On
10th June 2009, Environment Minister Dr
Nick Smith announced a review of Resource
Management (National Standards Relating
to Certain Air Pollutants, Dioxins and other
Toxics) Regulations 2004 (the air quality
standards).
The air quality standards,
which were gazetted in 2004, set threshold
concentrations for certain air pollutants
with restrictions on industry after 2013
if the air quality standards aren’t met.
The air quality standards are intended to
help protect public health and the environment.
The review is to be
supported by an independent technical advisory
group comprising the following members:
Phil Barry – Chair (Financial
& economics adviser and independent
consultant)
Kevin Mahon (Director Air Policy, Auckland
Regional Council)
Dr Deborah Read (Public health physician
and independent consultant)
Lawrence Yule (Mayor, Hastings District
Council)
Kevin Rolfe (Director, Kevin Rolfe &
Associates and independent consultant)
The particular issues under review are whether
the disallowing of industry consents is
appropriate when industry contribute a small
proportion of pollutants, whether the air
quality standard has the right cost/benefit
balance and whether the 2013 timeline is
reliable.
The role of the technical
advisory group is to make recommendations
to the Minister within the terms of reference
for the review. The terms of reference also
contain an indicative timetable for the
review. A report back on the review outcomes
is scheduled for February 2010.
The technical advisory
group will prepare an independent report
to inform the Minister. To inform their
report the technical advisory group will
invite written submissions from the following
stakeholders:
Industry
Local government
Public health units of district health boards
Central government agencies with portfolio
responsibilities relating to air quality
and public health.
Should the Minister choose to progress any
of the technical advisory group recommendations
a full public consultation process will
be required. This public consultation will
be conducted as per the national environmental
standard development process under the Resource
Management Act 1991.
For further information
on the review of the air quality standards,
please contact
Louise Wickham
Senior Analyst
Ministry for the Environment
+ More
Biographical information
on the members of the Technical Advisory
Group
Phil Barry – Chair of
the Technical Advisory Group
Mr Barry is a Director at Taylor Duignan
Barry, an independent consultancy that provides
corporate finance and economic advice. Mr
Barry holds an MBA from the University of
Rochester, New York and a BA (Hons) 1st
class in economics from the Victoria University
of Wellington. Mr Barry has previously worked
for both the Department of Prime Minister
and Cabinet, and Treasury. Mr Barry held
the post of Director for the Asset and Liability
Management Branch at Treasury from 1996
and 1988. Mr Barry is an economist with
strengths in both negotiation and analytical
skills and experience in water allocation
issues, competition policy issues and national
cost benefit analyses. Mr Barry provides
independent technical expertise for the
group.
Lawrence Yule
Mr Yule is the president of Local Government
New Zealand and has been Mayor of Hastings
District Council since 2001. Mr Yule has
particular interest in the air quality standards
due to cost concerns with the proposed Hawkes
Bay Regional Council proposed plan changes.
Mr Yule brings a territorial authority perspective
and will represent ratepayers on the group.
Kevin Mahon
Mr Mahon is the Air Quality Policy Manager
at the Auckland Regional Council with over
27 years experience in industrial air quality
consents under the Clean Air Act 1972 and
the Resource Management Act 1991. Mr Mahon
is well versed in both the technical aspects
as well as the practical implications of
the regulations. Mr Mahon is further knowledgeable
about transport issues that affect Auckland
air quality. Mr Mahon will represent both
industry, transport and regional councils
on the group.
Dr Deborah Read
Dr Deborah Read is a public health medicine
consultant and is qualified in the area
of public and environmental health and health
risk assessment. Dr Read is currently a
part time Medical Officer of Health for
the Hutt Valley District Board and a public
health medicine consultant. She was Deputy
Chair of the Medical Council from 2002-8,
and has been a member of the Environmental
Risk Management Authority since 2006. Dr
Read is also Chair of the Ministry of Health’s
Organochlorines Technical Advisory Group
and has just finished an appointment to
the Board of Inquiry for the Upper North
Island Grid Upgrade proposal. Dr Read provides
public heath expertise to the group.
Kevin Rolfe
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering
from the University of Canterbury, a Masters
of Applied Science in Environmental Studies
from the University of Melbourne as well
as multiple certificates in financial, management
and economics areas. Kevin has first hand
experience with the air quality standards
as applied through his recent work as a
Commissioner for a resource consent application
in Nelson. Kevin has also previously worked
in the public health arena with his appointment
as an air quality management specialist
to the World Health Organisation in Kuala
Lumpur. Kevin provides significant air quality
expertise to the group.
+ More
Review of the national
environmental standards for air quality
On 10th June 2009, Environment
Minister Dr Nick Smith announced a review
of Resource Management (National Standards
Relating to Certain Air Pollutants, Dioxins
and other Toxics) Regulations 2004 (the
air quality standards).
The air quality standards,
which were gazetted in 2004, set threshold
concentrations for certain air pollutants
with restrictions on industry after 2013
if the air quality standards aren’t met.
The air quality standards are intended to
help protect public health and the environment.
The review is to be
supported by an independent technical advisory
group comprising the following members:
Phil Barry – Chair (Financial
& economics adviser and independent
consultant)
Kevin Mahon (Director Air Policy, Auckland
Regional Council)
Dr Deborah Read (Public health physician
and independent consultant)
Lawrence Yule (Mayor, Hastings District
Council)
Kevin Rolfe (Director, Kevin Rolfe &
Associates and independent consultant)
The particular issues under review are whether
the disallowing of industry consents is
appropriate when industry contribute a small
proportion of pollutants, whether the air
quality standard has the right cost/benefit
balance and whether the 2013 timeline is
reliable.
The role of the technical
advisory group is to make recommendations
to the Minister within the terms of reference
for the review. The terms of reference also
contain an indicative timetable for the
review. A report back on the review outcomes
is scheduled for February 2010.
The technical advisory
group will prepare an independent report
to inform the Minister. To inform their
report the technical advisory group will
invite written submissions from the following
stakeholders:
Industry
Local government
Public health units of district health boards
Central government agencies with portfolio
responsibilities relating to air quality
and public health.
Should the Minister choose to progress any
of the technical advisory group recommendations
a full public consultation process will
be required. This public consultation will
be conducted as per the national environmental
standard development process under the Resource
Management Act 1991.
For further information on the review of
the air quality standards, please contact
Louise Wickham
Senior Analyst
Ministry for the Environment
Biographical information
on the members of the Technical Advisory
Group
Phil Barry – Chair of the Technical Advisory
Group
Mr Barry is a Director at Taylor Duignan
Barry, an independent consultancy that provides
corporate finance and economic advice. Mr
Barry holds an MBA from the University of
Rochester, New York and a BA (Hons) 1st
class in economics from the Victoria University
of Wellington. Mr Barry has previously worked
for both the Department of Prime Minister
and Cabinet, and Treasury. Mr Barry held
the post of Director for the Asset and Liability
Management Branch at Treasury from 1996
and 1988. Mr Barry is an economist with
strengths in both negotiation and analytical
skills and experience in water allocation
issues, competition policy issues and national
cost benefit analyses. Mr Barry provides
independent technical expertise for the
group.
Lawrence Yule
Mr Yule is the president of Local Government
New Zealand and has been Mayor of Hastings
District Council since 2001. Mr Yule has
particular interest in the air quality standards
due to cost concerns with the proposed Hawkes
Bay Regional Council proposed plan changes.
Mr Yule brings a territorial authority perspective
and will represent ratepayers on the group.
Kevin Mahon
Mr Mahon is the Air Quality Policy Manager
at the Auckland Regional Council with over
27 years experience in industrial air quality
consents under the Clean Air Act 1972 and
the Resource Management Act 1991. Mr Mahon
is well versed in both the technical aspects
as well as the practical implications of
the regulations. Mr Mahon is further knowledgeable
about transport issues that affect Auckland
air quality. Mr Mahon will represent both
industry, transport and regional councils
on the group.
Dr Deborah Read
Dr Deborah Read is a public health medicine
consultant and is qualified in the area
of public and environmental health and health
risk assessment. Dr Read is currently a
part time Medical Officer of Health for
the Hutt Valley District Board and a public
health medicine consultant. She was Deputy
Chair of the Medical Council from 2002-8,
and has been a member of the Environmental
Risk Management Authority since 2006. Dr
Read is also Chair of the Ministry of Health’s
Organochlorines Technical Advisory Group
and has just finished an appointment to
the Board of Inquiry for the Upper North
Island Grid Upgrade proposal. Dr Read provides
public heath expertise to the group.
Kevin Rolfe
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering
from the University of Canterbury, a Masters
of Applied Science in Environmental Studies
from the University of Melbourne as well
as multiple certificates in financial, management
and economics areas. Kevin has first hand
experience with the air quality standards
as applied through his recent work as a
Commissioner for a resource consent application
in Nelson. Kevin has also previously worked
in the public health arena with his appointment
as an air quality management specialist
to the World Health Organisation in Kuala
Lumpur. Kevin provides significant air quality
expertise to the group.
Nick Smith11 June, 2009
+ More
RMA shake-up needed
to fix late consents
Changes in law and practice
are needed to address the record number
of late resource consents, Environment Minister
Dr Nick Smith said today.
Dr Smith today released
the two-yearly report on Local Authorities
administration of the Resource Management
Act.
“This report tells a
sorry story of delay, frustration and unnecessary
costs for more than 16,000 homeowners, businesses
and farmers whose consents last year were
not processed within the legal timeframes,”
Dr Smith said.
“This problem has been
ignored and got progressively worse over
the past decade increasing from 18% to 31%,
despite a nine-fold increase from 3% to
28% in consents where Councils granted themselves
a 20-day extension.”
Dr Smith this morning
presented the report with officials to the
Local Government and Environment Select
Committee considering the Resource Management
Amendment Bill.
“The Bill is about simplifying
the consent process and providing incentives
for Councils to improve their consenting
timeframes. The two-yearly report shows
we need to strengthen these proposals to
ensure better performance.
“The wide variation
in the performance of Councils shows that
practice can be substantially improved.
Eight councils who are breaching the law
more often than they are complying are receiving
a letter from me seeking improvements. I
have also written to the 25 councils with
90% or better compliance commending them
on their performance.
“I also want to commend
Councils for the improvement in the proportion
of consents being monitored – that is up
to 79%, and for the 84% level of compliance
with consent conditions which is a record
high.
“The efficient processing
of resource consents is critical to lifting
productivity and the creation of new jobs.
This report is a wake-up call that significant
improvement is required.”
Report is available
at: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma/annual-survey/2007-2008/
Nick Smith Environment
Nick Smith, David Carter8
June, 2009
Fresh water reform process
announced
A new process to improve
New Zealand's fresh water management was
today announced by Environment Minister
Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David
Carter.
"Reform of New
Zealand's fresh water management is needed
to address deteriorating water quality and
poor incentives for water allocation and
storage,
Nick Smith said.
"New Zealand's
abundant fresh water resources are the envy
of many other countries and the key to our
competitive advantage in agriculture and
renewable energy - as well as being essential
to our environment and lifestyle. The problem
is that our system of management has not
kept up with the extra pressure on our water
system.
"Today's announcements
are about Government setting the direction
of water reform and setting up a process
with stakeholders and Maori to develop solutions.
"This work is being
led through a collaborative process by the
Land and Water Forum involving major water
users in agriculture, industry and power
generation as well as major environmental
and recreational groups. This process will
run over the next year and the Government
will seek public comment before making any
policy decisions.
"This approach
reflects a new style of collaborative environmental
governance outlined in National's 2006 Bluegreen
vision document and 2008 election policy."
David Carter said some
parts of New Zealand are approaching water
resource limits and the issue needs to be
addressed.
"New Zealand has
plenty of water, but not always in the right
places and at the right times. This has
led to demand outstripping supply and economic
opportunities being constrained. Water is
a vital input for the primary sectors, which
are collectively the biggest export earner
and employer in New Zealand.
"The focus of the
new direction will be on water quality,
water quantity, allocation, and infrastructure
including water storage.
"We need to ensure
that the changes we make are workable and
carefully balance New Zealand's important
environmental reputation with the potential
for ongoing economic growth from the primary
sector.
"While this policy
work is being advanced, water infrastructure
development will continue to be an important
part of the work of the recently announced
National Infrastructure Advisory Board,"
Mr Carter said.
Government delivers
on environmental priorities
Nick Smith28 May, 2009
- The Government is increasing funding for
its environmental priorities in 2009/10,
Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
“Feel good programmes
that cost much and achieved little have
been shelved. The Government has refocused
the Ministry for the Environment to ensure
it delivers tangible results in our priority
areas of climate change, freshwater management,
biodiversity, waste management and air quality.
"The Government
also wants to ensure there are the necessary
resources for our reform of the Resource
Management Act and redesign and implementation
of an Emissions Trading Scheme.”
Budget announcements
include the following funding over the next
four years:
An increase of funding
for the reform of the Resource Management
Act of $9 million.
Increasing funding for developing the Emissions
Trading Scheme, including international
linkages, by $6.9 million.
Increasing funding for the freshwater policy
work programme by $2.1 million.
Additional funding of $17.3 million for
activities that would have been discontinued
as a result of funding reductions in 2009/10.
These activities relate to waste minimisation,
Waikato River Settlement, and other policy
advice.
“The money has been freed up by reallocations
within the Ministry for the Environment’s
budget, including the decision in March
to end or scale back five work programmes
that were not government priorities,” Dr
Smith says. “The Government is committed
to investing in real and pragmatic solutions
that benefit New Zealand’s environment.”
+ More
Green Ribbon Award winners
announced
Nick Smith4 June, 2009
- Nine individuals, businesses and organisations
from Kaitaia to Otago have been honoured
for making an outstanding contribution to
protecting the environment at the annual
Green Ribbon Awards announced tonight.
“These awards pay homage
to those who have contributed positively
to addressing environmental issues and inspired
others to take action,” Environment Minister
Nick Smith said.
“These awards fit very
comfortably with the Government’s emphasis
on practical initiatives that make a real
difference to environmental challenges such
as climate change, water quality, the protection
of nature, and reducing waste. These problems
won’t be solved by Government agencies such
the Environment Ministry or the Department
of Conservation alone but by businesses,
communities and individuals showing local
leadership.
“The nomination categories
this year reflect the many different areas
in which New Zealanders contribute to reducing
the impacts people have on the environment.”
The 2009 winners are:
The Travis Wetland Trust
in Christchurch for its successful restoration
Hawke’s Bay’s Garth
Eyles for his work on land use capability
and soil conservation
Ashburton District Council
for its work on an eco-friendly subdivision
Tommy Long from Botany
Downs Secondary College in Auckland, who
established the first environmental awards
at his college
Rueben Porter for initiating
projects on environmental guardianship in
Kaitaia
Ports of Auckland for
its environmental monitoring and management
Ngati Whatua o Orakei
for providing greater awareness of zero
waste management at a free public concert
at Okahu Bay
Horizons Regional Council
for its WaterMatters website which enables
the council to measure the amount of water
being abstracted from river catchments
MAD4CO (Making a Difference
for Central Otago) for organising a huge
project to clean up the Clutha River as
part of World Environment Day 2008.
“The Green Ribbon Awards
are an opportunity for the Government to
acknowledge the exceptional contribution
New Zealanders are making to their environment,”
Dr Smith said.
Green Ribbon Award winners
and categories
Urban Sustainability
Winner: Travis Wetland
Trust
Awarded for the Trust’s
outstanding efforts to preserve and develop
a wetland as a nature park in an urban area.
Since 1983 a group of
volunteers have worked to save Travis Wetland
– the last large freshwater wetland in Christchurch
– from encroaching urban development, with
the ultimate goal of setting it up as a
nature heritage park for the education and
enjoyment of both the local community and
the city. The Trust’s volunteers and workers
organised by the council, have worked to
remove willows and weeds to ensure the wetland
is protected.
Planting has been carried
out under a restoration plan and 57,000
plants have been planted over 10 years.
Planting native species is carried out by
the council, schools, community groups and
residential developers. The park is used
for recreation – walkers, joggers, amateur
ornithologists and families share the track
around the wetland.
The wetland has scientific
benefit for the City’s universities and
research institutions as a research site.
Funding from the Community Trust has provided
for an on-site education centre with lab
and classroom facilities and a visitor information
centre.
Sustainable Land Use
Winner: Garth Eyles
Awarded for his life
long commitment to caring for our soil and
encouraging others to adopt a more holistic
approach to land management.
Garth’s life long commitment
to caring for our soil places him at the
forefront of land conservation and has made
him one of New Zealand’s leading exponents
on land use capability.
His commitment to sustainable
land use has been very holistic and his
contribution to the natural environment
of Hawke’s Bay has covered developing farm
plans that match land capability to use;
encouraging planting of unstable slopes
and gullies to prevent erosion; encouraging
tillage methods that avoid wind erosion;
and identifying remnant wetlands while encouraging
restoration and enhancement.
In 1979 Garth developed
the Land Use Capability mapping system.
He was a member of the Hawke’s Bay Conservation
Board from 1993 to 1996 and in that time
he was actively involved in the preparation
of the Conservation Management Strategy
for the then Hawke’s Bay Conservancy. He
was also involved in the development of
Management Plans for the Ruahine and Kaweka
Forest Parks and the Te Angi Marine Reserve.
Making a Difference
to Household Sustainability
Winner: Ashburton District
Council: Albert Street/Geoff Geering Drive
Eco-subdivision
Awarded for outstanding
efforts to create affordable household running
costs whilst minimising the impact households
have on the environment.
Ashburton District Council’s
Eco-Subdivision takes a whole-house approach
to achieve affordable, comfortable, healthy
and energy efficient homes. The two objectives
for the Council were to create affordability
in household running costs and to minimise
the impact households have on the environment.
The Council purchased
the land in 1985 and commenced the subdivision
in 2003. The houses are built to promote
energy efficiency using concrete floors,
double glazing on all exterior fenestration,
increased insulation, solar powered or geothermal
hot water and on-site stormwater catchment
facility for the purposes of garden irrigation.
The impact of stormwater is minimised through
a unique design of the subdivision’s curb
and channelling which prevents it from going
straight into the groundwater.
The Eco-Subdivision
provides an outstanding example of the efforts
a local authority can take to reduce the
impact that households have on the environment.
Community Action for
the Environment – Young People
Winner: Tommy Long
Awarded for his outstanding
commitment to improving our environment.
Tommy is a Year 11 student
at Botany Downs Secondary College (BDSC)
and is dedicated and committed to improving
the environment.
He created and founded
the first environmental awards at the college,
which was originally based on his whanau
house, Koru Whanau.
Tommy established the
BDSC Environmental Council which is an association
of all whanau environmental committees within
the school. The council is a whole-school
based environmental council, assisting people
to work together to address environmental
issues, host events for the school and implement
initiatives. The Council has an Environmental
Cup, which Tommy implemented, for all levels
at the school’s prize giving
Tommy is chair of the
School’s Enviroschools group and in 2008
he represented Botany Downs Secondary College
to receive the Bronze Enviroschools Award.
Community Action for
the Environment – Volunteers and Not-for-Profit
Organisations
Winner: Rueben Porter
on behalf of Nga Hapu o Ahipara
Awarded for his outstanding
commitment to reintroducing a sense of guardianship
and care of the environment to people in
the Kaitaia area.
Rueben has initiated
a number of projects aimed at reintroducing
a sense of guardianship and care of the
environment to people in the Kaitaia region.
His community work includes:
regular workshops on gardening, co-hosting
weekly radio talk-back shows over topical
environmental issues, as well as providing
free mentoring and gardening advice to local
whanau and space to grow food at the Ahuwhenua
site in Ahipara. He has also organised a
hugely successful Mana Whenua gardening
challenge – a marae based gardening competition
for young people.
In 2008, Rueben and
his wife taught a Treaty of Waitangi Workshop
at the Far North Environment Centre (where
Reuben is a trustee), as a means of improving
the way trustees approach their environmental
work with Maori.
Rueben regularly monitors
activity in the Kaitaia area to ensure hapu
are represented and the environment is protected.
He hosts school groups and regularly speaks
on guardianship issues. He also works with
the Far North Conservation Corps and with
hapu on whale recovery.
Businesses Making a
Difference
Winner: Ports of Auckland
Awarded for outstanding
environmental management initiatives and
leading by example.
Ports of Auckland has
demonstrated a great track record in environmental
management.
In 2008, the Port became
one of the first in Australasia to measure
and audit its greenhouse gas emissions and
carbon footprint. It was the first New Zealand
port to undertake an annual inventory and
audit of its carbon emissions.
In addition to this,
the Port has introduced a real-time monitoring
system to identify ongoing opportunities
for improvement and waste reduction in electricity
and fuel consumption.
A major lighting efficiency
programme has been set up in the Port’s
premises. This has seen 1350 floodlights
replaced with 650 environmentally friendly,
fully shielded lights – reducing electricity
use by lighting at the Port by an estimated
15 per cent.
This is in addition to the introduction
of 35 hybrid diesel-electric straddle carriers
– making the fleet the most environmentally
efficient in New Zealand. The new machines
generate 90% fewer emissions, use 20% less
fuel and make less noise than diesel-only
models.
A rail connection between
the inland port at Wiri, South Auckland,
and the Auckland sea port to bring further
efficiency to the supply chain, and to reduce
inner city truck trips (and therefore carbon
emissions) has also been introduced by the
Port.
Environment in the Spotlight
Winner: Ngati Whatua o Orakei
Awarded for its commitment to significantly
raising the profile and awareness of zero
waste management.
Ngati Whatua o Orakei
collaborated with the Auckland City Council
to host a free public concert at Okahu Bay
on Waitangi Day focussed on providing greater
awareness of zero waste management to an
audience of approximately 30,000 people.
The concert’s zero-waste policy encouraged
people to consider the environment and to
adopt a “pack-in, pack-out” attitude on
the day – disposing of their own waste at
home.
In addition to the Waitangi
Day event, Ngati Whatua o Orakei’s environmental
vision includes a tree nursery and a tree
planting project which every year plants
18,000 native trees.
Innovative Solutions
for the Environment
Winner: Horizons Regional
Council: WaterMatters Website
Awarded for their efforts
to improve water management in their region.
Horizons Regional Council’s
WaterMatters website has transformed the
way water information is captured, analysed
and made available to the public. The website,
which was launched in January 2007, enables
abstractors, the council and key stakeholders
to view how much water is being managed
in catchments in near real time.
The system is built
to measure the amount of water being abstracted,
and to then check how these volumes compare
to the requirements of resource consent
conditions. This information is essential
to understanding what the flows would have
been in the river had there been no abstraction.
A key component of WaterMatters
is to make it easier for consent holders
to comply with their consents. To enable
this, a summary of all the relevant information
about the consent is collated each day in
a location that the consent holder can observe.
This approach has resulted in improved management
of water abstractions in the region.
Community Action for
World Environment Day
Winner: MAD4CO (Making
a Difference for Central Otago)
Awarded for outstanding
efforts to inspire their community to participate
in environmental activities to celebrate
World Environment Day.
The Sustainable Living
Reference group (Sustainability co-ordinator
at Central Otago Rural Education Activities
Programme, Waste Minimisations Officer at
Central Otago District Council and Manager
of Central Otago WasteBusters) developed
ideas for a clean up of part of the Clutha
River to celebrate World Environment Day
2008.
The group got other
Central Otago organisations, including the
Department of Conservation (DoC), Otago
Regional Council, Central Excavating and
Contact Energy on board, with each group
taking responsibility for different aspects
of the project and the MAD4CO project was
born. A bigger river clean up than originally
planned evolved, as groups and businesses
donated machinery and equipment, and more
volunteers committed their time.
The big clean up took
place on 4 June – the Contact Energy Team
picked up 18 dumped car bodies from one
side of the Clutha Mata-au River, while
the team from Central Excavating did the
same in the area behind The Pines plantation
on the opposite side of the river. On 5
and 6 June, volunteers moved in to collect
the remaining dumped materials.
Another group of volunteers
went to a site on Boundary Road where 500
trees were planted in a buffer zone between
residences and light industry. These volunteers,
led by DoC and Central Otago District Council,
included many school classes and individuals.
