This page is about a bill. That means that it's not the law yet, but some people want it to be the law. It could change quickly, and some of the information is just a draft.

Natural Environment Bill

Foundations - Environmental limits - Action plans and caps on resource use

61: National standards may require action plan, cap on resource use, or both

You could also call this:

"National standards help manage natural resources by setting plans or limits on use."

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

The proposed law says national standards can tell regional councils to manage natural resources. You might need to make an action plan or set a limit on how much of a resource can be used. This limit is called a cap on resource use, and you might need to do both. The national standards can also say how to set the cap on resource use. You will know how and when to set the cap. The standards can specify what must be in the action plan and how to develop it. The proposed law also says how and when the action plan must be put in place and checked. This is to ensure you follow environmental limits and fix any breaches. You will have to follow these rules to manage natural resources properly.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1537585.

This page was last updated on 14 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils

60: Tools for managing resources to which limits apply, or

"Managing natural resources with limits"

62: Cap on resource use, or

"A limit on using resources to help protect the environment"

Part 2Foundations
Environmental limits: Action plans and caps on resource use

61National standards may require action plan, cap on resource use, or both

For the purpose of ensuring compliance with an environmental limit or remedying a breach of an environmental limit, national standards—
may require a regional council to manage a natural resource use by preparing and implementing an action plan, a cap on resource use, or both; and
may specify—
1. the process for setting a cap on resource use; and
2. how and when a cap on resource use must be set; and
may specify—
1. minimum requirements for the content of the action plan; and
2. the process for developing the action plan; and
3. how and when the action plan must be implemented and monitored.