Regional Air Plan

The Regional Air Plan provides for the control of discharges of contaminants into air for the whole of the Bay of Plenty region, including the coastal marine area. This includes all the land of the region and all the coastal water to the outer limits of the territorial sea, i.e. 12 nautical miles. 

Operative plan updated with amendments

At its meeting of 31 August 2006 Environment Bay of Plenty adopted amendments to the Operative Bay of Plenty Regional Air Plan.  The Plan has been amended in line with statutory requirements.

• Operative Regional Air Plan - amended version (446KB, pdf)
• Details on amendments to the Operative Regional Air Plan (58KB, doc)

Draft Proposed Change No.1 to the Air Plan

Draft Plan Change No.1 was notified in September 2006 for public comment. Due to further review it has been put on hold until futher notice.

• Draft Proposed Change No. 1 to the Air Plan (304KB, pdf)
• Schedule of proposed changes (73KB, doc)

Order a copy of the Plan

Order the plan by phone 0800 ENV BOP (368 267) or email us at info@envbop.govt.nz. The Plan costs $22 (GST inclusive) and is available to view at Environment Bay of Plenty offices, all public libraries throughout the Bay of Plenty and service centres of Bay of Plenty’s city and district councils.

Plan Information

The purpose of the plan is to achieve sustainable management of air quality in the Bay of Plenty region.  Contaminants in air can affect the health of people and quality of life, ecosystems, damage property, and impinge on the sustainability of air as a natural resource. 

The plan’s focus is to:

• Identify the issues relating to air quality management
• Maintain and where practical enhance air quality
• Provide means to avoid, remedy and mitigate adverse effects on air quality
• Allow activities with minor effects to operate with fewer regulative controls
• Provide a basis for consistent action by Environment Bay of Plenty staff and other regulatory agencies
• Monitor existing air quality to determine whether new activities will affect the local air resource.

The plan specifically addresses discharges into the air that include agrichemicals, odour, geothermal gases and steam, industrial discharges, spray irrigation of liquid waste as well as global issues, i.e. greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances.  Rules permit activities that are likely to cause minor adverse effects on the environment.  The basis of permitting such activities subject to conditions is that their adverse effects can be predicted and limited by compliance with the provisions of the rule.

For activities with significant or unpredictable effects, rules are used to require resource consent to be obtained.  Activities become discretionary if they cannot meet the criteria for a permitted activity, whereby resource consent is required.  Environment Bay of Plenty has the ability to decline resource consent in particular circumstances or in areas where a higher level of protection is required.  Rules prohibit activities with unacceptable adverse effects on air quality.

The plan also provides the basis for the development of an air quality monitoring programme.

Legislative changes

In October 2004, the ‘National Environmental Standards’ (NES) for air quality came into force.  These standards are set by central government to be enforced nationally by all Councils.
 
In September 2004, amendments were made to the Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act (HSNO), which meant changes to the code of practice.  Reference to New Zealand Standard Management of Agrichemicals NZS 8409:1999 has now been superseded by NZS 8409:2004.