Agenda of Environment Committee

I hereby give notice that an ordinary meeting of the Environment Committee will be held on: Date: Wednesday, 10 September 2014 Time: 9.00am Venue: Tararua Room Horizons Regional Council 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA MEMBERSHIP Chair Cr CI Sheldon Deputy Chair Cr GM McKellar Councillors Cr JJ Barrow Cr EB Gordon (ex officio) Cr MC Guy Cr RJ Keedwell Cr PJ Kelly JP DR Pearce BE Rollinson Michael McCartney Chief Executive Contact Telephone: 0508 800 800 Email: [email protected] Postal Address: Private Bag 11025, Palmerston North 4442 Full Agendas are available on Horizons Regional Council website www.horizons.govt.nz Note: The reports contained within this agenda are for consideration and should not be construed as Council policy unless and until adopted. Items in the agenda may be subject to amendment or withdrawal at the meeting. for further information regarding this agenda, please contact: Julie Kennedy, 06 9522 800 CONTACTS 24 hr Freephone : [email protected] www.horizons.govt.nz 0508 800 800 SERVICE Kairanga Marton Taumarunui Woodville CENTRES Cnr Rongotea & Hammond Street 34 Maata Street Cnr Vogel (SH2) & Tay Kairanga-Bunnythorpe Rds, Sts Palmerston North REGIONAL Palmerston North Wanganui HOUSES 11-15 Victoria Avenue 181 Guyton Street DEPOTS Levin Taihape 11 Bruce Road Torere Road Ohotu POSTAL Horizons Regional Council, Private Bag 11025, Manawatu Mail Centre, Palmerston North 4442 ADDRESS FAX 06 9522 929 Environment Committee 10 September 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Apologies and Leave of Absence 5 2 Public Speaking Rights 5 3 Supplementary Items 5 4 Members‟ Conflict of Interest 5 5 Confirmation of Minutes Environment Committee meeting, 25 June 2014 7 6 District Advice Update Report No: 14-175 13 Annex A - Horizons feedback on Draft PPV1-PPV3 19 Annex B - Horizons tabled evidence for PPC13 21 Annex C - Horizons submission on PPC17 - Hazardous Substances 22 Annex D - Horizons tabled Evidence for PPC46 - Feilding Town Centre 23 Annex E - Horizons submission to PPC36 and 37 26 7 Environmental Management Progress Report Report No: 14-176 33 Annex A - Environment Report 35 8 Regulatory Management Activity Report - July to August 2014 Report No: 14-179 123 9 Weedbuster Awards Report No: 14-181 131 10 Foxton Sewage Treatment Plant Discharge Consent Progress Report Report No: 14-178 133 11 Biosecurity and Habitat Protection Operational Plans 2014-15 Report No: 14-184 135 Annex A - Pest Plant Operational Plan 2014-15 137 Annex B - Pest Animal Operational Plan 2014-15 163 Annex C - Biodiversity Operational Plan 2014-15 193 Page 3 Environment Committee 10 September 2014 12 Response to Members' Questions Report No: 14-177 231 13 Kia Wharite - Kiwi Survey Report No: 14-180 233 14 Members‟ Questions Page 4 Environment Committee 10 September 2014 AGENDA 1 Apologies and Leave of Absence At the close of the Agenda no apologies had been received. 2 Public Speaking Rights Notification to speak is required by 4pm on the working day prior to the meeting. Further information is available on www.horizons.govt.nz\Council\ or by phoning 0508 800 800. Petitions/Deputations Deputations: Written notice (fewer than 150 words) concerning the nature of the deputation must be lodged with the Chief Executive at least 2 working days before the date of the meeting and subsequently approved by the Chairperson. Petitions: Written notice to the Chief Executive is required at least 2 working days before the date of the meeting. Further information is available on www.horizons.govt.nz\Council\ or by phoning 0508 800 800. 3 Supplementary Items To consider, and if thought fit, to pass a resolution to permit the Committee/Council to consider any further items relating to items following below which do not appear on the Order Paper of this meeting and/or the meeting to be held with the public excluded. Such resolution is required to be made pursuant to Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended), and the Chairperson must advise: (i) The reason why the item was not on the Order Paper, and (ii) The reason why the discussion of this item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting. 4 Members‟ Conflict of Interest Members are reminded of their obligation to declare any conflicts of interest they might have in respect of the items on this Agenda. Page 5 Environment Committee 10 September 2014 Minutes of the fourth meeting of the ninth triennium of the Environment Committee held at 10.00am on Wednesday 25 June 2014, in the Tararua Room, Horizons Regional Council, 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North. PRESENT Crs CI Sheldon (Chair), JJ Barrow (to 12.16pm), EB Gordon (ex officio), MC Guy, RJ Keedwell, PJ Kelly JP, GM McKellar, and DR Pearce. IN ATTENDANCE Councillors LR Burnell QSM (to 12.16pm), PW Rieger QSO JP Chief Executive Mr MJ McCartney Group Manager Corporate and Mr CA Grant Governance Committee Secretary Ms K Booth ALSO PRESENT At various times during the meeting: Dr N Peet (Group Manager Strategy & Regulation), Mr C Mitchell (Group Manager Environmental Management), Dr J Roygard (Manager Freshwater & Science), Mr G Shirley (Group Manager Regional Services & Information), Mr A Cook (Group Manager Operations), Mrs K Ritani (Media & Communications Manager), Mr R Munneke (Regulatory Manager), Mr P Taylor (Manager Rural Advice), Mr B Martyn (Environmental Manager Biosecurity & Regional Response), Mr J Lambie (Science Coordinator), Mr G Bevin (Consents Monitoring Team Leader), Ms L Shirley (Senior Consents Planner), Ms L Duffy (Consents Planner), Mr N Mickleson (Environmental Management Officer), Mrs H Thomas (Environmental Educator), and a member of the Press. WELCOME The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. APOLOGIES Crs Barrow and McKellar advised they would leave the meeting early, at lunchtime and 2.10pm respectively. ENV 14-24 Moved Gordon/Kelly That an apology be received from Cr Rollinson, and apologies from Crs Barrow and McKellar for early departures from the meeting. CARRIED PUBLIC SPEAKING RIGHTS There were no requests for public speaking rights. SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS There were no supplementary items to be considered. Page 7 Environment Committee 10 September 2014 MEMBERS’ CONFLICTS OF INTEREST There were no conflicts of interest declared. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES There were no matters arising. ENV 14-25 Moved McKellar/Kelly That the Committee: confirms the minutes of the Environment Committee meeting held on 14 May 2014 as a correct record, and notes that the recommendations were adopted by the Council on 27 May 2014. CARRIED REVISED COMPLIANCE GRADINGS Report No 14-125 This report outlined the revised compliance gradings to be used by Horizons Regional Council during the 2014-15 monitoring year. Dr Peet (Group Manager Strategy and Regulation) introduced the paper and referred Members to the current compliance gradings, the changing compliance monitoring landscape, and the benefits for Council to use revised gradings. He then explained about the revised gradings, details of which were attached to the report, and mentioned there was a category available to reward good behaviour. There was discussion on the revised gradings with several Members questioning whether „excellence‟ could become the new standard when that was not the intention. It was explained that compliance was the bottom line and there were no expectations for consent holders to do more than the consent required. While there was no intention to set the standard too high, it would provide an opportunity to let the consent holders know they were consistently achieving high compliance; an opportunity to recognise and reward. There was a suggestion that a commonly recognised grading system could be used, such as simple lettering. ENV 14-26 Moved McKellar/Pearce That the Committee recommends that Council: a. receives the information contained in Report No. 14-125 and Annex. CARRIED Members continued to discuss the topic and were advised a similar customer focused system was already being used by one regional council with others looking at the possibility. They were advised that while Horizons was seeing better compliance in general and there was a desire to recognise this, any issues and non-compliances would continue to be followed up. REGULATORY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY REPORT - MAY TO JUNE 2014 Report No 14-126 This report updated Members on regulatory issues for the period May to June 2014. Dr Peet (Group Manager Strategy and Regulation) commented on the District Court decision where AFFCO pleaded guilty and was fined. AFFCO agreed to contribute $20,000 of the fine to the Manawatu River Accord, and Dr Peet commented that Horizons would meet with AFFCO in the next financial year to discuss suitable projects. Dr Peet also commented on progress with the Department of Conservation (DoC) in regard to the Whakapapa wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Page 8 Environment Committee 10 September 2014 Mr Munneke (Regulatory Manager) highlighted the dairy programme which was now completed and had achieved a high compliance rate. He noted that mediation had been held the previous day for the Shannon WWTP with an encouraging turnaround by Horowhenua District Council. He commented on progress with the Wanganui sewage treatment plant (STP) and said that preparation was underway for the Feilding WWTP hearing. Mr Munneke drew Members‟ attention to a new section of the report, „Court Update‟ (paragraph 6.8 of this Agenda). Ms Shirley (Senior Consents Planner) and Mr Bevin (Consents Monitoring Team Leader) assisted with answering Members‟ questions around the Shannon mediation, and the Foxton discharge. In regard to nutrient management consents, Mr Munneke advised that performance monitoring was being carried out and an overview of the achievements in the catchment would be brought to Members in the future, and become part of the State of the Environment report. It was clarified that an overview would be provided rather than detail of indidivual consents.

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