Councils welcome Minister's decision to call in applications

Date:
Attributes: Aurora Grant, Consents Planning Manager (Environment Canterbury) and Jonts McKerrow, Regulatory and Compliance Group Manager (Waimate District Council). 

We are pleased the Minister agrees the resource consent applications for the proposed waste to energy facility in Waimate are a matter of national significance.

On 31 August, the Minister directed the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to take over the management of the applications, and the Environment Court to be the decision-maker on the overall proposal.

The Minister’s decision follows the request by both Waimate District Council and us in June to call in the applications; and subsequent advice and recommendation by the EPA to call them in. 

Public notification

The Minister has also directed that the public notification on the proposal occurs without waiting for the lodgment of the outstanding water permit which the applicant, South Island Resource Recovery Ltd (SIRRL), still needs to submit.  

Both councils will now be talking to the EPA about how the matter proceeds from here until the public notification, including the timing of the public notification, how we will work with the Environment Court, and how the outstanding water permit is to be managed.

While the EPA takes over the management of the consenting process, both councils will still have a role in processing the applications and providing technical and planning support. 

Submissions

The public will still be able to make submissions, regardless of who processes the applications, as SIRRL has requested that the proposal be publicly notified. 

There is no statutory deadline for when the Environment Court has to make the decision on the proposal following the public notification. 

Find out more about the Waimate waste to energy plant resource consent applications.

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