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Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced the appointment of a new Environmental Protection Authority Board member and confirmed the reappointment of the Chair and one other member.

“I am pleased to announce that Kura Denness has been appointed as a member of the Environmental Protection Authority Board for a three-year term,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today released a discussion document on possible options to improve the way some waste products are managed in New Zealand, especially those which can cause harm to the environment.

The Government is considering whether it should intervene to improve the management of four product waste streams – electrical and electronic equipment, tyres, agrichemicals and farm plastics, and refrigerants and other synthetic greenhouse gases.

The Government is investing an additional $3.2 million in 2014/15 to support the implementation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) legislation, Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

The funding, which includes $2 million of reprioritised funding, will help the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to fully develop and carry out its new functions and responsibilities in the EEZ.

The $3.2 million is intended to be one-off funding while the EPA establishes its new functions in the EEZ. On-going operations under the EEZ legislation are funded on a cost recovery basis.

A new report shows overall air quality in New Zealand is the best it has been since comprehensive records began in 2006, Environment Minister Amy Adams and Statistics Minister Nicky Wagner say.

The 2014 Air Domain Report was released today by the Environment Ministry and Statistics New Zealand.

The report finds overall air quality in New Zealand is improving, with lower levels of PM10, reduced vehicle emissions and lower health impacts from PM10, Ms Adams says.

The key findings are:

Budget 2014 will make available $20 million over four years for environmental initiatives and to help the management of New Zealand’s natural environment, Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

The Government has a package of reforms aimed at strengthening the Resource Management Act (RMA), and improving water quality and the way fresh water is managed.

The Government will reallocate $24 million to a new project that encourages land owners in the Lake Rotorua catchment to switch to low nitrogen land uses or find other ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen polluting the lake water, Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced.

“The Rotorua community has asked us to shift existing funding commitments to a land use management and change project, as part of the Rotorua Te Arawa lakes water quality improvements programme,” Ms Adams says.

New Zealand is on track to phase out bulk imports of ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by the end of this year, Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

“HCFCs are the last controlled ozone-depleting substance for New Zealand to phase out under the Montreal Protocol, and New Zealand is well ahead of the 2030 international deadline to phase out imports,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has welcomed a new report on cleaning-up the Manawatu River, saying it shows that progress can be made even on the most difficult environmental problems when communities work together.

“It is still early days as far as the time frames for cleaning up polluted water ways are concerned, but I am pleased to see the Manawatu Leaders Accord reporting overall improving trends in nutrient levels and levels of bacteria in the Manawatu River,” Ms Adams says.

As the TV Takeback programme comes to an end, the Government has been advised that one of the recyclers involved in the initiative is unlikely to be able to meet its contractual obligations.

“RCN E-Waste Ltd has indicated to me it is likely to default on its obligation to process all the televisions it has collected during the programme,” Ms Adams says.

Good morning it’s great to be with you in Queenstown today. I would like to acknowledge:

The 2012/13 Resource Management Survey shows the Government’s first phase of RMA reforms aimed at improving consenting processes are paying off, however further reform of our planning frameworks is still required.

The survey of how well councils are implementing the Resource Management Act shows that 97 per cent of consents were processed on time for the 2012/2013 period, compared with 95 per cent in 2010/2011.

“This is a vast improvement from the 69 per cent of resource consents processed on time in 2007/08,” Ms Adams says.

New guidelines for managing the environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing support the environmentally responsible development of resources, Environment Minister Amy Adams announced today.

“The environmental risks of onshore petroleum development, including hydraulic fracturing can be effectively managed if best practice is followed. These guidelines provide clear direction so that hydraulic fracturing is carried out in a robust, controlled and well regulated manner,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced that Stewart Bull has been reappointed as the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu nominated Fiordland Marine Guardian.

“Mr Bull has been a Guardian since the inception of the predecessor group in 1995 and has a wealth of knowledge of customary fishing management and resource issues,” Ms Adams says.

“Over the years he has worked hard to protect and improve the Fiordland marine environment for future generations.”

An amendment to regulations that control discharge from ships and offshore installations will protect New Zealand’s unique marine environment, Environment Minister Amy Adams announced today.

“The regulations will be amended to prohibit all forms of garbage (with the exception of food waste) from being discharged from ships into the coastal marine area,” Ms Adams says.

“Garbage from ships could pose a significant risk to marine life and safety. This amendment will help to protect recreational and ecological values in coastal areas.

Households can now stop getting phone books delivered, following Government approval for a new opt-out system, Communications and Information Technology Minister and Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced.

Ms Adams has told Yellow, the company which puts together the phone books, it can offer households the ability to opt out of receiving a phone book from 2015.

“In an increasingly digital age, it makes sense to offer people a choice about whether they still want to receive a printed phone book,” Ms Adams says.

The Board of Inquiry appointed to decide on the New Zealand Transport Agency’s Basin Bridge proposal has been granted a three-month extension to issue its final report and decision, Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced.

The Board requested a time extension to ensure that the decision-making process would provide a full and fair hearing.

Ms Adams says it is disappointing the Board is not able to meet the original expectations set out for the inquiry, but recognised there are particular circumstances that need to be taken into account.

The Government is investing a further $2.1 million to help communities improve New Zealand’s freshwater quality, Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced.

Ms Adams made the announcement at the Bluegreens Forum in Kaikoura today.

“This further investment adds to the Government’s strong commitment to improving the quality of our freshwater, as we develop a package of cohesive reform and clean-ups that will lead to the more productive and sustainable use of our freshwater resource within a generation,” Ms Adams says.

A Bill that will assure New Zealanders access to high quality environmental information and provide a reliable basis for environmental discussions has passed its first reading.

Environment Minister Amy Adams says the Environmental Reporting Bill will for the first time provide New Zealand with the legislative basis for independent environmental reporting.

Mr Speaker, I move that the Environmental Reporting Bill now be read a first time.

A review of the future governance arrangements of Environment Canterbury is now underway, Local Government Minister Paula Bennett and Environment Minister Amy Adams announced today.

Commissioners were appointed in 2010 following a critical external review of Environment Canterbury’s performance. Last year commissioner governance was extended until 2016 to protect the gains the commissioners have made.

David Cunliffe latest attempt to rewrite history on oil and gas exploration highlights an on-going, casual relationship with the truth, Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

“As a minister in the previous Labour Government, David Cunliffe knows there was no environment oversight and certainly no public involvement in the exploratory drilling process under his watch,” Ms Adams says.

“Once again he has been caught out being tricky with the truth. He is trying to create a distraction from Labour’s woeful environmental credentials.

Activities involved in exploratory drilling for oil and gas will be classified as non-notified discretionary under new EEZ Act regulations, Environment Minister Amy Adams announced today.

“The non-notified discretionary classification is the pragmatic option for exploratory drilling, and will provide a level of regulation proportionate to its effects,” Ms Adams says.

“This is part of the National-led Government’s overhaul of the laws and regulations governing the oil and gas industry.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced the Government will invest $540,000 towards cleaning up Lake Horowhenua.

Combined with funding from Horizon’s Regional Council and Horowhenua District Council, as well as in-kind contributions from Dairy NZ and the Tararua Growers’ Association, the total funding for the project will be $1.27 million.

The project will improve the water quality through sediment and nutrient management on the lake and its tributaries, improving water quality for recreation and wild life.

The Government is seeking feedback on draft regulations for the dumping of waste and the discharge of harmful substances under the EEZ Act, Environment Minister Amy Adams announced today.

“These activities already occur within New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. They are currently regulated by Maritime New Zealand under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, but will be transferred to the Environmental Protection Authority when the new regulations come into force,” Ms Adams says.