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Natural Environment Bill

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

222: Functions of regional councils

You could also call this:

"What your regional council does to help the environment"

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

The proposed law says you will have a regional council that does certain jobs. They will make and look after a natural environment plan for your region. They will also help set environmental limits and give permits. The regional council will work with other local authorities to make a spatial plan. They will regulate and manage effects as stated in subpart 1 of Part 2 and the Planning Act 2025. They will do other jobs as stated in the proposed law. The regional council will monitor if people are following the rules and respond if they are not. They will work with the Minister of Conservation to control some activities that affect the environment. This includes things like the use of land and water, and the disposal of waste. The regional council and the Minister of Conservation will not control fishing or fisheries resources. Their jobs are to protect the environment and make sure people follow the rules. They will work together to make sure the region is looked after.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1557560.

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Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils
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221: Overview of responsibilities of regional councils, or

"Regional councils' jobs to protect the environment"

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223: Allocation of natural resources, or

"How New Zealand's natural resources, like water and energy, are shared and managed"

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

222Functions of regional councils

  1. Every regional council has the following functions:

    Planning and related functions

  2. making and maintaining a natural environment plan for the region; and
    1. administering and implementing the natural environment plan, including—
      1. setting the environmental limits for the region; and
        1. acting as a permitting authority for the region; and
          1. undertaking monitoring, enforcement, and compliance actions to achieve compliance with this Act, national standards, regulations, and the provisions of the plan; and
          2. jointly with the territorial authorities of the region, making and maintaining a spatial plan for the region; and
            1. regulating and managing effects in accordance with subpart 1 of Part 2; and
              1. any other functions or responsibilities specified in this Act or in the Planning Act 2025.

                1. In addition to the general responsibility of every regional council, the following are the functions and responsibilities of a regional council within its region:

                2. monitoring compliance with standards, rules, and permits and responding proportionately, consistently, and reasonably to non-compliance using the functions and powers available to them under this Act, so as to promote compliance, in a way that gives effect to the purpose, goals, and procedural principles of this Act.

                  1. A regional council and the Minister of Conservation may perform the functions set out in subsection (3A) to control aquaculture activities so as to avoid, minimise, or remedy the effects of aquaculture activities on fishing and fisheries resources.

                  2. The functions referred to in subsection (3) are the control of—

                  3. land and its associated natural and physical resource:
                    1. the occupation of space in, and the extraction of sand, shingle, shell, or other natural material from the coastal marine area where it is within the common marine and coastal area:
                      1. the taking, using, damming, and diverting of water:
                        1. discharges of contaminants into or onto land, air, or water and discharges of water into water:
                          1. the dumping and incineration of waste or other matter and the dumping of ships, aircraft, and offshore installations:
                            1. any actual or potential effects of the use, development, or protection of land, including avoiding or mitigating natural hazards:
                              1. the emission of noise and mitigation of the effects of noise:
                                1. activities in relation to the surface of water.

                                  1. However, a regional council and the Minister of Conservation must not perform the functions specified in subsection (3A)(a), (b), and (h) for the purpose of controlling the taking, allocation, or enhancement of fisheries resources so as to manage fishing or fisheries resources controlled under the Fisheries Act 1996.