RMA reforms good for business and environment – Straterra

The Government is being pressured by environmental groups over the latest Resource Management Act reforms, Straterra says.

The minerals advocacy group was reacting to negative comments in the media since Environment Minister Amy Adams released a discussion document on “improving our resource management system” on 28 February 2013.

Straterra CEO Chris Baker said today: “We all want the same thing, a robust framework for assessing development proposals against economic, environmental, social and cultural criteria. But we want that to be a workable framework, not a frustrating framework, and that’s what we have now.”

“The Government’s proposals are generally sound and, taken together, will help clarify and simplify how the RMA system works for everyone.

“Accusations of a Central Government power grab are rubbish when it is considered that councils will still be in charge of writing plans, with public input, from the ground up. The Government already has the power of intervention at the local level – what this reform package does is provide criteria around when that is or is not appropriate,” Mr Baker said. “Who would argue with that?”

“Doubtless, there are improvements to the proposals that could be made, and Straterra will be submitting to that end. The minerals industry wants to maintain high standards, and we want to do that in an efficient and effective way. This Government is working towards that goal, and deserves to be supported in that.”

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Denniston Announcement: Coal Mine Gains Access Approval

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced his approval under the Crown Minerals Act for an access agreement for Bathurst Resources for its Escarpment Mining Project on the Denniston Plateau, near Westport.

“This approval is for an open-cast mine on 106 hectares of the 2026 hectares that comprise the Denniston Plateau. This area is not National Park, nor Conservation Park nor does it have any particular reserve status...

“The loss of conservation values is compensated by a $22 million package by Bathurst Resources. This will fund pest and predator control over 25,000 hectares of the Heaphy River catchment in the Kahurangi National Park, 4,500 hectares on and around the Denniston Plateau, as well as for historic projects on the Plateau itself. This is More>>