41   Preparation of environmental study

(1)  The Director shall, before commencing to prepare a draft regional environmental plan or at any time during the course of its preparation, prepare an environmental study of the land to which the draft regional environmental plan is intended to apply.

(2)  The environmental study referred to in subsection (1) shall have regard to such matters, relating to the environment of the region to which, or to part of which the draft regional environmental plan is intended to apply, as the Director determines.