All project teams for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) land transport infrastructure construction projects and maintenance and operations (M&O) contracts are required to develop an environmental management plan (EMP).
One of the various ways that NZTA sets out to achieve environmental responsibility and manage risk is by requiring EMPs to be developed and implemented for all construction and M&O activities. EMPs:
The responsibility to produce an EMP rests with the physical works contractor. The professional services consultant ensures the plan is prepared, maintained and recommended as fit for purpose to NZTA.
However, it is becoming common practice for RMA or other environmental permit applications to include a draft EMP, which is usually prepared by a professional services consultant as part of the consent application. The consenting strategy will determine whether an EMP is lodged with the RMA application.
Consenting and consent compliance
EMPs are a living document and require review and updating to ensure they remain relevant to the contract.
EMPs must be submitted to the NZTA project or contract manager (and copied to environment@nzta.govt.nz) for approval prior to construction for capital projects (the timing of which is specified in contract documents) and four months after the contract start date for M&O works.
Higher risk environmental aspects may need to have a sub-plan due to the specialist level of management detail required.
For detailed guidance on management of particular environmental risks, refer to the pages on specific environmental technical areas.
For further information contact environment@nzta.govt.nz
