Resource Management Act
In New Zealand the Resource Management Act 1991 regulates discharges to air. The Ministry for the Environment’s "Good Practice Guide to Assessing Discharges to Air from Industry" http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/air/good-practice-guide-assessing-discharges-air-industry has summarised the principal parts of the Resource Management Act relating to air.
The purpose of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources, including air. Under section 30 of the RMA, consenting authorities have a statutory responsibility to control discharges of contaminants into air. Section 15 restricts the discharge of contaminants to air.
Regional Air Plans
The Regional Regulatory Authorities (eg Auckland Council, Taranaki Regional Council, Gisborne District Council etc) are responsible for maintaining air quality. Where necessary, they control discharges of contaminants to air by issuing Resource Consents or Discharge Permits to industry. Resource Consents may place limits on the amounts of contaminant discharged per unit of time and can require compliance testing to be undertaken to demonstrate limits are being adhered to.
The Regional Air Plans provide detail on the sorts of activities that the Council regards as permitted (do not require a Resource Consent for discharges to air) as opposed to activities which are discretionary or controlled and require application for a Resource Consent.
Auckland Regional Plan (Air)
http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/documents/regionalplans/airlandwater/Proposed%20ALWP%20-%20Part%202%20-%20Chapter%204%20Air%20Quality.pdf
Bay of Plenty Regional Air Plan
https://www.boprc.govt.nz/knowledge-centre/plans/regional-air-plan/
Canterbury Air Plan
http://www.ecan.govt.nz/our-responsibilities/regional-plans/regional-plans-under-development/air-plan/Pages/Default.aspx
Gisborne District Council Air Quality Plan
http://www.gdc.govt.nz/air-quality-plan/
Hawkes Bay –Air Quality
http://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Regional-Resource-Management-Plan/Air-Quality-Plan-Change-Change-2-and-Variation-2.pdf
Horizons – Air Plan
http://www.horizons.govt.nz/publications-feedback/one-plan/part-2-regional-plan/chapter-15
Nelson Air Quality Plan
http://nelson.govt.nz/council/plans-strategies-policies/strategies-plans-policies-reports-and-studies-a-z/nelson-air-quality-plan-2/view-the-naqp/
Northland Regional Air Plan
http://resources.nrc.govt.nz/upload/1653/Regional%20Air%20Quality%20Plan%20for%20Northland.pdf
Otago Air Plan
http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/Publications/Regional/Air/Regional%20Plan%20Air%20for%20Otago%20-%20Updated%20to%201%20January%202009.pdf
Southland Air Quality Plan
http://www.es.govt.nz/publications/plans/air-quality-plan/
Taranaki – Air Quality Plan
http://www.trc.govt.nz/regional-air-quality-plan/
Waikato Regional Plan
http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Council/Policy-and-plans/Rules-and-regulation/Regional-Plan/Waikato-Regional-Plan/
Wellington Air Quality Management Plan
http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Plans--Publications/Regional-Air-Quality-Management-Plan/regional_air_quality_management_plan.pdf
West Coast Air Plan
http://www.wcrc.govt.nz/Documents/Resource%20Management%20Plans/Regional%20Air%20Quality%20Plan.pdf
In New Zealand the Resource Management Act 1991 regulates discharges to air. The Ministry for the Environment’s "Good Practice Guide to Assessing Discharges to Air from Industry" http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/air/good-practice-guide-assessing-discharges-air-industry has summarised the principal parts of the Resource Management Act relating to air.
The purpose of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources, including air. Under section 30 of the RMA, consenting authorities have a statutory responsibility to control discharges of contaminants into air. Section 15 restricts the discharge of contaminants to air.
Regional Air Plans
The Regional Regulatory Authorities (eg Auckland Council, Taranaki Regional Council, Gisborne District Council etc) are responsible for maintaining air quality. Where necessary, they control discharges of contaminants to air by issuing Resource Consents or Discharge Permits to industry. Resource Consents may place limits on the amounts of contaminant discharged per unit of time and can require compliance testing to be undertaken to demonstrate limits are being adhered to.
The Regional Air Plans provide detail on the sorts of activities that the Council regards as permitted (do not require a Resource Consent for discharges to air) as opposed to activities which are discretionary or controlled and require application for a Resource Consent.
Auckland Regional Plan (Air)
http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/documents/regionalplans/airlandwater/Proposed%20ALWP%20-%20Part%202%20-%20Chapter%204%20Air%20Quality.pdf
Bay of Plenty Regional Air Plan
https://www.boprc.govt.nz/knowledge-centre/plans/regional-air-plan/
Canterbury Air Plan
http://www.ecan.govt.nz/our-responsibilities/regional-plans/regional-plans-under-development/air-plan/Pages/Default.aspx
Gisborne District Council Air Quality Plan
http://www.gdc.govt.nz/air-quality-plan/
Hawkes Bay –Air Quality
http://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Plans/Regional-Resource-Management-Plan/Air-Quality-Plan-Change-Change-2-and-Variation-2.pdf
Horizons – Air Plan
http://www.horizons.govt.nz/publications-feedback/one-plan/part-2-regional-plan/chapter-15
Nelson Air Quality Plan
http://nelson.govt.nz/council/plans-strategies-policies/strategies-plans-policies-reports-and-studies-a-z/nelson-air-quality-plan-2/view-the-naqp/
Northland Regional Air Plan
http://resources.nrc.govt.nz/upload/1653/Regional%20Air%20Quality%20Plan%20for%20Northland.pdf
Otago Air Plan
http://www.orc.govt.nz/Documents/Publications/Regional/Air/Regional%20Plan%20Air%20for%20Otago%20-%20Updated%20to%201%20January%202009.pdf
Southland Air Quality Plan
http://www.es.govt.nz/publications/plans/air-quality-plan/
Taranaki – Air Quality Plan
http://www.trc.govt.nz/regional-air-quality-plan/
Waikato Regional Plan
http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Council/Policy-and-plans/Rules-and-regulation/Regional-Plan/Waikato-Regional-Plan/
Wellington Air Quality Management Plan
http://www.gw.govt.nz/assets/Plans--Publications/Regional-Air-Quality-Management-Plan/regional_air_quality_management_plan.pdf
West Coast Air Plan
http://www.wcrc.govt.nz/Documents/Resource%20Management%20Plans/Regional%20Air%20Quality%20Plan.pdf