last year, the Exide battery plant in Petone violated its resource consent, spewing lead dust into the air and potentially poisoning long-term residents. Now, they're being prosecuted for it. The company could face a $200,000 fine, but more importantly, its officials could face jail. That ought to sharpen their minds about whether they'll permit such pollution in the future.
This is how the RMA should be used: to actually hold accountable those who break the law and pollute our environment. The Canterbury Regional Council, which allows more than half its dairy farmers to (literally) shit on the law, should take note.
