Nick Smith1
October, 2009 The Environmental Protection
Authority (EPA) that opens today marks a
new era in managing New Zealand's natural
resources with the Government taking a more
active role and major resource consents
being processed nationally.
"A weakness in
New Zealand's environmental management has
been the degree to which major decisions
have been left to regional and local authorities
and it taking longer to approve consents
than to build major projects," Dr Smith
said. "The establishment of the EPA
is about providing greater national leadership
and enabling timely decisions on critical
infrastructure."
The EPA is established
as part of the Resource Management (Simplifying
and Streamlining) Amendment Act that came
into effect today enabling major resource
consent applicants to apply directly to
the new agency.
"This reform has
come about because the current system is
slow, costly and inefficient. It is unrealistic
to expect small councils to have the resources
to be able to cope with major consents.
Inevitably council decisions are appealed
to the Environment Court dragging out the
process for years. This new system will
enable the decisions to be made through
a single robust process that incorporates
both local and national considerations.
"The genesis of
this new authority was National's 2006 Bluegreen
Vision for New Zealand. The authority will
initially be a statutory office within the
Environment Ministry but further Cabinet
decisions on its broader role are being
considered. These may include environmental
responsibility for New Zealand's exclusive
economic zone, oversight of hazardous substances
and new organisms, and the administrative
functions of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
"The Government's
broader intent is for the EPA to be the
national regulator on environmental issues
and the Ministry for the Environment to
be a smaller policy agency.
"This reform strengthens
New Zealand's system of environmental management
and will help achieve the Government's goal
of growing our economy while effectively
protecting our natural environment."
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Goodbye Nanny State;
Hello Green Economy
Nick Smith 3 October,
2009 - The Government's environmental agenda
is about rolling back Nanny State regulations
and achieving better environmental outcomes
through financial incentives, says Environment
& Climate Change Minister Nick Smith.
Dr Smith today addressed
the annual Bluegreens Forum in Taupo outlining
the Government's environmental approach
and achievements since taking office last
November. The Bluegreens are the National
Party's advisory group on environmental
issues.
"There is no debate
that New Zealand needs to use energy more
efficiently, reduce emissions, protect our
biodiversity and clean up our waterways.
The Government is changing the way we tackle
these issues, " Dr Smith said. "We
are about treating New Zealanders as adults,
sharing with them good information, and
providing financial incentives to help the
environment.
"The old style
environmentalism was not working and alienated
many New Zealanders from changes needed
to improve the environment. We have implemented
financial incentives of $1000 per household
from December 2008 for solar water systems,
42c/l from 1 April for sustainable biofuels,
$1800 per household from 1 July for home
insulation, a $10 per tonne levy for waste
to landfill from 1 July and, from 1 October,
exempted full electric cars from road user
charges - a saving of 6 cents a kilometre.
"Added to these,
the improved emissions trading scheme will
from 1 July next year introduce an incentive
of $25 per tonne for planting trees and
$12.50 a tonne for reducing emissions across
the economy.
"These measures
are all about growing the New Zealand economy.
"This weekend we're
launching the biggest ever energy savings
campaign with The Energy Spot, a year-long,
three nights-a-week television campaign
that will give helpful information on how
homes and businesses can save energy.
"Another facet
of our new style of environmental governance
is the Land and Water Forum initiative which
has brought a wide range of partners together
to try and build a consensus on a way forward
for water management in New Zealand.
"Our balanced approach aims for New
Zealand to be both environmentally and economically
sustainable."
