Photo by ODT/fileHouseholds in smog-prone towns have a further incentive to switch to low-emission heating thanks to an increase in an Otago Regional Council subsidy. A council report prepared by senior policy analyst Sylvie Leduc said the changes were meant to incentivise low-impact heating. It was one step the council was taking to helping the towns meet air quality standards they regularly fell short of. A council report shows air quality exceedances in these towns were much lower than average last year. A council report notes that "virtually every town" had air quality which was significantly better in 2018 than in 2017.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 28, 2019 15:22 UTC