The Otago Regional Council is a finalist in the Green Ribbon Environmental Awards.
Environment Minister Amy Adams announced the finalists for the awards, which honour outstanding contributions to protecting New Zealand's environment, yesterday.
Ms Adams said each of the 217 nominations had been assessed by a panel of judges for significant environmental benefit, measurable and tangible results, innovation, awareness-raising and going the extra mile.
''All the finalists have shown great dedication and initiative.''
There were 11 categories, each with three finalists, recognising individual, business, community and local government projects.
The regional council was a finalist in the public sector leadership category for its strategy of encouraging ''best practicable technology'' for new and renewing discharge-to-air consents as part of its programme to improve air quality.
Working with industrial and commercial interests resulted in emitters reducing or committing to reduce ''several tonnes of PM10 [particles less than 10 microns in diameter]'' during the past six years.
''The Otago Regional Council identified a specific problem, and dealt with it in a way that got stakeholder buy-in to achieve results.''
The two other finalists in the category were the Taranaki Regional Council for its riparian management programme and Horizons Regional Council for its Manawatu River Leaders' Accord, aimed at cleaning up the Manawatu River.
Otago Regional Council air quality scientist Deborah Mills said being a finalist showed the council it was on the right track with what it called its ''25-50'' initiative for air discharges, which was led by the council's resource management director, Dr Selva Selvarajah, and his team.
''They have worked really hard to make this happen. It reaffirms we are doing the right thing. Win or not, it is national recognition.''
Auckland company Stormwater360 was nominated in the green economy category for its creation of a living roof on Mt Difficulty Vineyard's new barrel store in Central Otago, as was
Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Limited for its initiatives to reduce human impact on the environment.
An awards ceremony will be held at Parliament on June 5, World Environment Day.
