Holcim Welcomes Community Support

Media Release, Tuesday 3 July 2007

Holcim Welcomes Community Support

Holcim New Zealand is distributing this week around 8000 copies of its latest newsletter to the Oamaru district thanking local people for their support of the proposed Weston cement plant as well as providing an update on the RMA process.

“The Weston Option cement plant would, we believe, bring significant benefits and employment opportunities to the region,” says Paul Commons, General Manager, Strategy and Development for Holcim New Zealand.

The two councils involved, Otago Regional Council and Waitaki District Council, have been busy checking the submissions on the Weston Option cement plant, which closed at 5pm on Tuesday 19 June.

“In the meantime we are still available to answer people’s questions and are continuing to open our information centre in Oamaru on Wednesdays.”

The Holcim information centre, on the corner of Thames and Eden Streets in Oamaru, will be open each Wednesday from 11am until 3pm.

“We are looking forward to the next phase, the hearing, which is scheduled to begin on 20 August in Oamaru and at which Holcim will present its detailed technical evidence.

“We are encouraging community members supporting the cement plant proposal to have their say at the hearing as a submission supported by a presentation to the panel is likely to carry more weight than a written submission alone.

“People’s views will also carry more weight if they link their own particular knowledge, understanding, or local experience with the reasons for their support,” says Paul Commons.

“We also acknowledge that people have submitted in opposition to the proposal and we are continuing to engage with people or groups in the community that have raised questions.”

The hearing process

When the hearing begins Holcim New Zealand will present its evidence first. This will include a description of the project followed by detailed technical evidence from the various experts that Holcim has engaged, and is likely to take several days.

Following this, those who asked to speak to their submission will be invited to present their evidence. Again this could take several days.

After the hearing is complete, the panel of commissioners will consider all the evidence presented and announce their decision, probably after several months, on whether to grant or decline Holcim’s applications.

The commission may grant some or all of the applications with conditions. Both the applicant and submitters are able to appeal the panel’s decisions to the Environment Court.

Decision-making Process

The Weston option cement plant is one of three options being considered by Holcim New Zealand to meet future demand for cement in New Zealand. A final decision on any of the options being considered will be made by parent company Holcim Ltd and is not expected before 2008.

ENDS

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