Mayor Stuart Crosby says leaving it will create an awful legacy. He is right.
We should not forget the scale of the fallout that followed when the 37,000-tonne cargo ship hit the reef near Motiti Island.
In the ensuing days, the Bay's coastline was soiled by 350 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, debris and more than 1000 dead birds, in what will be labelled New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster.
Several years on and oil spots and small plastic beads were still washing up along the Bay of Plenty coastline .
Rena's owners and its insurers will be able draw on their considerable resources to support their application.
Those who oppose the move are facing a David and Goliath battle. Some are calling on the Government for assistance, which seems fair. The Rena disaster is a national issue.
The final decision on whether or not to remove the wreck will set a benchmark for how this country deals with such events in the future.
