Appendix 1 – Environment Act 1986 excerpts

In summary:

The Ministry for the Environment, as established under the Environment Act 1986 is to ensure that, in the management of natural and physical resources, full and balanced account is taken of… the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The functions of the Ministry include ‘providing to government, its agencies and other public authorities advice on the application, operation and effectiveness’ on an extensive list of Acts in relation to Environment Act’s objectives, including the stated objective [in bold] above.

Extracts from: www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0127/latest/whole.html#DLM99773

An Act to—

1. provide for the establishment of the office of Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment:
2. provide for the establishment of the Ministry for the Environment:
3. ensure that, in the management of natural and physical resources, full and balanced account is taken of—
   1. the intrinsic values of ecosystems; and
   2. all values which are placed by individuals and groups on the quality of the environment; and
   3. the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi; and
   4. the sustainability of natural and physical resources; and
   5. the needs of future generations

31 Functions of Ministry

The Ministry shall have the following functions:

1. to advise the Minister on all aspects of environmental administration, including—
   1. policies for influencing the management of natural and physical resources and ecosystems so as to achieve the objectives of this Act:
   2. significant environmental impacts of public or private sector proposals, particularly those that are not adequately covered by legislative or other environmental assessment requirements currently in force:
   3. ways of ensuring that effective provision is made for public participation in environmental planning and policy formulation processes in order to assist decision making, particularly at the regional and local level:
2. to solicit and obtain information from any source, and to conduct and supervise research, so far as it is necessary for the formulation of advice to the Government on environmental policies:
3. to provide the Government, its agencies, and other public authorities with advice on—
   1. the application, operation, and effectiveness of the Acts specified in the Schedule in relation to the achievement of the objectives of this Act:
   2. procedures for the assessment and monitoring of environmental impacts:
   3. pollution control and the co-ordination of the management of pollutants in the environment:
   4. the identification and likelihood of natural hazards and the reduction of the effects of natural hazards:
   5. the control of hazardous substances, including the management of the manufacture, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous substances:
4. to facilitate and encourage the resolution of conflict in relation to policies and proposals which may affect the environment:
5. to provide and disseminate information and services to promote environmental policies, including environmental education and mechanisms for promoting effective public participation in environmental planning:
6. generally to provide advice on matters relating to the environment:
7. to carry out any other functions that may be conferred on the Ministry by any enactment.