South Island Resource Recovery Limited (SIRRL), the joint venture company proposing to build the $350 million Energy-from-Waste plant at Glenavy in South Canterbury, known as Project Kea, today lodged an objection to Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the Waimate District Council (WDC)’s decision to reject their second Resource Management Act consent application, deeming it incomplete.

However, SIRRL have also requested the councils put the processing of the objection on hold pending further discussions with manawhenua about the completion of the Cultural Impact Assessment (CIA), already underway,

SIRRL Director Paul Taylor emphasised that the importance of a CIA has never been questioned by SIRRL and that this was about the process that the councils had chosen to take.

“Just before Christmas, the councils told SIRRL that they acknowledged the resubmitted application has ‘addressed many of the matters raised in the previous application regarding adverse effects of the discharges to air, stormwater and wastewater.’

“However, the councils said that neither would accept the application for processing unless it was accompanied by a CIA prepared by manawhenua,” Paul Taylor explained.

“Last night SIRRL made the decision to lodge an objection and immediately emailed the decision to Te Rūnanga o Waihao Chairperson, Graeme Lane, as manawhenua, and their planning team Aukaha, who are currently working with SIRRL’s project team on the CIA. This was also copied to the iwi chairs of both Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki.”

The objection was lodged with the two councils this morning to meet the regulatory deadline.

“SIRRL’s application is fully compliant with the RMA, so that its application was complete to enable the councils to begin the assessment process. The objection seeks to require the Councils to proceed with the proper analysis according to law.

“This also means that the CIA can be completed and provided to the councils as soon as practicable.

“The detailed application which includes scientific evidence, documents, and reports should begin to be processed by the councils so formal analysis, consideration and the crucial public consultation stages could soon commence.

“SIRRL also requested that, despite today’s lodgement the objection is to be placed on hold to enable further discussions with manawhenua to see if an agreement can be reached about how to accommodate the councils’ requirements,” said Paul Taylor.

When lodging the objection with the councils, SIRRL stated:

‘SIRRL recognises the mana and distinguished position of manawhenua. It has agreed that manawhenua-owned consultants will prepare a Cultural Impact Statement (CIA) at SIRRL’s cost. However, SIRRL has lodged this Notice because it is necessary to do so to protect its legal position while discussions with manawhenua are continuing. In that regard, SIRRL requests under s37A of the RMA that the Objection be placed on hold for a short period to enable discussions to continue. SIRRL will advise the Councils when the discussions have reached the stage when processing of the Objection can recommence.”

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