Hawke's Bay environmental offences drop but fines almost quadruple

Environmental Officer Pollution Response Caleb White is one of the regional council staff that works to respond to environmental incidents. Photo / Supplied

The total cost of fines for environmental breaches has more than tripled as the seriousness of environmental breaches increases in Hawke's Bay.

Hawke's Bay Regional council's annual compliance report for 2020-2021 revealed that total fines were higher for environmental incidents.

The report measures the period from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

There were a total of 823 environmental complaints and incidents reported in the period, about a 16 per cent decrease from 983 in the 2019-2020 reporting period.

The report states that despite the overall decrease, there was an increase in the seriousness of the incidents and a high level of prosecutions.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council issued $240,190 worth of fines through prosecutions or infringement notices for environmental breaches in the recorded period.

Of this, there were 86 infringement notices totalling $43,800 and 12 prosecutions concluded with fines totalling $196,390.

A council spokeswoman said the single largest fine over the period was the $14,950 Downer was fined for two charges of burning a fire containing prohibited materials.

"The company has also contributed an additional $7000 towards marketing the regional council's burning rules," the spokeswoman said.

The largest fine for an environmental breach given in the last recorded period was a $14,950 one given to Downer for two charges of burning a fire containing prohibited materials Photo / Duncan Brown

The previous recording period from 2019 to 2020 resulted in $66,655 in fines.

Of that, $42,200 came from 88 infringement notices and $24,455 from two prosecutions.

This means the most recent period is about a 360 per cent increase in the dollar total of fines issued.

Six new prosecutions started during the 2020-2021 period and are ongoing alongside a small number from the previous recording period that are not resolved.

"The increased volume in prosecutions has put significant pressure on our environmental regulation team, as these cases require more resource to investigate, process and take through the courts," the report states.

The clear majority of the 823 incidents and complaints were air quality, which made up 62 per cent of the total.

Air quality incidents could include illegal burning, bad odour or agrichemicals.

The next two types of breach with the highest frequency were discharges to land at 18 per cent and surface water at 16 per cent.

The rate of full compliance for monitored resource consents fell, from 89.7 per cent of 3044 in 2019-2020 to 83.2 per cent of 3092 in 2020 - 2021.

The report showed that parts of the municipal systems that would fall under the Three Waters reforms have some way to go to be fully compliant for some local councils.

Significant issues of non-compliance in these areas pointed out by HBRC included:

• The Hastings District council stormwater global consent, for a series of discharges into the Ruahapia Stream from the Ruahapia industrial area that resulted in elevated E. coli concentrations in the receiving environment.

• Wastewater at Waipawa and Waipukurau under the Central Hawke's Bay council, for ammonia and dissolved reactive phosphorus levels.

• The treatment plant at Opoutama (Blue Bay) under the Wairoa District Council for not being able to meet nitrogen and phosphorus limits for the discharge to land.

• The Wairoa treatment plant under the Wairoa District council for non-compliant use of the emergency overflow pipe and discharging outside of the tide and time limits.