Activity Group: Environmental Management Activity: Environmental Protection Council monitors the effect of implementing its resource management plans by monitoring compliance with the conditions of resource consent conditions and This Activity helps to achieve the Vision by ensuring the community’s activities are permitted activity standards. not adversely impacting on the natural environment. It also contributes to the Community Outcomes of Governance, Environment, People and Economy as The key objectives for the activity are: outlined below. • to provide an active compliance monitoring and enforcement regime to Outcome Actions sustainably manage Marlborough’s natural and physical resources Governance Publishing clear, timely and informative monitoring and • to provide feedback and information on resource use and sufficient compliance reports. environmental information to enable other objectives to be met Enabling public interaction and targeted engagement in Council • to integrate programmes with Environmental Science & Monitoring and align monitoring activities through customer surveys. with anticipated environmental outcomes set in the Proposed Marlborough Supporting community and industry forums in our region by Environment Plan (MEP). communicating environmental monitoring and compliance The key methods to achieve these objectives are outlined below. challenges and success. Ensuring the Council meets its statutory obligations under the • Monitoring — Proactively monitor activities that: have a greater Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). environmental impact which warrants special consideration, generate community concern, or are related to trends highlighted in State of the Environment Ensuring the sustainable management of Marlborough's natural Environment reports. and physical resources. Investing in the sustainable use of the Marlborough environment • Policy — Provide feedback to the Policy, Resource Consents and Science through a mix of regulatory and non-regulatory methods. & Monitoring teams to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the District’s resource management plans. Promoting and encouraging collaborative actions to enable the Complaint Response — Investigate alleged breaches of the RMA, protection and restoration of Marlborough’s natural resources. • resource management plans and consents. Providing an active compliance monitoring and enforcement regime to sustainably manage Marlborough’s natural physical • Enforcement — Undertake enforcement action for breaches of the RMA resources and to provide feedback to the Policy, Resource and Marlborough District Council bylaws. Consents and Science & Monitoring groups. Reporting — Monitor and analyse trends and issues. This analysis is used • People Protecting Marlborough’s natural and physical resources for when reviewing education opportunities and monitoring programmes. community and industry use and enjoyment. Relevant trends and issues are reported to the Policy, Resource Consents Economy Enabling appropriate use of natural resources for economic well- and Science & Monitoring teams. Monitoring results are also reported to the being through Council’s resource management framework. Ministry for the Environment. • Emergency Response — Respond to emergencies that have the potential What is this Activity About? to affect the environment (eg spillages and discharges). The primary purpose of this section is to implement statutory responsibilities under • Education — Good education leads to the community understanding and section 35 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) which contribute taking ownership of an issue and its resolution. It is an effective way to towards the sustainable management of our natural and physical resources. This bring about a long-term change in environmental behaviour and also allows includes the monitoring and enforcement of activities within the District. Council and the community to foster good relationships and deal with issues in a proactive rather than a regulatory manner. 2018-2028 Long Term Plan Page 122