Resource Management Act Flashcards
What is the RMA based on?
International and local thinking over the last 20 years.
What does RMA account for?
Management of air, land, fresh water and marine areas.
Who reals with RMA specifically for a region?
Regional councils.
What do district councils focus on?
Narrowly on the integrated management of the effects of land use.
What is the purpose of the RMA?
Promote sustainable management of natural and physical resources.
Why do RMA?
Protection of natural and physical resources in a way that provides social, economic, cultural well-being and health and safety.
What are the three things that must be considered while doing RM?
Sustainability (excluding minerals)
Safeguarding (capacties)
Avoiding, remedying or mitigating (adverse effects)
The RMA focuses on managing the effects of activities rather than regulating the activities themselves, true or false?
True
What is the RMA enabling approach?
Intervention of activities that are likely to result in unacceptable environmental impacts.
What can an effects based approach result in negatively??
Environmental planning being reactive rather than proactive.
Poor management of cumulative and diffuse impacts.
What can an effects based approach result in positively?
Focusing on the reduction of impacts.
What is the definition on an effect?
Positive or adverse effect.
Temporary or permanent effect.
Past, present or future effect.
Cumulative effect which arises over time or in combination with other effects.
Potential effect with high probability.
Potential effect with low probability but high impact.
Coastal aspects of RMA?
Preserve natural characteristics of coastline, wetlands and likes and rivers.
Plat aspects of RMA?
Protection of indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna.
Moari aspects of RMA?
Culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, waters, sites, wahi tapu and other taonga.
Water under the RMA?
Unless it is expressly allowed then an individual cannot take water. However, individual can take water for ‘reasonable domestic needs’ or ‘reasonable needs of an individual’s animals drinking water’ without consent/rules/NES.
Discharge under RMA?
Cannot unless expressly allowed.
Noise under RMA?
Not to exceed reasonable level. Not defined, typically defined in district plans for different activities.
Land use under RMA?
Cannot use land in manner that contravenes NES.
Subdividing land under RMA?
Cannot subdivide unless expressly allowed in a NES, plan or designation.
Works in bed of lakes and rivers under RMA?
Restrictive unless allowed for in a NES, rule in a plan or by resource consent.
Definition or water?
Water in all physical forms. Does not include water in any form while in pipe, tank or cistern.
Definition of Contaminant?
Substance or energy (excl heat) or heat that when discharged into water or land or air is likely to change the physical, chemical or biological condition of the water or land or air.
What are the three types of councils?
Regional councils (12) City and District councils (68) Unitary Authorities (6)
What is the EPA?
Environmental Protection Agency. Deals with nationally significant proposals instead of local councils.
What does the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment doe?
Investigating emerging environmental issues and may also examine concerns raised by the public.
What is the most active RPS and why?
(regional policy statement). 2013 because of the earthquakes. All regional councils must have an RPS.
What do regional plans contain? (RP)
Rules which control activities for which consent may be required.
What are unitary authorities?
One organisation that has responsibilities of both region and district councils.
What does monitoring include?
Checking conditions of consent and compliance checks.
What does enforcement include?
If environment is harmed they will be prosecuted.
300k - 600k
Doesn’t have to be deliberate.
Why did the 2013 RMA reform come about?
Help create a resource management system that delivers communities planning needs, enables growth and provides strong environmental outcomes in a timely and cost effective way.
What does the environment include? (defined)
Ecosystems, and their constituent parts.
All natural and physical resources.
Amenity values
Social, economical, aesthetic and cultural conditions which affect matters stated above.
How are regional and district plans related to the act?
They use the act.
What are the roles of plans?
To show that the environment will be preserved.
Involve community in planning process.
What is the hierarchy of plans?
National Policy Statement National Environmental Standard Regional Policy Statements Region Plans District Plans
Who addresses discharges of contaminants from sites to land and water?
Regional Council
For a human health perspective TLAs
What does HAIL stand for?
Hazardous Activities and Industries List.
What does discharges include under the act?
- Stormwater
- Wastewater
- Air emissions
- Industrial and trade wastes
Who has duty to identify contaminated sites?
Regional Councils
What is a PIM?
Project Information Memorandum
Report issued by councils under the Building Act to help decide whether your planning and building project is possible and practical.
What is the LIM?
Land Information Memorandum.
Existing building and resource consents, geotech information, flooding risk, contam site information.
What doe LLUR stand for?
Listed Land Use Register.
When are consents required?
- One off projects
- New innovative approaches
What is a potential short coming of the act?
The first in first served basis of getting a consent.
Who is responsible for land use consents?
Regional councils or district councils
Who is responsible for subdivision consents?
District and city councils
Who is responsible for coastal permit consents?
Regional council.
Who is responsible for water and discharge?
Regional councils.
How long does authority have to process consent?
20
How many days to accept the application?
5
How many days to determine whether the public should be notified?
20
