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Joyce calls on environmentalists to drop challenge to Bathurst mine

Tuesday 25th September 2012 2 Comments

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Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has called on the NZ Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and West Coast environmentalists to drop their objections to Bathurst Resources' Escarpment Mine project, saying it will create new jobs on the West Coast.

"If we are serious about jobs and providing incomes on the West Coast then objectors should stop getting in the way of this immediate opportunity to create those jobs," Joyce said in a statement.

Bathurst managing director Hamish Bohannan has said his company is optimistic it will be mining coking coal on the Denniston Plateau above Westport by July next year, assuming it prevails in appeals against its resource consents.

Hearing are due to start on Oct. 29 and run through until mid-December, with both Forest & Bird and the West Coast Environmental Network challenging the mining resource consents for the Escarpment open cut mine.

"The Escarpment Mine is an open cast mining project that is ready to go and would provide 225 jobs and incomes for workers and their families on the West Coast straight away," Joyce said. "The developer is being held up from opening the Escarpment Mine by on-going litigation that has gone through the Environment Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal."

The consent process had already taken "a staggering seven years," Joyce said.

Joyce's comments come a day after state-owned coal miner Solid Energy announced widespread job cuts as it puts its Spring Creek mine on the West Coast into care and maintenance and reduced production at its Huntly East Mine. Spring Creek is one of the biggest employers for the town of Greymouth.

Prime Minister John Key this week reiterated that Solid Energy wouldn't be one of the first state-owned energy companies to be sold down because of is difficulties.

Bathurst has already agreed to a range of environmental initiatives intended to offset or mitigate the impact of the Escarpment mine, which is expected to produce one million tonnes of coal a year for export to steel mills.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

Comments from our readers

On 26 September 2012 at 12:28 am Mr February said:

What on earth does Steven Joyce think he is doing as a Minister of the Government publicly saying what outcome he would prefer from a court process? Has he really never heard of the 'sub judice' rule? He should look it up in Parliament's standing orders.

On 26 September 2012 at 11:24 am P Dudfield said:

Members of both the environmental groups involved had best stay away from the major West Coast towns for the foreseeable future if they continue with their appeals process. Of interest nearly 97% of the residents of Charters Towers in Queensland voted in favour of Citigold opening a full scale gold mine close to their town. Turn up waving a no mining placard in that town and see what happens to you.

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