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Environment Minister Amy Adams and Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith have today announced that the Tukituki Catchment Proposal will be directed to an independent Board of Inquiry.

The proposal by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company is made up of two components.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council requested that both components should be referred to a Board of Inquiry for a decision.

Environment Minister and Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Amy Adams has today announced a further $500,000 of funding to safely dispose of hazardous household waste from residential red zone houses.

Today’s announcement takes total government funding for the programme to more than $1 million.

Ms Adams says the first stage of the project collected more hazardous waste than originally expected, so the Government has stepped up and increased funding for the initiative.

A Government-funded clean-up of the Kopeopeo Canal in the Bay of Plenty means the community will eventually be able to swim and fish in the waterway for the first time in decades.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced the Government has committed an extra $880,000 to clean up the canal. This funding is in addition to the $1.5 million invested by the Government in 2011.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has tonight announced that the Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust is the Supreme Winner of the 2013 Green Ribbon Awards.

The award was presented to the Trust at a ceremony hosted by Ms Adams at Parliament tonight. A further eleven category winners from around the country were also announced.

Sustainable Coastlines manages a wide network of volunteers to protect and sustain coastlines in New Zealand and across the Pacific.

Environment Minister Amy Adams says tonight’s Green Ribbon Awards, recognising the positive difference that communities are making to the environment, are a great way to mark World Environment Day.

Ms Adams will host the awards ceremony at Parliament tonight. Eleven category winners will be announced, before a Supreme Winner is revealed. The awards recognise the outstanding contributions made by organisations, businesses and communities to protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s environment.

Good morning.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today launched a new multimedia toolbox to help businesses understand and manage the risks posed by hazardous substances.

Ms Adams says research shows that every year approximately 500-800 New Zealanders die due to industrial illness, many due to exposure to hazardous substances.

“There are procedures in place to protect people from the risks posed by hazardous substances, but a recent survey has shown only 25 per cent of businesses comply with best practice. That is simply not good enough.”

Thank you Paul. Good morning everyone, and thank you for inviting me here today.

Sadly, I missed seeing you all at last year’s WasteMINZ conference due to other commitments. However, my colleague, Nicky Wagner, who kindly attended on my behalf, had some great things to say about her experience, and about the important role WasteMINZ plays in supporting the waste sector in New Zealand.

I am pleased to be here today to speak to you about some of the important challenges we face in managing and minimising waste in this country.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced the appointment of two new Fiordland Marine Guardians and the reappointment of five existing Guardians.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Rebecca McLeod and Jonathan Clow. Their wealth of experience in the environmental science and tourism sectors will be invaluable to the work of the Guardians,” Ms Adams says.

“I would also like to thank Sir Alan Mark and Alan Key who are leaving the Fiordland Marine Guardians after many years of service.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced that an application for the Peka Peka to North Otaki Expressway will be decided by an independent Board of Inquiry.

The application by the New Zealand Transport Agency and KiwiRail relates to the construction, operation and maintenance of the Peka Peka to North Otaki Expressway and the construction, operation and maintenance of a section of the North Island Main Trunk railway line.

The proposal is part of the Wellington Northern Corridor Road of National Significance.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith and Environment Minister Amy Adams today welcomed a report proposing a way to manage the contentious land intensification, water, landscape, and biodiversity issues in the Mackenzie Basin.

“This report is the result of a collaborative process by more than 30 groups and individuals working together to develop options for the future of the basin,” the Ministers say.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced that more than 50,000 televisions have been collected for recycling as part of the Government’s TV TakeBack programme.

“When I announced the start of the recycling programme, I challenged New Zealanders to play their part in caring for the environment. The response at this early stage of the scheme has been very encouraging.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced the finalists for the annual Green Ribbon Awards, which honour outstanding contributions to protecting New Zealand's environment.

“The variety of organisations, individuals and projects in this year’s nominations demonstrate the diversity of environmental initiatives around New Zealand and the benefits they bring to our country,” Ms Adams says.

A $22.5 million government-funded project to clean up New Zealand’s worst contaminated site is now complete, Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

Ms Adams today attended a closing ceremony at Tui Mine at Te Aroha to mark the successful conclusion of the five-year project.

“Tui Mine posed a real safety and environmental risk for the Te Aroha community for many years, so it is extremely satisfying to complete the project,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced a newly-accredited product stewardship scheme for the reuse and recycling of carpet tiles.

Ms Adams has approved an application from INZIDE Commercial, distributors of Interface branded carpet tiles.

Under the scheme used tiles will be collected from carpet installers and customers at depots in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced the Government will provide $550,000 to establish a nationwide programme to safely dispose of hazardous material.

The money from the Waste Minimisation Fund has been awarded to Transpacific Technical Services to collect and dispose of hazardous material found primarily in old electrical equipment.

The hazardous material, known as Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), was previously used in products such as electrical transformers, ballasts and heat transfer capacitors.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced that a new law to enable the comprehensive environmental management of activities in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will come into force in June.

“The EEZ Act fills an important gap in our environmental regime and will provide more responsible management of New Zealand’s oceans,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has announced the Government will invest a further $3 million to ensure the long-term protection of Lake Taupō’s water quality.

“Lake Taupo has significant economic, cultural and environmental value for New Zealanders. It is important that we continue to restore the lake’s water quality so that people can make the most of this unique environment in the years to come,” Ms Adams says.

Environment Minister Amy Adams says a survey that shows thousands of businesses are feeling constrained by the Resource Management Act demonstrates why the Government’s reforms are badly needed.

Statistics New Zealand’s Business Operations Survey released today shows that RMA processes are having a significant effect on business performance.

According to the survey, businesses have blamed the RMA process for the cancellation of projects potentially worth more than $800 million over the last two financial years.

Environment Minister Amy Adams will host her federal and state counterparts in Wellington today and tomorrow for a meeting of the Council of Australian Government’s Standing Committee on Environment and Water (SCEW).

SCEW is held every year to discuss key environmental protection and water management issues.

This week’s meeting in Wellington is the first time the event has been held in New Zealand.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has today announced that a national programme to encourage the recycling of unwanted televisions and raise investment in New Zealand’s electronic recycling capacity will be launched in the South Island tomorrow.

The TV TakeBack programme aims to divert televisions from going to landfill in an initiative that involves the Government partnering with a range of recyclers, councils and retailers to provide a nationwide network of subsidised options.

A project that will use recycled potato starch to produce more than 17 million compostable packaging trays annually is among the successful recipients of more than $4 million in government funding.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced funding of more than $4 million to 11 innovative waste minimisation projects around New Zealand.

Earthpac receives $2.1 million for a project to manufacture compostable meat and vegetable trays. The trays are produced by capturing starch generated from washing potatoes.

Environment Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the release of Auckland Council's draft Unitary Plan.

"This is the first step towards having the Unitary Plan in place within three years from its notification, rather than the 10 years it could have taken before the Government approved a streamlined process.

"I want to acknowledge the huge amount of work that Auckland Council has undertaken to get the draft plan to the current stage.

Environment Minister Amy Adams and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy will this week begin a series of meetings throughout the country with councils, iwi, environment groups, businesses and the public to discuss proposed changes to the resource management system.

The Government has announced proposals aimed at strengthening the Resource Management Act (RMA), and improving water quality and the way freshwater is managed.