Environmental groups say a proposed rewrite of the Resource Management Act pushes economic growth at the expense of the environment.
Six groups are calling for the rejection of recommendations made to the Government by an advisory group.
The Environmental Defence Society, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, Fish and Game, Greenpeace, Ecologic and WWF New Zealand have written a 14-page letter to Environment Minister Amy Adams demanding that the recommended changes be abandoned.
The advisory group's report recommends changing parts of the act by replacing words such as "preservation" and "protection" with phrases such as "recognising and providing for" in areas of environmental concern.
It recommends rewording the Matters of National Importance sections six and seven to be titled Sustainable Management Principles. This is the part of the act that relates to preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment, including wetlands, lakes and rivers.
It wants protection of outstanding natural features and landscapes from inappropriate subdivision use and development reworded.
Opponents say that is an attack on legislation designed to protect the natural landscape. They say if the recommendations are implemented, it would weaken the act and lower the standards for gaining resource consent for development.
However, Federated Farmers says changes are needed to achieve a better balance between environmental protection and growing the slow-moving economy.