Resource Management Act 1991

Declarations, enforcement, and ancillary powers - Enforcement orders

314: Scope of enforcement order

You could also call this:

"What happens if you break environmental rules: the court's enforcement order powers"

Illustration for Resource Management Act 1991

The Environment Court can make an order to enforce the Resource Management Act. You might get an enforcement order if you do something that harms the environment. The court can order you to stop doing something or to fix any harm you caused.

The court can also order you to pay money to someone else if you did not follow the rules. This money is for the costs of fixing the harm you caused to the environment. The court can make other orders too, like making you restore the environment to how it was before.

If you own or occupy land, the court can order you to do something to stop harm to the environment. The court can even change or cancel a resource consent if the information used to grant it was wrong. In some cases, the court can suspend or revoke a resource consent if you did not follow the rules.

An enforcement order can apply to you and to anyone who takes over your responsibilities. The Environment Court can make an order on any terms and conditions it thinks fit.

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315: Compliance with enforcement order, or

"Following the rules of an enforcement order to avoid extra costs and legal trouble"

Part 12Declarations, enforcement, and ancillary powers
Enforcement orders

314Scope of enforcement order

  1. An enforcement order is an order made under section 319 by the Environment Court that may do any 1 or more of the following:

  2. require a person to cease, or prohibit a person from commencing, anything done or to be done by or on behalf of that person, that, in the opinion of the court,—
    1. contravenes or is likely to contravene this Act, any regulations, a rule in a plan, a rule in a proposed plan, a requirement for a designation or for a heritage order, or a resource consent, section 10 (certain existing uses protected), or section 20A (certain existing lawful activities allowed); or
      1. is or is likely to be noxious, dangerous, offensive, or objectionable to such an extent that it has or is likely to have an adverse effect on the environment:
      2. require a person to do something that, in the opinion of the court, is necessary in order to—
        1. ensure compliance by or on behalf of that person with this Act, any regulations, a rule in a plan, a rule in a proposed plan, a requirement for a designation or for a heritage order, or a resource consent; or
          1. avoid, remedy, or mitigate any actual or likely adverse effect on the environment caused by or on behalf of that person:
          2. require a person to remedy or mitigate any adverse effect on the environment caused by or on behalf of that person:
            1. require a person to pay money to or reimburse any other person for any actual and reasonable costs and expenses which that other person has incurred or is likely to incur in avoiding, remedying, or mitigating any adverse effect on the environment, where the person against whom the order is sought fails to comply with—
              1. an order under any other paragraph of this subsection; or
                1. an abatement notice; or
                  1. a rule in a plan or a proposed plan or a resource consent; or
                    1. any of that person's other obligations under this Act:
                    2. require a person to do something that, in the opinion of the court, is necessary in order to avoid, remedy, or mitigate any actual or likely adverse effect on the environment relating to any land of which the person is the owner or occupier:
                      1. change or cancel a resource consent if, in the opinion of the court, the information made available to the consent authority by the applicant contained inaccuracies relevant to the enforcement order sought which materially influenced the decision to grant the consent:
                        1. revoke a resource consent (in whole or in part) or suspend a resource consent (in whole or in part for a specified period) if, in the opinion of the court, there has been significant non-compliance with this Act—
                          1. that is ongoing or repeated; and
                            1. that, if the consent holder is not a natural person, has been or is the subject of an enforcement order or a conviction under this Act or, if the consent holder is a natural person, has been or is the subject of an enforcement order or a conviction under this Act within the previous 7 years:
                            2. where the court determines that any 1 or more of the requirements of Schedule 1 have not been observed in respect of a policy statement or a plan, do any 1 or more of the following:
                              1. grant a dispensation from the need to comply with those requirements:
                                1. direct compliance with any of those requirements:
                                  1. suspend the whole or any part of the policy statement or plan from a particular date (which may be on or after the date of the order, but no such suspension shall affect any court order made before the date of the suspension order).
                                  2. For the purposes of subsection (1)(d), actual and reasonable costs include the costs of investigation, supervision, and monitoring of the adverse effect on the environment, and the costs of any actions required to avoid, remedy, or mitigate the adverse effect.

                                  3. Except as provided in section 319(2), an enforcement order may be made on such terms and conditions as the Environment Court thinks fit (including the payment of any administrative charge under section 36, the provision of security, or the entry into a bond for performance).

                                  4. Without limiting the provisions of subsections (1) to (3), an order may require the restoration of any natural and physical resource to the state it was in before the adverse effect occurred (including the planting or replanting of any tree or other vegetation).

                                  5. The court may, having regard to the nature of the non-compliance,—

                                  6. revoke the resource consent, and any resource consents associated with that consent that enable the same activity, in whole or in part, with effect on a specified date; or
                                    1. suspend the resource consent, and any resource consents associated with that consent that enable the same activity, in whole or in part, for a specified period without conditions or subject to any conditions that the court thinks fit.
                                      1. An enforcement order shall, if the court so states, apply to the personal representatives, successors, and assigns of a person to the same extent as it applies to that person.

                                      Notes
                                      • Section 314(1): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(1)(a): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(1)(a)(i): amended, on , by section 95 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 23).
                                      • Section 314(1)(a)(i): amended, on , by section 141(1) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(1)(b): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(1)(b)(i): amended, on , by section 141(2) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(1)(d): amended, on , by section 141(3)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(1)(d): amended, on , by section 141(3)(b) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(1)(d)(iii): amended, on , by section 141(3)(c) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(1)(da): inserted, on , by section 141(4) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(1)(da): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(1)(e): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(1)(ea): inserted, on , by section 71(1) of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 41).
                                      • Section 314(1)(f): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(2): replaced, on , by section 141(5) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 65).
                                      • Section 314(3): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).
                                      • Section 314(4A): inserted, on , by section 71(2) of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 41).
                                      • Section 314(5): amended, on , pursuant to section 6(2)(a) of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 160).