Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui Trust is calling on the Environmental Protection Authority’s decision-making committee to reject a plan to vacuum millions of tonnes of iron sand for lack of evidence.

This late in the game, the decision-making committee (DMC) is still trawling for new evidence, particularly around project, site and environment-specific modelling to help it understand the potential effects of the noise on marine mammals.

The EPA hearing was due to finish on March 20 but has been extended until May 31. It then has 20 days to make a decision.

Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui kaiarataki Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said if Trans-Tasman Resources brings in a new expert, as invited, other submitters should be able to as well.

She said the DMC is now offering TTR a second chance to include information that should have been there in the first place.

“The DMC are effectively saying the original application wasn’t good enough, but instead of knocking it back they are letting TTR re-submit evidence.”

Ngarewa-Packer said no amount of extra evidence could paper over the cracks of a flawed inquiry, no matter how hard the decision-making committee tried.

“The EPA should never have accepted the application as complete.

“But instead of admitting their error, they have actively, and repeatedly, sort to help TTR get their proposal across the line.”

Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui are calling on the DMC to withdraw all requests that do not relate to the plume remodelling, all parts that call for new evidence and all parts that contemplate EPA staff assisting TTR to produce evidence.

“The fact we have to ask for equality during this process shows it has failed, and the proposal should be rejected outright.”

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