Nick Smith
2 June, 2011
New laws to manage the environmental effects
of activities like petroleum exploration
and mining within New Zealand's Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) and Extended Continental
Shelf (ECS) were
announced today by Environment Minister
Nick Smith at the Environmental Defence
Society Conference in Auckland.
"This area of ocean, 20-times New Zealand's
land area, offers significant economic opportunities,
but we must also ensure we have robust laws
in place to protect the environment",
Dr Smith said.
The Exclusive Economic Zone and Extended
Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects)
Bill will provide for:
•the new Environmental Protection Authority
to be responsible for consenting, monitoring
and enforcement
•activities to be classified as either permitted,
discretionary (requiring a consent) or prohibited
•public notification and consultation required
for all regulations and consents
•an environmental impact assessment on all
consents
•a general duty to avoid, remedy or mitigate
adverse environmental effects
•a joint application process where activities
span the EEZ and territorial sea
•enforcement penalties aligned with the
Maritime Transport and Resource Management
Acts
"This legislation is needed to fill
the gap beyond the 12-mile limit of the
Resource Management Act. We do not want
to see in New Zealand the type of environmental
disaster that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico
last year,” Dr Smith said.
"The Environmental Protection Authority
is the right agency to be responsible for
consenting in these areas rather than regional
councils. It is too far offshore to significantly
impact on local communities and we need
the specialist skills of a national regulator
to deal with the complex issues associated
with activities like deep sea drilling.
"The policy is carefully balanced to
recognise the economic opportunities while
providing effective environmental protection.
It has been designed to avoid duplication
with other legislation such as the Maritime
Transport, Fishing and Crown Minerals Acts,
and to minimise compliance costs."
The Bill is currently being drafted by Parliamentary
Counsel on the policy announced today and
agreed by Cabinet. The intention is to introduce
this to Parliament next month, refer it
to the Local Government and Environment
Committee for consideration, with an intention
for it to come into effect on 1 July 2012.
"This initiative is part of the Government's
Bluegreen agenda of growing the economy
while responsibly protecting the environment,"
Dr Smith said.
+ More
Environmental Protection
Authority board announced
Nick Smith
2 June, 2011
The Board of the new Environmental Protection
Authority was today announced by Environment
Minister Nick Smith at the Environment Defence
Society Conference in Auckland.
“The new authority is about strengthening
New Zealand’s environmental management and
efficiently bringing together the regulatory
functions that were previously across four
different agencies,” Dr Smith said.
The Board will be chaired by former Wellington
Mayor Kerry Prendergast and includes David
Faulkner, Anake Goodall, Tim Lusk, Graham
Pinnell, Taria Tahana, Richard Woods and
Gillian Wratt.
“The new board has the right mix of skills
to oversee the new Authority with strong
expertise in the environmental sciences,
agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy,
tikanga Maori, as well as governance and
risk management. The balance of economic
and environmental skills reflects National’s
Bluegreen approach of supporting growth
and protecting the environment,” Dr Smith
said.
The Environment Protection Authority as
an independent Crown entity takes effect
on 1 July 2011 and will be responsible for
regulation of hazardous substances, new
organisms, national consenting under the
Resource Management Act, ozone depleting
chemicals, assessment of environmental effects
in Antarctica and waste exports and imports.
The management of the Emissions Trading
Scheme will transfer to the Authority on
1 January 2012, and consenting in the Exclusive
Economic Zone and Continental Shelf on 1
July 2012.
“This announcement enables the new Board
to appoint a Chief Executive and a smooth
transition to the new Authority,” Dr Smith
said.
Attached: EPA Board Members biographies
Kerry Prendergast (Chair) As Mayor of Wellington
from 2001 to 2010 and as a borough and city
councillor for 15 years prior to that, Ms
Prendergast gained substantial governance
experience. During her time as Mayor, she
was involved in significant periods of change
and growth at the Wellington City Council.
She also brings knowledge in environmental
management and has experience working with
Ministers and government departments.
David Faulkner has worked for Fulton Hogan
Ltd for a number of years, including as
Managing Director from 2001 to 2009. Mr
Faulkner's experience in these areas will
be invaluable to the Board because it will
provide a private sector perspective. He
will also be able to provide the Board with
an understanding of the complexity associated
with significant infrastructure proposals
which might be seeking resource consent
as a nationally significant proposal.
Anake Goodall was Chief Executive Officer
of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu from April 2007
until April this year. He has experience
in management and organisational leadership
and is particularly interested in the areas
of strategic planning and organisational
development, change management and capability
building, sustainability issues, and the
development of community-based philanthropy.
He also brings to this role his extensive
experience as manager of Ngai Tahu’s historical
Treaty settlement process and as an independent
consultant to a number of organisations.
Tim Lusk is the retiring Chief Executive
Officer of Meridian Energy and has held
senior roles in Transpower and Telecom.
This experience gives him a unique blend
of understanding of major infrastructure
projects and the regulatory environment.
This experience and knowledge will be invaluable
to the EPA.
Graham Pinnell has experience as professional
engineer and sheep and cattle farmer. As
a farmer, he will bring to the Board an
important understanding of the links between
the economy and environmental management.
As an inaugural Board member of the Electricity
Commission, Mr Pinnell has experience governing
a new Crown Agent.
He will also bring knowledge of environmental
and risk management frameworks, gained through
his role on the Pesticides Board (the organisation
that preceded the Environmental Risk Management
Authority) and in assisting with the preparation
of national best management practices for
chemical and fertiliser application in farming.
He has also served on a number of advisory
groups, providing advice on resource management
and sustainable farming practices.
Taria Tahana is on the Board of Learning
Media and Te Mangai Paho (Maori Broadcasting
Agency). Additionally, she consults in Maori
development as the Managing Director of
Tahana Ltd and has been a business executive
for corporations such as Fletcher Challenge
and Ernst & Young (Canada). She is a
trustee to Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa, Ngati
Pikiao Iwi Trust, and Korowai Aroha. She
has served on a number of government advisory
groups including the Maori Economic Taskforce
for Waiariki, Hui Taumata Economic Taskforce
2005 and the Women’s Affairs Maori Economic
Reference Group.
Richard Woods has been the Chair of the
Environmental Risk Management Authority
(ERMA), one of the agencies forming the
new EPA, since 2008. He is a member of the
Independent Police Conduct Authority and
a former Chief Executive of the New Zealand
Security Intelligence Service. He will bring
his knowledge of ERMA and considerable experience
in governance procedures and of central
government processes. He will also bring
demonstrated strategic and leadership skills
to the position.
Gillian Wratt is currently the Chief Executive
of the Cawthron Institute, an independent
scientific research organisation that provides
practical and independent aquatic and environmental
research expertise, scientific technologies
and analytical services to build economically
and environmentally resilient communities.
Ms Wratt has significant experience of New
Zealand’s environmental management system.
Cawthron Institute’s work includes provision
of research-based advice to a range of public
and private sector organisations, including
expert witness support for RMA consent hearings.
