Regional Policy Statement for Taranaki |
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| This page: | Part D Section 17.2 — Monitoring | 17.3 — Review |
17.2 Monitoring
The Taranaki Regional Council is required under sections 35(2) of the Resource Management Act to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of policies and methods in this Statement and is further required under section 62(1)(j) of the Act to state in the Regional Policy Statement what procedures will be used to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the policies and methods in the Statement.
The following procedures will be used to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of this Statement:
(a) Implement and report on the State of the Environment Monitoring Programme, which includes:
- monitoring environmental conditions, trends and changes relating to land, water, air and coastal resources in a manner that is integrated with the issues, objectives, policies and methods of this Statement
- as appropriate, supporting or commissioning research to gather additional information on environmental conditions and pressures
- utilise information maintained on the Council's databases relating to land, water, air and coastal resource use and management practices
- utilise monitoring and research programmes carried out by other agencies where appropriate.
(b) Monitor compliance with resource consents through resource consents compliance monitoring programmes.
(c) Monitor administrative processes and trends as a measure of the efficiency and effectiveness of the Regional Policy Statement including:
- through annual significant activity reports, the Council's performance and achievements in relation to its functions
- the number of resource consents processed, the time required for processing and the efficiency and effectiveness of administrative procedures
- the number, frequency and type of unauthorised incidents reported, abatement notices issued and follow-up enforcement actions undertaken
- the inspections and observations of field staff
- the number and type of submissions made to district council plan reviews and changes and resource consents processed by district councils.
(d) Through the review process for regional plans, monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of regional plans as a means of achieving the objectives and policies of the Regional Policy Statement.
(e) Request territorial authorities to assess and report, as appropriate, on the efficiency and effectiveness of their district plans as a means of achieving the objectives and policies of the Regional Policy Statement, and pay particular attention to those provisions which relate to shared functions and responsibilities such as the avoidance and mitigation of natural hazards and the prevention or mitigation of any adverse effects of the storage, use, disposal or transportation of hazardous substances and the maintenance of indigenous biodiversity.
(f) Through the review process for this Regional Policy Statement, gather and analyse information from the Council's monitoring strategies, programmes and procedures and prepare at five and ten-year intervals, reports on the achievement of objectives and policies contained in the Regional Policy Statement and the degree to which the methods listed in the Statement have been implemented.
(g) Monitor and record feedback received through the media, correspondence, meetings or other means, from resource users, the public or other interested or affected parties, concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of the Regional Policy Statement, and include such responses in the Council's reporting procedures.
(h) Utilise monitoring, research programmes and other information (including requests and complaints) provided by other agencies where appropriate.
(i) Utilise information (including requests and complaints) from iwi, territorial local authorities, other government and non-government agencies and the public where appropriate, e.g. changes in the Department of Conservation estates, approval of Queen Elizabeth II National Trust covenants to protect indigenous habitat and relevant district council land use consent information.
(j) Gather information from iwi and hapū to determine, the efficiency and effectiveness of the Regional Policy Statement in addressing Māori cultural and spiritual values relevant to resource management matters.
The details of the Taranaki Regional Council's state of the environment and compliance monitoring programmes are set out in State of the Environment Monitoring Procedures and other related documents.
State of the environment monitoringEach year, the Taranaki Regional Council undertakes comprehensive state of the environment monitoring.
In 2007/2008, for example, state of the environment monitoring involved 19 individual monitoring programmes, and over 921 inspections, sampling runs and surveys at 264 monitoring sites covering surface fresh water quantity, levels and flows, fresh water quality, groundwater quantity and quality, coastal waters, biodiversity, air quality and land use sustainability. In addition, the Council continued to maintain and develop its databases and undertook a number of special 'one-off' investigations and applied research to obtain further information on specific issues.
Through good information the community has the ability to make well-informed decisions about the sort of place we want Taranaki to be and the sort of place we want to live in. It is also an essential part of determining the effectiveness of policies and methods and whether environmental outcomes sought are being achieved.
The last state of the environment report prepared by the Council - Taranaki, Where we Stand (2009) - noted that overall environment quality in Taranaki is high and has been maintained or improved over time. However, as noted in the report "... Taranaki's clean, green image must never be taken for granted. This report does raise concerns regarding the effects of continuing intensification of our dairying industry, soill compaction, modification of stream and wetland habitats... and nutrient runoff from pasture with effects on water quality in the lower reaches of our rivers and streams." However, the report goes on to note that "the Council is greatly heartened by the extent to which the Taranaki community has moved to embrace environmental stewardship and the concept of sustainability" and that this bodes well for the future.
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17.3 Review of the Regional Policy Statement
The Resource Management Act requires that the Taranaki Regional Council commence a fully review of this Regional Policy Statement no later than 10 years from the date upon which it becomes operative. That review will include a review of the Statement and all changes to the Statement.
The Taranaki Regional Council will also undertake an interim review no later than five years from the date that this Regional Policy Statement becomes operative. This interim review will determine whether assumptions made in this Statement, and the overall direction taken in this Statement, continue to be relevant.
The following procedures will be used to review this Regional Policy Statement:
(a) A review of the relevant parts or provisions of this Statement may be carried out if a new issue arises, or if regional monitoring or research programmes show that a review would otherwise be appropriate.
(b) An interim review of the Statement will be commenced no later than five years after the date on which this Statement becomes operative.
(c) A full review (within the meaning of section 79 of the Resource Management Act) will be commenced no later than 10 years after the date on which this Statement becomes operative.
The procedures to be used to review the Regional Policy Statement (within the meaning of section 79 of the Resource Management Act) will be determined at the time of the review, and will include (as part of a review programme) but not be restricted to:
- An assessment of the state of those matters that will be the subject of monitoring in the State of the Environment Monitoring Programme, and comparison with the relevant objectives of the Statement.
- An internal assessment by officers of the Taranaki Regional Council regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of policies and methods of implementation in achieving the objectives and environmental outcomes identified in the Statement.
- Internal assessment by officers of the Taranaki Regional Council regarding the usefulness of the matters required to be included in an application for a resource consent and of administrative procedures.
- Formal and informal liaison with public authorities and other key stakeholders and interest groups regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the Statement.
- Analysis and appropriate incorporation of public submissions regarding proposed changes to the Regional Policy Statement as required by section 79 of the Act.