Environmental Management Plans

An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) sets out how a construction project or ongoing industrial and trade activity will identify, minimise, monitor and manage its environmental impacts. It gives everyone on site clear steps for meeting regulatory requirements, client expectations and sustainability goals, with roles and responsibilities defined in the plan.

Depending on your requirements, these plans can cover environmental impacts such as hazardous substances, air quality, noise generation, and can include supporting documents such as stormwater management plans.

You'll likely need one if your project involves construction or civil works, industrial operations, resource consent conditions, or environmental effects assessments and compliance monitoring. Many tenders and contracts also list an EMP as standard documentation, so having one ready can be the difference between winning and losing a bid.

A well-prepared EMP covers the project description and scope, the environmental aspects and risks the site presents, relevant legal and consent requirements, environmental objectives and performance indicators, site-specific mitigation and control measures, roles and responsibilities, monitoring and reporting procedures, and emergency response and incident management steps.

Councils and consent authorities often require an EMP as a condition of resource consent to meet relevant requirements such as E31 & E33 of the Auckland Unitary Plan. A well-prepared EMP demonstrates due diligence, reduces legal risk, and shows a consent authority or client that environmental management has actually been thought through, not just promised.

An EMP is a live document, not a one-off deliverable. As project conditions, site risks or activities change, the plan should be reviewed and updated so it keeps reflecting what's actually happening on site.

Our EMPs are developed by environmental engineers, ecologists and scientists working together from the outset, not handed between departments. We start by understanding your project or site operations and its environmental sensitivities, engage early with stakeholders and consent authorities, then develop, implement and help train your team on a plan built for your site.