Regional Meetings Oct 2013

1. Environmental best practice in agricultural and associated rural aviation Regional Meetings Oct 2013

2. Environmental best practice in agricultural and rural aviation Why • To be in business tomorrow What • Environmental performance standards in regional and district plans that are consistent, accessible and achievable How • Development of Guidance Note for councils writing plans under the RMA • Information provision & dissemination

3. With the support of …

4. 11/076 $‘000

5. Regional Meetings • Update on project • What’s happened • What next • Guidance Note • with a focus on council plans • Technical Information • Best practice for pilots and operators • QA requirements • Including AIRCARE

6. Project summary RMA 1991 Regulator outcomes no product off target, amenity values maintained Operator outcomes right product, right place, right time, right rate continued access Discharges to air, land, water and amenity values Guidance Note defines best practice Regional and District plans incorporate QA programmes QA Programmes Proof of compliance

7. The issues to be addressed • Fertiliser placement and land contamination • Avoiding discharges to water, including definition of “waterway” • Managing spray drift, including notification • Client facilities • The 1080 debate • Lifestyle blocks • Noise • Consistency between councils & complexity of rules • Media (perception vs reality)

8. The response • Activate participation in planning processes • Work with planners and policy makers • Developing Guidance Note • Provide information and up-skill members • Advocacy to members, regulatory bodies and government • Increase media profile

9. Guidance Notes • Web based: www.qualityplanning.org.nz • GN’s provide information for planners and policy makers to address RMA issues • Ag Aviation GN will be on QP website • Supported by Technical Information in a second document, also web based: www.nzaaa.co.nz

10. Guidance Note Rationale • GN is for planners • In response to issues raised at 1st Regional Meetings • No two operations are the same • How to manage multiple variables from planning perspective • There is no such thing as ‘zero drift’ • Need for certain, enforceable plan provisions • Risk based approach enables each situation to be assessed according to circumstances • .

11. Guidance Note sections • The agricultural aviation industry • The environmental legislative context  • The key resource management issues  • A risk management approach  • Managing discharges from the industry operations • Managing land use and amenity issues • Appendix A - possible plan provisions for aerial application

12. Terminology

13. Section 1 • Introduction • Purpose • Scope • Development

14. Section 2 • Agricultural Aviation industry • Overview • Regulations and best practice

15. Section 3 • Legislative context • RMA • HSNO - CAA is EPA designated enforcement agency • ACVM • Interactions between legislation

16. Section 4 • Resource Management and Agricultural Aviation • Nature of activities • Potential adverse effects • Developing methods and plan provisions

17. Section 5 • Risk Management approach • Rationale • Applying a risk management approach to ag aviation discharges • Risk factors • Exposure pathways

19. Sections 6,7,8 • Substance specific • Fertilisers • Agrichemicals • VTA’s • Follow same approach • Definition • Aerial application • Risk factors • Management options • Possible plan provisions

20. Agrichemicals

21. Management Options • Tables in the GN set out a risk management approach for use of each substance • For each potential adverse effect, the table identifies the: • relevant risk factor • exposure pathway • management options to manage potential adverse effects for both the pilot and councils

22. GN table format • Independently audited QA programmes are a means for pilots to demonstrate that best practice (which includes risk management) is being used

23. Section 9 • Land based issues • Aircraft noise • Storage, loading and mixing sites • Reverse sensitivity

24. Glossary and Appendix • Glossary • Appendix A • Possible plan provisions • Operational risk assessment

25. Project summary RMA 1991 Regulator outcomes no product off target, amenity values maintained Operator outcomes right product, right place, right time, right rate continued access Discharges to air, land, water and amenity values Guidance Note defines best practice Regional and District plans incorporate QA programmes QA Programmes Proof of compliance

26. Risk Management and Assessment We all do it anyway eg Wearing ear muffs. Risk = hearing loss Hazard = noise (level etc) Exposure - ear muffs

27. What about? Orange road cones - on a side road. Someone has decided that a risk to 3rd parties ie you exists and the cones are placed (everywhere!!!) to reduce the exposure to the risk. We cant say what the risk is because we don’t know what the hazard is • This project is about agricultural aviation

28. Requirements for a risk management approach to work - know the risk factors so they can be managed • - know the potential adverse effects • - rules that reflect these requirements (REGULATORS) • - recognised best practice standards for ag ops (applicator/regulator) • - a system for task verification according to the risk (APPLICATOR)

29. Technical information “Technical overview of the agricultural aviation industry”: • Informs council planners – removes mystery • A useful tool for pilots • Deals with Management Options

30. Agrichemical Application • Fertiliser Application • VTA Application • Noise Abatement. • Risk Management • References AIRCARE™ codes of practice

31. Guidance Note • The Guidance Note promotes a risk based approach to legislation • Adverse effects are controlled by using management tools appropriate to the situation • Agricultural pilots are trained to use these tools NOTHING NEW!!

32. Spray drift • There is no such thing as zero drift • There are tools a pilot will use to be able to PREDICT the drift • Droplet size • Release height • Wind speed • Wind direction

35. On site considerations (Risks to manage) • Application site defined • Sensitive areas identified • Wind direction identified • Wind speed identified • Particle size identified

36. Product hazard identified • Buffer zone • Shelter Belts • Air Temperature • Humidity • Atmospheric stability • Guidance is found in Technical Information

37. But … A risk based approach requires evidence of: • What risks have been considered • What management tools have been used • Where did the aircraft fly • So that task verification can be provided NOTHING NEW!!

38. When regulators specify a risk based approach then they need an assurance that these processes are always followed. One such programme is:

39. AIRCARE™ • AIRCARE™ is an enabling process • Enables regulators to have confidence their requirements are being met consistently • Enables operators to go to work tomorrow • www.aircare.co.nz

40. AIRCARE™ • Pilot competency • Companies require a management system • Independently audited Integrates legislation requirements including Environmental, HSE, CAA

41. AIRCARE™ Where is the programme today? • 54 companies accredited or in process • Over half the Ag industry is accredited

42. Demonstration Days Jo Grigg Photographer

44. Demonstration days • Demo days are the industry demonstrating management tools to regulators • 3 Demo days planned • Lucky with weather twice • Last Demo day(s) will not involve flying • Will be run in conjunction with other conferences e.g. NZPI

45. Next steps • Regional meetings to present Guidance Note to planners, operators and stakeholders • Finalisation of Guidance Note for QP website • Demonstration days • Information for pilots

46. Comments and feedback • Have we addressed the right issues? • Is the split between GN and Technical info about right? • Are there terms that should be defined? • Could the layout and order be improved?

47. With the support of …

48. Contact us John Maber - jmaber@gmail.com Lynette Wharfe - lynette@agribusinessgroup.com John Sinclair - sinclairjg@gmail.com