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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

Key roles - Functions, powers, and responsibilities of regional councils

221: Overview of responsibilities of regional councils

You could also call this:

"Regional councils' jobs to protect the environment"

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

If a new law is passed, you will see changes to how regional councils work. They will have to make sure people can use, protect, and improve the natural environment in their area. They will also have to regulate and manage things like water quality and indigenous biodiversity. You will see regional councils managing things like the discharge of contaminants and natural hazard risks. They will also look after the coastal marine area and soil conservation. This means they will manage the use and condition of soil to prevent erosion and contamination. Regional councils will have a lot of responsibilities, including managing the use of land and allocating natural resources. They will have to make sure they are doing all of these things to protect the natural environment. This is what the proposed law says regional councils should do to help the environment.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1551548.

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Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Climate and energyEnvironment and resources > Farming and fishingEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils
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220: Minister of Conservation to has powers of regional council, or

"The Minister of Conservation has extra powers to care for some special islands."

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222: Functions of regional councils, or

"What your regional council does to help the environment"

Part 5Key roles
Functions, powers, and responsibilities of regional councils

221Overview of responsibilities of regional councils

  1. Every regional council must enable and regulate the use, protection, and enhancement of the natural environment within its region.

  2. In undertaking its responsibilities under subsection (1), a regional council must regulate and manage the matters specified in this subpart in relation to the following:

  3. the quality and quantity of water and geothermal resources:
    1. the discharge of contaminants to land, air, or water:
      1. indigenous biodiversity:
        1. the coastal marine area, including coastal occupation:
          1. natural hazard risks as they relate to natural resources:
            1. soil conservation:
              1. the bed of any water body:
                1. the use of land where required for regulating the use of, and effects on, natural resources:
                  1. the allocation of natural resources.

                    1. In this section, soil conservation means managing the use and condition of soil, including soil erosion and soil contamination.