Water Act 2000

This section applies if the holder of a resource operations licence makes a request under section 183(5) or 184(6) to refer a proposed change to the environmental management rules to a referral panel.

The chief executive must refer the proposed change to a referral panel together with sufficient information to enable the referral panel to make a recommendation to the chief executive about the proposed change, having regard to whether it—

is consistent with the water plan outcomes and measures; and

achieves any objectives stated in the water plan, including, for example, the water allocation security objectives and the environmental flow objectives; and

is developed with adequate consultation with persons affected by the environmental management rules if the proposed change were to be made.

The referral panel must review the proposed change and the information and make recommendations to the chief executive within 30 business days after receiving the request and information.

In deciding whether to do either of the following, the chief executive must consider the referral panel’s recommendations—

amend the resource operations licence, under section 183(2);

approve the amendment, under section 184(3), of the resource operations licence.