1. Discretionary activities are to comply with the following controls in order to establish in the region. The general development and performance standards are in addition to any controls/conditions imposed by the EPA.

1. All GMO discretionary activities shall:

a.Have the relevant approval from the EPA.

b.Be undertaken in accordance with EPA approval conditions for the activity.

1. Council requires the applicant for the resource consent to provide a performance bond (akin to a bank guarantee) in respect of the performance of any one or more conditions of the consent, including conditions relating to monitoring required of the GMO activity (prior to, during and after the activity), and that this be available for payment to redress any adverse environmental effects and any other adverse effects to third parties (including economic effects) that become apparent during or after the expiry of the consent.

2. The exact time and manner of implementing and discharging the bond shall be decided by, and be executed to the satisfaction of Council.

3. Method for determining the amount and type of bond required

a. Matters that will be considered when determining the amount of the bond are:

b.What adverse effects could occur and the potential significance, scale and nature of those effects, notwithstanding any measures taken to avoid those effects.

c.The degree to which the operator of the activity has sought to avoid those adverse effects, and the certainty associated with whether the measures taken will avoid those effects.

d.The level of risk associated with any unexpected adverse effects from the activity.

e.The likely scale of costs associated with remediating any adverse effects that may occur.

f.The timescale over which effects are likely to occur or arise.

g.The extent of monitoring that may be required in order to establish whether an adverse effect has occurred or whether any adverse effect has been appropriately remedied.

1. A GMO discretionary activity may require monitoring during, and beyond the duration of consent. Monitoring is to be carried out by either the Council or consent holder with appropriate reporting procedures to the relevant regulatory authority.

2. A monitoring strategy for a GMO discretionary activity can include the following matters:

a.Inspection schedules for the site, storage areas and equipment (daily, weekly, monthly, events based).

b.Testing of procedures (e.g. accidental release response).

c.Training programmes for new staff, updates for existing staff.

d.Audits of sites and site management systems.

e.Sample testing of plants, soils and water in neighbouring properties or localities for the presence of migrated GMOs.

1. Reporting requirements by the consent holder will be stipulated in the consent conditions.

1. Applications for GMO field trials are to provide:

a. Evidence of approval from the EPA for the specific GMO for which consent is sought.

b. Details of proposed containment measures for the commencement, duration and completion of the proposed activity.

c. Details of the species, its characteristics and lifecycle, to which the GMO activities will relate.

d. Research on adverse effects to the environment and economy associated with the activity should GMOs escape from the activity area, and measures that will be taken to avoid, remedy or mitigate such effects.

e. Evidence of research undertaken that characterises and tests the GMO, and the certainty associated with the accuracy of that information.

f. A management plan outlining on-going research and how monitoring will be undertaken during, and potentially beyond, the duration of consent.

g. Details of areas in which the activity is to be confined.

h. Description of contingency and risk management plans and measures.