EEZ Bill Submission to Parliament

Today I've written my submission on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill.

The Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill proposes to manage activities in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone − the area of sea, seabed and subsoil from 12 to 200 nautical miles offshore − and the Continental Shelf beyond. The activities covered by the Bill include seabed mining, some aspects of petroleum activities, energy generation carbon capture and storage, and marine farming.

The Bill has a number of positive features which include:

1. Creation of the need for consent in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf that require an assessment of environmental effects.
2. An expanded role for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)to manage the required consents.
3. All applications for marine consents to be made publicly available.

The Bill, however, contains some serious shortcomings which could have devastating consequences for future generations of New Zealanders. We must ensure that all legislation protects the environment for our children and grandchildren. These shortcomings include:

1. The need for sustainability to be a major concern in assessment. This is needed to balance economic development with environmental concerns.
2. Lack of defined sense of what environmental risks are acceptable. The Bill is vague about the need for biodiversity, sustainability, protection of endangered species, etc.
3. The need to ensure that polluters pay for the cost—or have insurance to cover the cost—of any major pollution caused by their endeavours.

I found the submission by the Environmental Defence Society to be a great help in bringing the Bill into focus as well information provided by the law firm Russell McVeagh.

Why bother writing a submission? The Bill has to contain some notion of sustainability and biodiversity in assessing environmental impact. We have to think of our children and our grandchildren when we draft legislation. We have tread more carefully.

Submissions must be received by the Local Government and Environment Select Committee by 5:00pm on Friday 27 January 2012.

Information on making a submission is available from the Green Party Aotearoa.