I hereby give notice that an ordinary meeting of the Environment Committee will be held on: Date: Wednesday, 13 March 2019 Time: 9.00am Venue: Tararua Room Horizons Regional Council 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA MEMBERSHIP Chair Cr GM McKellar Deputy Chair Cr WK Te Awe Awe Councillors Cr JJ Barrow Cr LR Burnell Cr DB Cotton Cr EB Gordon JP (ex officio) Cr RJ Keedwell Cr NJ Patrick Cr JM Naylor Cr PW Rieger, QSO JP Cr BE Rollinson Cr CI Sheldon 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 & 19-21 Hammond 34 Maata Street Cnr Vogel (SH2) & Tay Kairanga-Bunnythorpe Rds, Street Sts Palmerston North REGIONAL Palmerston North Whanganui HOUSES 11-15 Victoria Avenue 181 Guyton Street DEPOTS Levin Taihape 120-122 Hokio Beach Rd 243 Wairanu Rd POSTAL Horizons Regional Council, Private Bag 11025, Manawatu Mail Centre, Palmerston North 4442 ADDRESS FAX 06 9522 929 Environment Committee 13 March 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Welcome / Karakia 5 2 Apologies and Leave of Absence 5 3 Public Forums / Deputations / Petitions 5 4 Supplementary Items 5 5 Members’ Conflict of Interest 5 6 Confirmation of Minutes Environment Committee meeting, 11 December 2018 7 7 Environmental Education Report No: 19-23 13 8 Biodiversity, Biosecurity & Partnerships Progress Report Report No: 19-24 17 Annex A - Biosecurity Animals Progress Report 19 Annex B - Biosecurity Plants Progress Report 35 Annex C - Biodiversity Progress Report 47 9 Freshwater & Partnerships Progress Report Report No: 19-25 65 Annex A - Freshwater & Partnerships Progress Report 68 10 Science & Innovation Progress Report Report No: 19-26 85 Annex A - Science & Innovation Progress Report 87 11 Regulatory Management Report - December 2018 to January 2019 Report No: 19-27 101 Annex A - HRC Enforcement Guideline 109 12 Manawatu District Council - Wastewater Treatment Plant Report No: 19-28 125 13 Members’ Questions Page 3 Environment Committee 13 March 2019 AGENDA 1 Welcome/Karakia 2 Apologies and Leave of Absence At the close of the Agenda no apologies had been received. 3 Public Forums: Are designed to enable members of the public to bring matters, not on that meeting’s agenda, to the attention of the local authority. Deputations: Are designed to enable a person, group or organisation to speak to an item on the agenda of a particular meeting. Requests for Public Forums / Deputations must be made to the meeting secretary by 12 noon on the working day before the meeting. The person applying for a Public Forum or a Deputation must provide a clear explanation for the request which is subsequently approved by the Chairperson. Petitions: Can be presented to the local authority or any of its committees, so long as the subject matter falls within the terms of reference of the council or committee meeting being presented to. Written notice to the Chief Executive is required at least 5 working days before the date of the meeting. Petitions must contain at least 20 signatures and consist of fewer than 150 words (not including signatories). Further information is available by phoning 0508 800 800. 4 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. 5 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 13 March 2019 Minutes of the twelfth meeting of the tenth triennium of the Environment Committee held at 10.01am on Tuesday 11 December 2018, in the Tararua Room, Horizons Regional Council, 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North. PRESENT Crs GM McKellar (Chair), JJ Barrow, LR Burnell, DB Cotton, EB Gordon JP (ex officio), RJ Keedwell, JM Naylor, NJ Patrick, PW Rieger QSO JP, BE Rollinson, CI Sheldon, and WK Te Awe Awe. IN ATTENDANCE Chief Executive Mr MJ McCartney Committee Secretary Mrs JA Kennedy / Mrs KA Tongs ALSO PRESENT At various times during the meeting: Dr N Peet (Group Manager Strategy & Regulation), Mr R Strong (Group Manager River Management), Dr J Roygard (Group Manager Natural Resources & Partnerships), Mr G Shirley (Group Manager Regional Services & Information), Ms A Matthews (Science & Innovation Manager), Mr G Bevin (Regulatory Manager), Ms C Morrison (Media & Communications Manager), Ms E Daly (Environmental Scientist Ecology), Mr L Brown (Freshwater & Partnerships Manager), Ms S Carswell (Coordinator District Advice), Mrs M Patterson (Senior Scientist), Mr C Davey (Environmental Programme Coordinator), Mr R Templer (Chief Executive, Manawatu District Council), Mr S Harris (Manawatu District Council), Mayor A Watson (Rangitikei District Council), Mr S Smith (Ministry of Primary Industries), members of the public, and a member of the press. The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. APOLOGIES There were no apologies. PUBLIC FORUMS / DEPUTATIONS / PETITIONS There were no requests for public speaking rights. SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS There were no supplementary items to be considered. MEMBERS’ CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Cr Patrick declared a conflict of interest through her employment with Te Kaahui o Rauru in regard to Item 13, Whanganui Coastal Streams. At the 18 December 2018 Regional Council meeting, during receipt and adoption of the resolutions and recommendations of the 11 December Environment Committee minutes, the following comments were noted: The Chairman of Horizons Regional Council, Cr Gordon, explained his reasons for not initially declaring a ‘Conflict of Interest’ during discussion around Dudding Lake under Report No. 18-230, Freshwater & Partnerships Progress Report contained in the 11 December 2018 Environment Committee agenda. He explained he was speaking on behalf of Rangitikei District Council about the condition of the Lake and the recommendation in the report did not contain any action or financial decisions. As a result Page 7 Environment Committee 13 March 2019 of the discussion generated, Cr Gordon said he was comfortable for the 11 December 2018 Environment Committee minutes to reflect his position and note a ‘Conflict of Interest’. He apologised for any harm caused over his actions relating to Dudding Lake. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ENV 18-99 Moved Rieger/Sheldon That the Committee: confirms the minutes of the Environment Committee meeting held on 9 October 2018 as a correct record, and notes that the recommendations were adopted by the Council on 30 October 2018. CARRIED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Report No 18-227 This item provided Members with a progress report for the period from 1 October 2018 - 31 December 2018. Ms Morrison (Media & Communications Manager) highlighted Mrs Williams (Environmental Educator) involvement in the Manawatū River Festival, and participation in judging at science fairs throughout the Region. Mrs Williams commented on the Wairoa sessions conducted, the Enviroscapes activity, and the Internship Day held for the science fair prize winners. She then elaborated on several parts of the report. She added that Freyberg High School, Palmerston North Girls High School, Ross and Monrad Intermediate Schools were recipients of the Enviroschools Action Fund. Mrs Williams clarified Members’ questions about Enviroschools activities. ENV 18-100 Moved Patrick/Naylor That the Committee recommends that Council: a. receives the information contained in Report No. 18-227 and Annex. CARRIED BIODIVERSITY, BIOSECURITY & PARTNERSHIPS PROGRESS REPORT Report No 18-229 This item updated Members on the progress made in the Biosecurity and Biodiversity activity over the period 1 September to 31 October 2018. Mr Roygard (Group Manager Natural Resources & Partnerships) updated Members on the possum control activity, the aerial rook control programme, the work at Totara Reserve Regional Park focused on remediation from the June 2018 flood damage, and the Te Apiti-Manawatū Gorge Project. A video clip about the introduction of a gall mite for the control of Old Man’s Beard was shown. Mr Davey (Environmental Coordinator) responded to Members’ questions about the work and testing undertaken for the gall mite to be approved by the Environmental Protection Authority, and the process to introduce it into the Rangitikei area in Spring 2019. Members’ questions were responded to about the practice of gravel raking and the awareness of bird nesting sites, and the challenges associated with managing the ‘good neighbour’ rule around possum control, and pest plant management. Page 8 Environment Committee 13 March 2019 ENV 18-101 Moved Te Awe Awe/Naylor That the Committee recommends that Council: a. receives the information contained in Report No. 18-229 and Annexes. CARRIED DISTRICT ADVICE UPDATE Report No 18-228 This report informed Members of the District Advice activities carried out over the last financial year and the five month period from 1 July to 30 November 2018. Mr Shirley (Group Manager Regional Services & Information) introduced the paper noting the increased demand for the service.