The development of each NEMS document is undertaken by a technical working group with a lead writer. The working group includes representatives from regional and unitary councils across New Zealand, industry representatives and the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA). These agencies are responsible for the majority of continuous environmental-related measurements within New Zealand.
Each document evolves through a process of drafting, feedback, revision and final approval by the Steering Group. Once completed, the documents are uploaded to the NEMS website where they are available for implementation and/or review by industry end-users. Often implementation workshops follow the release of each new NEMS.
Each document is scheduled for review within approximately one year of initial release, and thereafter will generally be reviewed once every two years. Users are encouraged to provide feedback at any time so that minor updates and corrections can be addressed as necessary.