14 November, 2024

Council’s Strategy and Policy Committee has approved to continue developing the “draft Land and Freshwater Plan Change (LFPC)” to amend water and discharge rules in the Tasman Resource Management plan. This decision aims to support priority freshwater issues in Tasman while aligning with the latest directives from central government.
 
Council has decided to progress with developing a draft of the LFPC, reflecting input so far from the community, iwi, and stakeholders and is an approach that provides time to incorporate anticipated amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) in 2025.
 
This approach retains flexibility for the Council to respond to emerging legislative changes and ensuring that the Plan Change fully integrates national standards. It also supports the role of farm plans that continue to be used by farmers to show how farming practices address risk and continue to fine tune their land management practices.
 
The decision aligns with the Council’s commitment to advancing environmental protection efforts, particularly for the Water Conservation Order (WCO) in place for Te Waikoropupū Springs and the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer.
 
In early 2025, the Council will reassess the LFPC process based on the latest national policy updates. This review will help determine the most efficient path forward for public release and notification of the plan change. In the meantime, the Council staff will continue refining the LFPC and will provide regular updates on progress and ongoing workstreams to support the WCO and other key water initiatives.
 
This decision is a key step in safeguarding the region’s vital water resources, it addresses Council’s priority of maintaining water quality while aligning with new national policy updates to help ensure a sustainable, resilient future for the region’s waterways and the businesses and communities that rely on them.
 
Land and Freshwater Timeline
 
This outlines a structured approach that has and will allow Council to adapt to evolving regulatory context, ensuring that the LFPC aligns with both central government mandates and local environmental needs.
 

• Past Twelve Months: Work to refine the technical basis for the draft the Land and Freshwater Plan Change approaches.  Independent Review of WCO Monitoring commence and ongoing monitoring required by the WCO.
• Past Six Months: Government discussions regarding the RMA and freshwater legislation set the stage for adjustments in LFPC progression.
• October 22, 2024: The RMA was amended to prevent councils from notifying freshwater plans until the new NPS-FM is published, impacting the timeline for the LFPC project.
• November 2024: Council approves to continue development of the draft Land and Freshwater Plan Change (LFPC)  - And Tākaka Freshwater Action Plan is published, its aim to return nitrate levels to what they were between 2007 and 2017.
• Early 2025: The Council is anticipated to review the draft LFPC, with an option to engage in community feedback based on clearer direction from central government policies. Council considers the Independent Review of WCO Monitoring Report.
• Mid-2025: Potential legislative changes, including an anticipated National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) gazettal, would allow the Council to proceed toward notifying a final LFPC

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