EEZ regulations consultation
The Government is working to put in place a regulatory regime to manage the environmental effects of activities in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A Bill is currently before Parliament. Once passed by Parliament, the EEZ legislation will come into effect after the first set of regulations is developed. Those regulations are the subject of this discussion document, Managing our oceans. Your feedback is important and will be considered in shaping and improving the proposed regulations.
The new law and regulations are focused on the currently unregulated environmental effects of activities like seabed mining and the construction of structures for oil and gas exploration, seismic surveying and cable laying. Managing and cleaning up oil spills are already regulated under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 and will not be covered by the proposed legislation.
The EEZ legislation provides a regulatory framework for classifying certain activities as permitted, discretionary or prohibited. This classification will depend on the potential environmental effects of the activity involved.
Marine consent applications will be considered by the Environmental Protection Authority.
You can provide feedback online, or send your submission by email or post it to:
EEZ regulations submissions
Ministry for the Environment
PO Box 10362
Wellington 6143
Submissions close at 5pm on Wednesday 20 June 2012
Next steps
After submissions close, the Ministry for the Environment will advise the Minister on recommendations for regulations, including an analysis of the costs and benefits. If the Minister approves, the EEZ regulations will be drafted. The Minister will then present the final proposed regulations to Cabinet for approval to make them into law.
Further information
- Managing our oceans: A discussion document on the regulations proposed under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill
- Minister’s media release on the EEZ discussion document
- Expert Risk Assessment of Activities in the EEZ and ECS, August 2011 (NIWA)
- Protecting New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone
- Questions and Answers
Last updated: 6 June 2012
