Latest news with #EnvironmentalProtectionAuthority
West Australian
18 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
Broome solar energy project given green light by Environmental Protection Authority
A solar energy project for Broome has been given the green light by the Environmental Protection Authority after finding the project will have little impact on local flora. The proposal comprises 4m-tall solar panels up to 90MW, battery energy storage systems, and a 16km transmission line from a site about 10km north of Broome. EPA chair Darren Walsh said the EPA had published its decision not to assess the Horizon Power project under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. 'After considering public submissions and conducting a preliminary investigation, we consider that the likely environmental effects of the proposal are not so significant to warrant formal assessment by the EPA,' he said. 'This doesn't mean environmental impacts of the project won't be considered at all, merely that they will be mitigated and licensed through other statutory decision-making processes.' As part of its determination, the EPA found vegetation types in the proposal area were typical and widespread within the region and there were no threatened flora species in the development envelope. 'This means that the types of impacts associated with the clearing of native vegetation can be regulated under Part V of the EP Act,' Mr Walsh said. The network connection route would follow the Broome-Cape Leveque Road, Broome Highway, Old Broome Road and Frederick Street to the existing substation in town. The EPA also noted that while there were no registered Aboriginal heritage sites in the development area, the proponent had engaged with Yawuru Aboriginal Corporation and would establish a Heritage Protection Agreement with them. If any Aboriginal heritage sites are identified, the potential impact could be assessed and regulated under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Primary sector not impressed with government's horticultural product approval targets
Access to agricultural and horticultural products is managed under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act and the Hazardous Substances and New Organisims (HSNO) Act. Photo: AFP/ Costfoto / NurPhoto Those in the primary sector say the government's new targets to reduce the queues to approve new agricultural and horticultural products don't go far enough. It follows a regulatory review which found the approval process for the agricultural and horticultural products, like pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers, wasn't always allowing timely access to the products. Cabinet has agreed to all 16 of the recommendations from the regulatory review, including updating the Environmental Protection Authority's risk assessment models, reducing efficacy requirements for inhibitors to the minimum required to manage risks and introducing targets to reduce product queues. Access to the products is managed under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act and the Hazardous Substances and New Organisims (HSNO) Act. Environment Minister Penny Simmonds said she had set a target to reduce the HSNO queue by 10 percent in 2025-26 and would set a more ambitious target once additional staff were appointed. Environment Minister Penny Simmonds. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said he wanted a 20 percent queue reduction for ACVM products by the end of June 2025, compared to October 2024. By the end of June 2026, he wanted to see queues reduce by a further 30 percent. The ministers would be responsible for an Omnibus Bill to accelerate the improvements. However, Animal and Plant Health New Zealand (APHANZ) chief executive Dr Liz Shackleton said the targets to reduce product queues seemed unlikely to deliver the rapid change that industry needed. "While it's positive that Ministers have answered industry's calls to set targets that hold regulators to account, hitting the bullseye requires a bold focus on the targets that matter most. "Industry keenly await the more ambitious target signalled by the Minister for Environment and hope it's not too little too late." Dr Shackleton said the priority should be parent products with new active ingredients in the queue already, rather than just increasing approvals for generic products. She said this would allow farmers and growers to rotate products to manage resistance, improve environmental outcomes and phase out older chemistry. Many of the products - which have been in the queue for years - are already being used by countries like Australia, Canada and the United States, she said. "Let's look at blackspot. It's in the queue, there's a solution for that. Apple growers it's their number one barrier to trade and it's been sitting under assessment for almost four years." Dr Shackleton feared manufacturers of agricultural and horticultural products would exit the New Zealand market unless more bold action was taken. ""The companies that make the new stuff are talking about pulling out of New Zealand. "New Zealand had once been seen as a desirable place to get early registration. That's no longer the case, the global view is we're now well behind." Dr Shackleton said time was running out. The Environmental Protection Authority says the proposed rule changes for hazardous substances would give the industry a clearer path for making use of new chemicals in New Zealand. Photo: supplied Horticulture New Zealand's general manager of strategy and policy Michelle Sands also felt the targets to reduce product queues didn't go far enough and would not make a difference to the existing backlog. "We have a situation in New Zealand where other countries have access to newer, softer innovative actives and in New Zealand our process is very slow and so that means we don't have access to those sort of things. "What that means is that we're actually missing out on things that might have lesser impacts on the environment, on human health." Sands was also worried that manufacturers would stop providing agricultural and horticultural products to the New Zealand market because of the delayed approvals process. Chief executive of the New Zealand Veterinary Association Dr Kevin Bryant said under the current system New Zealand was "missing out". He said the proposed changes were a good start but more was needed to get products into the vet clinics faster. "For vets on the ground treating animals and coming at it from an animal welfare perspective, we know there are products available in Australia that are not available here that are needed. "The issue we have is why can we not have a process that enables products that have been approved in other jurisdictions which New Zealand trusts, that they cannot be actually fast-tracked in terms of registration in New Zealand." Dr Bryant said there was a balance to be achieved between speed and effectiveness, which was why he wanted to see the ACVM better resourced. "We want to see government prioritising resourcing for ACVM so that new medicines and vaccines can be approved and in our vet clinics as fast as possible." The Environmental Protection Authority said the proposed changes to the rules for hazardous substances would give the industry a clearer path for making use of new chemicals in New Zealand. It said the proposed changes would make it easier for applicants to apply in cases where chemicals had already been used safely in other countries, allow the temporary use of some new products and improve transparency around application timeframes and processes. Meanwhile the Environmental Law Initiative's senior legal advisor Tess Upperton said the EPA's focus must remain on rigorously assessing the possible risks to human and ecosystem health, especially as hazardous substance approvals did not expire. She said decisions must be "carefully made" and the EPA shouldn't become too focused on having to "shorten the queue" of products waiting for assessment which may divert the EPA from its core environmental obligations. Upperton agreed with the review that the EPA was "significantly under-funded". "The best way to streamline applications would be for the EPA to be fully funded to perform as an effective regulator through recovery of the costs of its HSNO (Hazardous Substances and New Organisms ACT) functions from applicants. As it stands, the public is subsidising private interests through majority Crown funding of these EPA functions." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
EPA Says Law Changes Will Streamline Applications For New Chemicals
Press Release – Environmental Protection Authority 'The EPA has worked closely with other agencies to develop the proposed improvements to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act) which were given the green light by Cabinet yesterday. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) says proposed changes to the rules for hazardous substances will give industry a clearer path for making use of new chemicals in New Zealand. 'We welcome today's announcement from Ministers about enhancements following the Agricultural and Horticultural Products Regulatory Review,' says EPA Chief Executive Dr Allan Freeth. 'The EPA has worked closely with other agencies to develop the proposed improvements to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act) which were given the green light by Cabinet yesterday. 'These changes will reduce the complexity for businesses applying to introduce chemicals while still maintaining strong environmental protections. 'Making these processes simpler means our farmers, horticulturalists and those in other industries who use chemical products will have better access to the products they need,' says Dr Freeth. The proposed changes will: make it easier for applicants to apply in cases where chemicals have already been used safely in other countries allow the temporary use of some new products, provided they meet certain criteria, including safe use in other countries improve transparency around application timeframes and processes. 'We have 22 applications for new active ingredients for use in the agricultural / horticultural sector. 'These applications are a top priority for the team, who are currently working on the assessment of eight new active ingredients. Seven of these are for agricultural or horticultural use.' The proposed changes will proceed as the Agricultural and Horticultural Products Regulatory Review Omnibus Bill. 'In the meantime, the EPA will continue to progress a raft of other improvements designed to reduce the queue of hazardous substances applications, such as working with industry to find ways to prioritise innovative chemicals, boosting our frontline staff, and investigating a streamlined process where lower-risk substances may not need an assessment,' says Dr Freeth.
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
EPA Says Law Changes Will Streamline Applications For New Chemicals
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) says proposed changes to the rules for hazardous substances will give industry a clearer path for making use of new chemicals in New Zealand. "We welcome today's announcement from Ministers about enhancements following the Agricultural and Horticultural Products Regulatory Review," says EPA Chief Executive Dr Allan Freeth. "The EPA has worked closely with other agencies to develop the proposed improvements to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act) which were given the green light by Cabinet yesterday. "These changes will reduce the complexity for businesses applying to introduce chemicals while still maintaining strong environmental protections. "Making these processes simpler means our farmers, horticulturalists and those in other industries who use chemical products will have better access to the products they need," says Dr Freeth. The proposed changes will: make it easier for applicants to apply in cases where chemicals have already been used safely in other countries allow the temporary use of some new products, provided they meet certain criteria, including safe use in other countries improve transparency around application timeframes and processes. "We have 22 applications for new active ingredients for use in the agricultural / horticultural sector. "These applications are a top priority for the team, who are currently working on the assessment of eight new active ingredients. Seven of these are for agricultural or horticultural use." The proposed changes will proceed as the Agricultural and Horticultural Products Regulatory Review Omnibus Bill. "In the meantime, the EPA will continue to progress a raft of other improvements designed to reduce the queue of hazardous substances applications, such as working with industry to find ways to prioritise innovative chemicals, boosting our frontline staff, and investigating a streamlined process where lower-risk substances may not need an assessment," says Dr Freeth.
Scoop
26-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Farmers And Growers To Reap Rewards
Press Release – New Zealand Government Minister for the Environment Penny Simmonds says the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has been and will continue to work on improving the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) system. Minister for Regulation Hon Penny Simmonds Minister for the Environment Hon Andrew Hoggard Minister for Food Safety Farmers and growers will have faster access to new agriculture and horticulture products because innovation drives success, says Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard. 'The changes announced today show the power of a sector review,' Mr Seymour says. 'Agriculture and horticulture products are integral to the largest sector of New Zealand's tradeable economy, the primary sector. It's important to ensure regulatory settings give the sector the best chance at success. Cabinet accepted all of the Ministry for Regulation's 16 recommendations to improve the new agriculture and horticulture product approval pathway. 'The changes will speed up the application process, make it clearer and more transparent, and ensure existing international research is utilised. It is estimated that reducing the current approval times for new products by half could generate benefits of about $272 million over 20 years,' Mr Seymour says. 'The seeds of innovation are sown and it's officially the season for growth. The Minister for Food Safety and the Minister for the Environment will action these changes to streamline the product approval pathway. This means farmers and growers can utilise newer and better products faster. Joint Ministers will be responsible for progressing an Omnibus Bill to provide legislative support and accelerate improvements. Minister for the Environment Penny Simmonds says the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has been and will continue to work on improving the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) system. 'I have set a 10% reduction target for the HSNO queue in 2025/2026 and will set a more ambitious target in the next three months now that additional staff have been appointed for this work through reprioritisation of funding,' Ms Simmonds says. 'I have directed the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to improve Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) assessment processes', Mr Hoggard says. 'I want a 20% queue reduction for ACVM products compared to the queues in October 2024, by the end of June 2025. By the end of June 2026 I want to see queues reduce by a further 30%.' 'In a high-cost economy, regulation isn't neutral. It's a tax on growth. Every completed review makes it easier to do business, access services, and innovate in New Zealand. The Hairdressers and Barbers Sector Review is another example of what smarter regulation looks like in action,' Mr Seymour says.
