Green light, red light: Will Taranaki's seabed be mined this time?
Friday, 3 March 2023
A new committee will decide if the South Taranaki seabed can be mined or not after a series of courts have said no.
The Environmental Protection Authority Board announced the new decision-making committee on Friday, which is tasked to reconsider if the Trans-Tasman Resources Limited application to mine iron sands off the south coast of Taranaki will get the green light.
The company has tried to win the required consents from the Environmental Protection Authority to extract up to 50 million tonnes of sand each year for almost a decade.
Trans-Tasman Resources has had some success gaining consent in 2016, however that was overturned by the High Court in 2018 following appeals from parties such as Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui and Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal.
**READ MORE:
* Trans Tasman Resource off to Supreme Court to fight for right to mine iron sand off Taranaki coast
* South Taranaki seabed mining case to be heard in Court of Appeal
* Seabed mining ban could be part of plan to save Maui's dolphin off Taranaki coast, minister says
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The Supreme Court agreed with the Court of Appeal’s decision, and the application was sent back to the Environmental Protection Authority for reconsideration in 2021.
* South Taranaki seabed mining case to be heard in Court of Appeal
* Seabed mining ban could be part of plan to save Maui's dolphin off Taranaki coast, minister says
Trans-Tasman Resources confirmed it did want the Authority to reconsider the application in 2022, leading to the appointment of the new decision-making committee.
The Honorable Lynton Stevens CNZM KC was selected to chair the committee, with Dr Andrea Byrom, Dr Sharon De Luca, Loretta Lovell and Miria Pomare chosen as committee members, the Authority said in a statement.
“They are experienced decision-makers with collective expertise in environmental management and related science.”
The committee asked Trans-Tasman Resources to provide any additional evidence, reports, or updating material in relation to their application by May 19, 2023, the Authority said.