dam will block the Mokihinui River upstream from Seddonville and flood 280 hectares of native bush.
Forest and Bird says the appeal has been made because the project will be very destructive to fish and birds in particular.
It says that while going against well-funded Meridian Energy is a bit like David versus Goliath, it believes it has a strong argument.
