Wagga Council has blasted government agencies after the responsibility of moving a ute in the Murrumbidgee has fallen back onto them.
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In the river, just down the road from the Silvalite Service Station, lies a submerged ute, that has been there for more than eight months.
General manager Peter Thompson said the inaction of NSW Government agencies to remove a car in the Murrumbidgee River has caused Council to take action itself.
"The vehicle has been in the river off McNickle Road since around July last year," he said.
"Council has been in communication with various NSW Government agencies and in the absence of anyone else stepping forward to remove the vehicle, Council will step in and do what it considers to be in the public interest.
"Council is hopeful that the NSW Government will reimburse Council the costs of the clean up when it is determined which agency has responsibility for the vehicle in the river."
Previously staff had referred the issue to the NSW Government's Natural Resources Access Regulator and a spokesperson said it received advice on July 6, 2018, about the car.
"NRAR is responsible for ensuring compliance with NSW water management laws to enable secure and sustainable sharing of water between users and the environment," they said.
"There are a number of agencies which have responsibilities regarding abandoned vehicles in public spaces and waterways, and NRAR is liaising with these agencies to seek an outcome in this matter."
"NRAR takes a risk-based approach to non-compliance and focuses on the more significant cases of non-compliance where harm is greatest. If a breach is detected, NRAR takes a graduated and proportionate approach, based on a number of factors including the severity of the impact on the environment and potential harm to people or property."
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