Wellington, June 4 NZPA - The Government's new environmental protection agency (EPA) -- which will take over the nation's genetic-engineering regulator and be expected to protect our oceans from seabed mining catastrophes -- may turn out to be a toothless tiger, critics say.

By NZPA reporters Wellington, June 3 NZPA - The Government's new environmental protection agency (EPA) will help protect New Zealand's ocean from catastrophes similar to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.

Wellington, June 3 NZPA - The Government is looking to beef up its protection of New Zealand's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Wellington, May 19 NZPA - There will be little or no money in tomorrow's budget for the Government's new Environmental Protection Agency, Labour says.

Wellington, April 27 NZPA - Planning for an inquiry into Canterbury's water problems began before the last election and officials told the previous government the problems could be more important for the economy than Auckland's governance issues, Cabinet papers show.

Wellington, Dec 11 NZPA - A consultation document on allocating emission units to industry under the emissions trading scheme (ETS) was released by Climate Change Minister Nick Smith today.

Wellington, Nov 26 NZPA - Ministry for the Environment officials say greenhouse gas emissions under the Government's new emissions trading scheme (ETS) will continue rising -- though a little slower than if there were no ETS in place.

Wellington, Nov 3 NZPA - An economic think tank wants to see more emphasis on urban air quality and protecting biodiversity, while saying waste and greenhouse gas reduction has been rated too highly.

By Ian Llewellyn of NZPA Wellington, Oct 15 NZPA - Most top public servants received substantial pay rises ahead of the world recession bringing down a veil of austerity, State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie said today.

Wellington, May 25 NZPA - Contact Energy has succeeded in its bid for a 12-month delay to hearings into its proposed 180-turbine wind farm near Raglan in Waikato.