NES and Consenting Technical Services
Sephira Environmental staff know what councils expect when it comes to land development. Let us help you navigate local, regional and national requirements related to environmental issues at your property.
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NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARD (NES)
Subdivision, earthworks, and change of land use are the triggers for consent if your property has a history of contamination. Councils want assurances that the planned work will be done in a safe manner and that conditions are appropriate for future occupants of the land. The National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contamination in Soil to Protect Human Health (NES 2011) is the rule used by Councils to achieve this goal. Sephira Environmental staff were involved in the development of this standard and are experts on how it is interpreted and implemented by local and district councils. The focus of this rule is human health, and includes consideration of soil, soil vapours, asbestos and drinking water. Sephira Environmental can assist property developers determine if the NES is triggered for their project, whether the proposed activity is "permitted, controlled, restricted, or discretionary," and provide contaminated sites technical services that may be needed prior to or after issuance of an NES consent. STORMWATER CONSENTS
Regional Plans have rules to protect aquatic ecosystems. Development projects must consider whether contaminants in soil or water will be caused to migrate off site into sensitive surface water bodies. Often consent for stormwater discharges are required by regional councils. Sephira Environmental can assess potential risks and propose methods to control stormwater so that development projects can succeed. PASSIVE DISCHARGE CONSENTS
Regional Plans also have rules related to the release of contamination to groundwater. If it can be demonstrated that discharges do not create an unacceptable risk, Regional Councils may issue a passive discharge consent with provisions for ongoing monitoring, as necessary. Sephira Environmental staff have been successful in assisting land owners to achieve reasonable passive discharge consents for a variety of situations including historic uncontrolled landfills, treated timber piles, and managed fills with low levels of contamination. |
WE QUALIFY AS SQEPs
A SQEP is a suitably qualified and experienced practitioner. This qualification requires time and experience. Through this qualification, councils can rely on our judgement across a range of scenarios. OUR SERVICES: TECHNICAL LANGUAGE FOR RESOURCE CONSENT CONDITIONS We can provide consent language that will help you achieve practical conditions for your project. SITE HISORY We can assess the history of your property to see if there are issues. TECHNICAL ADVICE If you've identified contamination issues and consent hurtles, Sephira Environmental can provide advice and guidance. ENVIRONEMTNAL LIABLITY We can help estimate the cost to investigate and remediate environmental issues before you invest in residential or commercial/industrial property. 
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For further information about the technical services we offer, go to Contaminated Sites.
