Developing the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality

The events in the development of the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality.

Timeline of events

June 2011

The amended regulations to the air quality standards for PM10 came into force on 1 June 2011.

Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Air Quality) Regulations 2004 [New Zealand Legislation website].

April 2011

The evaluation under Section 32 of the Resource Management Act report was released.

Revised National Environmental Standards for Air Quality: Evaluation under Section 32 of the Resource Management Act

January 2011

Report on submissions on proposed amendments released.

Proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality: Report on submissions

November 2010

Regulatory impact statement analysing the costs and benefits of proposed amendments to the PM10 released.

Regulatory impact statement: Amending the PM10 Air Quality Standards: Final Recommendations

June 2010

A discussion document was released on the proposed amendments to the air quality standards for PM10 and how these amendments address the gaps in the PM10 regulations.

Public submissions were accepted from 10 June to 9 July.

Proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality: Discussion document

June 2009

The regulations relating to PM10 were reviewed to address concerns about the perceived stringency of the ambient standard, the lack of equity for industrial air pollution sources and difficulty in achieving the original target timeline of 2013.

October 2004

The National Environmental Standards for Air Quality came into effect.

Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Air Quality) Regulations 2004 [New Zealand Legislation website]

May 2004

Policy documents on the proposed standards released.

Proposed National Environmental Standards for Air Quality: Resource Management Act Section 32: Analysis of the costs and benefits 

Regulatory impact and compliance cost statement: National Environmental Standard for Air Quality

February 2004

Report on submissions released.

Proposed National Environmental Standards for Air Quality: Report on submissions

October—December 2003

Public consultation period on the proposed standards held.

October 2003

The Minister for the Environment notified a range of proposed national environmental standards for air quality.