Media release - Transport and Environment Committee

Submissions invited on Resource Management Amendment Bill

The Transport and Environment Committee is inviting public submissions on the Resource Management Amendment Bill. The closing date for submissions is 13 August 1999.

The Resource Management Amendment Bill is a Government bill which generally amends the Resource Management Act 1991. Key amendments include:

*changes to the definition of *environment*;

*introduction of contestable consent processing;

*provision for resource consent applicants to select between a council and an independent commissioner to hear and make decisions;

*changes to provisions relating to the functions of local government;

*direct referral of consent applications to the Environment Court without a council hearing being held;

*amendment of section 32, relating to the review of policy statements and plans; limitation of effect of rules in proposed plans until they are beyond challenge;

*allowance for limited notification of resource consent applications;

*replacement of sections 104 to 106, relating to matters relevant when councils are making decisions on resource consent applications.

*Provisions in the Historic Places Act 1993 that relate to statutory protection of archaeological sites are integrated into the Resource Management Act 1991.

This is only a brief indication of the contents of the bill (there are 114 clauses). Copies of the bill can be purchased from Bennetts Government Bookshops.

The committee requires 25 copies of each submission by 13 August 1999. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. For further guidance on making a submission, our publication Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee can be found on our web site at www.clerk.parliament.govt.nz.

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