Action for Healthy Waterways – what does this mean for irrigation?
Last year, the Government released its Action for Healthy Waterways discussion document. It outlined the much-anticipated proposed changes to our national freshwater management framework that were announced last year.
IrrigationNZ consulted widely with members in the development of our submission and your input was invaluable. IrrigationNZ also engaged the services of a freshwater ecologist and specialist RMA lawyer to give us expert advice on our submission.
We are pleased that the government adopted the following recommendations from our submission:
- Removal of the proposed national bottom line for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). This will be reviewed again by the government in the future.
- Removal of the proposed national bottom line for dissolved reactive phosphorous.
- Phased roll-out of mandatory farm plans with freshwater modules to target at-risk catchments as a priority.
- Relaxation of what was effectively a moratorium on irrigation development.
- Regulations requiring telemetry of water take data to regional councils
Policy mechanisms
The suite of policies in the Action for Healthy Waterways package will be implemented through three mechanisms.
First is through amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM). The NPSFM sit underneath the Resource Management Act (RMA) and directs local authorities to implement certain objectives and policies within their regional plans and regional policy statements over time. The first NPSFM was promulgated in 2011 and this required regional authorities to implement water quality and quantity limits. It has since been replaced and amended, and now includes national bottom lines for water quality and a national objectives framework.
The second mechanism is the development of new National Environmental Standards (NES) which will have more immediate effect.
Thirdly are regulations under section 360 of the RMA that allow the government to regulate at a national level certain activities and aspects of environmental management.
What happens next?
These decisions are final and have been approved by Cabinet. There are no further submission processes on the broad policies outlined below. However, some of the specific regulations are still to be drafted, and there will be consultation with stakeholder groups (for instance in relation to the requirements for mandatory farm plans with freshwater modules). IrrigationNZ will continue to work with central and regional government throughout these processes and will keep.
Please click below for the Action for Healthy Waterways - Key Policies and Timeline document, put together by IrrigationNZ for the information on the policies related to irrigation and a timeline of implementation.
From,
Elizabeth Soal
IrrigationNZ CEO
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