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Grants to clean up of some of New Zealand's worst contaminated sites have been announced by Environment Minister Marian Hobbs under the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund.

The government is committing up to $36.7 million to a joint fund to reduce nitrogen inputs to the Lake, with the aim of protecting water quality and clarity.

National and ACT are contradicting their own policies on water allocation in the Waitaki, and simply do not understand the process proposed under the Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill, Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said today.

The Bill amends the Resource Management Act 1991 to deal with significant, competing proposals seeking to use the limited water resources of the Waitaki Catchment and provides a process whereby the merits of the various applications can be considered.

The Environment Court backlog has been slashed from more than 3000 cases in 2001 to 1596 in October 2003, and is expected to fall even further over coming months.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs has announced a new fund to help the public make submissions on Waitaki catchment resource consent applications

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs today introduced a Bill to create an improved process to decide the use of water from the Waitaki River and catchment.

The government policy on genetic modification is not one of undue regulation, but nor is it one that will allow the floodgates to open on GM release. Our aim is rather to preserve opportunities.

Minister for the Environment Marian Hobbs has announced that the Environment Court today approved a Consent Order for the clean-up of the Mapua contaminated site.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs leaves for Paris this afternoon to attend an OECD Round Table meeting on Sustainable Development.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs challenged scientists, planners, advisors, industry representatives to work to ensure availability of adequate clean freshwater.

The visit this week by the former mayor of Brazilian city Curitiba is a practical next step towards sustainable cities in New Zealand, says Minister with responsibility for Urban Affairs, Hon Marian Hobbs.

With the moratorium on applications for the general release of genetically modified organisms expiring tonight, the debate will now shift to specific applications before the Environmental Risk Management Authority, Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said today.

Amendments strengthening the main legislation covering genetic modification come into effect tomorrow (Thursday).

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs will publicly notify the Project Aqua resource consent applications she 'called in' last month, on December 6.

We are dealing systematically with initial concerns raised by industry and enforcement officers. We will have workable legislation operating effectively as we head towards 1 April 2004 and the transfer of dangerous goods.

The New Organisms and Other Matters Bill is about growth and innovation, the preservation of choice, and moving forward with caution on genetic modification

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs has announced two appointments to the Environmental Risk Management Authority, the decision-making body regulating hazardous substances and new organisms, including GM.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs says the attitude taken by an insurance company over genetic modification is unsurprising as it reflects the relative "newness" of the technology in New Zealand.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs has welcomed the news that New Zealand has ratified a key convention governing international trade in hazardous chemicals.

Giving young people an opportunity to have a say in the future sustainability of our environment is a major focus of this week's Youth Environment Forum, Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said today.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs has announced the preparation of a package of National Environmental Standards to protect human health and the environment.

Clean-up New Zealand week –September 15-21 – is a great opportunity for all New Zealanders to do something positive to improve their environment, Environment Minister, Marian Hobbs, said today.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs is calling in applications for the use of water from the Waitaki River, associated lakes, tributaries and groundwater. These include proposals to use water for Project Aqua and irrigation schemes proposed by the Aoraki Water Trust and Irrigation North Otago as well as smaller applications.