The application for fast-track approval of Te Kuha Mine on the West Coast was declined after failing to meet seven of the required criteria.
The project has sparked environmental concerns and has been rejected multiple times by the courts. A recently publicised letter sent to Stevenson Mining, the company behind the plan, revealed that the application never proceeded to the minister for final approval.
The Ministry for the Environment found that the application failed to meet seven of the requirements in the Act.
It did not provide an explanation for how the fast-track approval process would allow for a more timely and cost-efficient review compared to the standard procedures.
It also failed to engage with local authorities such as Buller District Council, the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Department of Conservation.
Moreover, the application did not address additional approvals required for the project to proceed, such as obtaining access to land owned or managed by other entities, including KiwiRail, which operates the Stillwater to Ngākawau line near the proposed mine site.
Adam Currie, a campaigner for the climate movement 350 Aotearoa, considered the news encouraging.
“MfE declining it for now is a win for the environment,” Currie said.
“It’s the process in this instance working as it’s supposed to.”
However, Patrick Phelps, manager of Minerals West Coast, said the legislation was new and that companies were still coming to understand how it actually operates.
“It’s a novel process – any applicant, they don’t fully know what the expectations are. They’ll get the best advice, hydrology experts, and they’ll put forward the best information that they can.”
“While I’m disappointed that they haven’t got over the line, I would simply say that that should be an indication to people that the fast-track process is not just a rubber stamp.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Environment said that while they usually do not comment on individual fast-track referral applications, they do review these applications to ensure they meet the requirements of the relevant Acts.
Applications that fulfil the necessary requirements are then forwarded to the Infrastructure Minister, who collects advice and reports on the project’s impacts and, if deemed appropriate, refers the application to the final stage, the expert panel.
“Incomplete or non-compliant applications are returned to applicants, along with reasons for them being returned.”