Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Act 2013.

This Act amends Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012 (No. 72 of 2012). Amendments deal with the following: Section 3 (Outline of Act); Section 4 on Interpretation); Section 9 on Application to ships and aircraft of New Zealand Defence Force and foreign States; Section 10 on the Purpose; Section 11 on International obligations; Section 13 on the Functions of Environmental Protection Authority; Section 16 on the Restriction on Environmental Protection Authority’s power to delegate; Part 2 is replaced.
The Act manages the environmental effects of activities in New Zealand’s oceans and aims to protect the oceans from the potential environmental risks of activities like petroleum exploration, seabed mining, marine energy generation and carbon capture developments.
The Act provides for the making of regulations: prescribing standards for activities, the effects of activities, and the environment; classifying areas of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf; and classifying activities as permitted, discretionary or prohibited. The classification will depend on the degree of harm or potential harm from an activity. For discretionary activities, operators in the EEZ will have to submit an impact assessment to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Without the EPA’s approval the activity in the EEZ will not be able to go ahead.
The Act further provides for: objections to decisions of the EPA, appeals to the High Court and enforcement orders; offences and penalties; appointment and powers of enforcement officers; etc.