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Natural Environment Bill

Foundations - Environmental limits - How environmental limits must be set

51: How ecosystem health limits must be set in plans

You could also call this:

"How to Set Healthy Environment Limits in Plans"

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

You will help set ecosystem health limits in natural environment plans. A regional council must follow a set methodology when setting these limits. They must also follow a specific process to include these limits in plans. You need to know that regional councils can set their own methodology if none is specified. They must prepare a justification report if they propose a limit that is less stringent than the minimum acceptable level. This report is required when the proposed limit is not as strong as the national standard. When setting ecosystem health limits, regional councils must follow the process in Schedule 3 of the Planning Act 2025, unless national standards say otherwise. You can find more information about national standards in section 54(3)(b). Regional councils and independent hearings panels must work together to set these limits and prepare reports when necessary.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1520969.

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Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils
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50: Where ecosystem health limits must be set, or

"Setting limits to keep our environment healthy"

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52: Criteria for decisions relating to environmental limits, or

"How the government decides environmental limits to protect New Zealand"

Part 2Foundations
Environmental limits: How environmental limits must be set

51How ecosystem health limits must be set in plans

  1. A regional council must set ecosystem health limits in its natural environment plans.

  2. When setting an ecosystem health limit, a regional council—

  3. must follow the methodology specified in national standards for setting the limit; and
    1. if there is no methodology specified, may determine and follow its own methodology for setting the limit.

      1. A regional council must follow the process set out in Schedule 3 of the Planning Act 2025 to include ecosystem health limits in a proposed natural environment plan or plan change unless and to the extent that national standards provide otherwise.

      2. If a regional council proposes or an independent hearings panel recommends an ecosystem health limit that is less stringent than the minimum acceptable level specified in national standards made under section 54(3)(b) for that ecosystem health limit, the council or panel must prepare a justification report.