RPS: Significant issues

Part B — Resource management issues of significance

Part B identifies the significant resource management issues of the Taranaki region and presents the objectives, policies and methods of implementation to address those issues. These issues are summarised in Table 1. In relation to each issue, the Regional Policy Statement presents:

(a)        an overview of the issue

(b)        the objectives to be achieved by the Regional Policy Statement

(c)        the policies for the issues and objectives (and an explanation of those policies)

(d)        the methods (actions, programmes) to implement the policies

(e)        the principal reasons for adopting the objectives, policies, and methods of implementation

(f)         the environmental results anticipated from the implementation of those policies and methods.

Each of the issues, objectives, policies, methods of implementation and environmental results anticipated has been given a unique identifying number. This number is based on a three letter symbol (which relates to the subsection in this part of the RPS in which the relevant issue, objective etc is found) followed by a number 1, 2, 3 etc. For example all issues, objectives, policies and methods etc in the subsection entitled "Protecting our soil from accelerated erosion" will be preceded by the letters AER (for "accelerated erosion"). Objective 1 for this issue will therefore read AER Objective 1. Similarly Policy 1 will be AER Policy 1 and Method 1, AER Method 1 and so on. This allows each specific provision in this part of the document to be identified by a unique number.

In accordance with section 62(1)(i) of the Resource Management Act, Part B also sets out the local authority responsible for specifying the objectives, policies and methods for the control of the use of land to:

(a)        avoid or mitigate natural hazards

(b)        prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of the storage, use, disposal, or transportation of hazardous substances

(c)        maintain indigenous biological diversity.

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Table 1: Summary of significant resource management issues

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In formulating the objectives, policies and methods and other provisions of this Regional Policy Statement, the Taranaki Regional Council has recognised that the fundamental purpose of the Regional Poicy Statement is to achieve the purpose of the Act itself ie, to promote the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of the region. The Council's intention in preparing this Regional Policy Statement has therefore been to recognise the role of resource use and development, as well as protection, in the Taranaki region and their contribution to enabling people and communities to provide for their economic, social and cultural well-being, while at the same time ensuring that any adverse effects on the environment are avoided, remedied or mitigated.

The statements of significant resource management issues may address either use, development or protection of resources depending on the primary focus, significance or relevance to Taranaki of the issue in question. The objectives, policies and methods which follow the issues then establish the framework for sustainable management overall.

The objectives have been formulated to focus on the long-term environmental outcome or result that is desired in relation to the issues identified. They are high level goals to be aimed for and therefore do not contain qualifying statements for example that adverse effects be avoided, remedied or mitigated "as far as practicable" or "as time and resources allow". However, the Council recognises that the objectives may not be fully achieved over the life of the Statement and that in some situations benefits may outweigh adverse effects including adverse effects that are not able to be fully avoided, remedied or mitigated. The objectives however, establish an overall outcome that is to be worked towards.

Policies are statements of a general course of action in working towards objectives. They may deal with resource use, development or protection or all of these. Some policies in the Statement are broad in their application while others are narrow or specific. Some policies direct that actions be carried out in a certain way while others do not and some policies contain qualifiers such as "as far as practicable". This reflects the nature of the issues being addressed, the efficiency and effectiveness of various policy options and the overall costs, benefits and practicalities of the actions proposed. All policies (and related objectives and methods) read as a whole are designed to promote the sustainable management of resources.

The methods of implementation listed in the Statement are the specific actions, techniques, projects or programmes designed to implement policies. For the purposes of integrated management, the Statement lists the methods that the Taranaki Regional Council will use to implement policies. It also lists those methods that territorial authorities "may wish to consider" and in this way enables territorial authorities to choose which methods they adopt to give effect to policies in the Statement. The methods also refer to actions that might be applied by other agencies acting under other legislation. However, the Taranaki Regional Council has no jurisdiction under the Resource Management Act to require other agencies (such as government departments) to carry out actions under other legislation.

Issues, objectives, policies or methods in the Statement may refer to avoiding, remedying or mitigating adverse effects or any adverse effects of activities on the environment. The Council considers that in carrying out its functions under the Act, it must consider any adverse effects of activities on the environment, including minor effects, in line with the requirements of section 5(2)(a), (b) and (c) of the Act. However adverse effects will be addressed by the Council in different ways to reflect the different nature and scale of effects. It may not always be possible or necessary to completely avoid, remedy or mitigate all adverse effects. Some effects will be so small or minor as to be insignificant or inconsequential and can be ignored. Other effects may be more than minor but may not be able to be avoided, remedied or mitigated fully and positive effects and benefits may outweigh adverse effects.  The degree and significance of effects including the potential for cumulative effects will need to be considered in the circumstances of each case and an overall weighing up or balancing of factors made under the section 5 sustainable management purpose of the Act, other provisions of Part 2 of the Act and other policies in this Regional Policy Statement.

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