An overview of the regulations under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012. It includes information about how activities are classified.
The first set of regulations under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012 (the Act) came into force on 28 June 2013.
These are the:
We are currently consulting on proposals to increase the hourly rates charged by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for their functions under these regulations.
They cover:
These regulations were amended in 2016 and 2018 to cover deposits of material on the seabed from the launch of space vehicles.
A set of regulations covering exploratory oil and gas drilling came into force on 28 February 2014.
These are the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects— Non–notified Activities) Regulations 2014 [New Zealand Legislation website]
Two sets of regulations, covering the discharge of harmful substances from offshore structures, dumping of waste, and burial at sea, came into force on 31 October 2015.
These are the:
For a full list of regulations under the Act, see the Related legislation section at the end of this page.
Under the EEZ permitted activities regulations, seismic surveying operators are required to comply with the Department of Conservation's:
Code of conduct for minimising acoustic disturbance to marine mammals from seismic survey operations [Department of Conservation website]
Under the Act, regulations can to be made to classify activities and set out specific standards and requirements.
The Government intends that the regulation of activities be:
The Act allows the Minister for the Environment to classify activities as:
The activity can be undertaken provided the operator meets conditions specified in regulations.
Activities can be undertaken if applicants obtain a marine consent from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA may grant or decline consent and place conditions on the consent. The consent application will not be publicly notified.
Activities can be undertaken if applicants obtain a marine consent from the relevant marine consent authority (EPA, or Board of Inquiry from 1 June 2017). The marine consent authority may decline or grant a consent and place conditions on the consent. The consent application will be publicly notified, submissions will be invited and hearings will be held if requested by any party including submitters.
The activity may not be undertaken.
The classification chosen will depend on a number of considerations outlined in section 33 of the Act including the environmental effects of the activity, the importance of protecting rare and vulnerable ecosystems and the economic benefit to New Zealand of an activity.