Latest news with #TaranakiVTM
RNZ News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Elation as Whanganui gets voice in fast-track seabed mining decision
Whanganui councillor Charlotte Melser says it is crucial for the council to have its say about how a South Taranaki seabed mining proposal would negatively impact Whanganui. Photo: Tuakana Te Tana A Whanganui District councillor is "elated" her council has been named a relevant authority in the fast-track application process for a seabed mining project off South Taranaki. The recognition means Whanganui could have opportunities other councils and the public may not have to state a position on an Australian company's seabed mining application. Taranaki Regional Council and South Taranaki District Council have also been confirmed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) as relevant local authorities to the Taranaki VTM project. The Fast Track Approvals Act 2024, introduced by the coalition government, does not allow the public to freely submit on the application. A decision on the application will be made by a panel created by the EPA for this purpose. Whanganui councillor Charlotte Melser, who opposes Taranaki seabed mining, said the council now had the opportunity to potentially influence the decision. "It means our foot is in the door to have our say about how this proposal would negatively impact our district. I was elated," Melser told Local Democracy Reporting. It was critical for the council to have a voice in the fast-track process because the legislation provided limited opportunities for public input, she said. Seabed mining protesters off Autere East End Beach in Ngāmotu/New Plymouth. Photo: Supplied/Niwa Photographer Courtesy Tania Under the Act, only relevant local authorities, identified iwi authorities and select others can make written comments on the application. "It cuts out the voices of community, scientists, environmentalists, divers - some of the people that know that marine area better than anyone," Melser said. "We've had to fight tooth and nail just to get this far because Whanganui is not directly in the project zone." Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) wants to extract up to 50 million tonnes a year of seabed material a year. It would recover an estimated 5 million tonnes of vanadium-rich titanomagnetite concentrate and then dump unwanted sediment back into the sea. TRR's application says the project would bring regional benefits including 305 jobs with the miner and port upgrades at New Plymouth and Whanganui. TTR withdrew from an environmental hearing to apply for marine consents via the new fast-track approvals regime. The councils named as relevant local authorities can nominate a representative to the decision-making panel, provide written comments on the application and speak to those comments if a hearing is held. They met with iwi, TTR and the EPA's expert panel convenor Jennifer Caldwell on 7 July to discuss the expertise needed on the panel and the timing of its decision-making. Whanganui council chief executive David Langford summarised his council's position in a letter to Caldwell prior to the conference. The key concerns were environmental, particularly the negative impact of the sediment plume, which would impact the Whanganui district; cultural, particularly the conflict of the proposal with treaty obligations and settlements; and economic, specifically the adverse impact of the proposal for the district. Photo: "Our council would like to emphasise the need for expertise to consider the potential economic disbenefit of the proposal with regards to its conflict with offshore wind farming in the Taranaki Bight," Langford said. Whanganui District had been identified as one of the best locations in the world for wind energy and the council was pursuing opportunities for renewable energy investment, including offshore wind farming, Langford said. "Our view is that this one project could stand in the way of other projects which would not only provide significant economic benefits for our district (and beyond), but also better align with the government's strategic objectives around climate, energy, and industrial transformation goals (for example, to double New Zealand's renewable electricity production by 2050)." The scale and nature of the proposed extraction, along with the resuspension of seabed sediments, could impact ecological and cultural features which each had their own potential economic impact, Langford said. He said the complex and contentious nature of the application would mean a considerable amount of time would be required to reach a decision. "Not only is the fast-track process and its underpinning legislation new, but the proposed mining activity is also a world first." Langford said it would be important to include the council throughout the process. "We do not believe we should be precluded from any step of this process on the basis that our council has filed a motion opposing the project - our relevance remains, regardless of our position." In December last year, Melser's motion opposing the project won the unanimous support of fellow councillors. A public-excluded meeting at Taranaki Regional Council was expected to decide this week on a collective council nomination to the panel. Caldwell is expected to appoint a panel by late July. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Scoop
18-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Trans-Tasman Resources' Taranaki Seabed Mining Project Clears First Phase Of Fast-Track Process
Article – RNZ Trans-Tasman Resources wants to mine the South Taranaki Bight seabed every year for three decades. , Journalist A company's plan to mine 50 million tonnes of South Taranaki seabed every year has cleared the first hurdle in the Fast-track process. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) executive chair Alan Eggers said he was 'delighted' the company's application for its Taranaki VTM project had been accepted as complete and would now move on to the next stage of the Fast-track process. Opponents, meanwhile, are 'livid' and have vowed to continue their fight against the project. TTR wants to mine 50 million tonnes of seabed a year for 30 years in the South Taranaki Bight. Eggers said the company had identified a world-class vanadium resource that could contribute $1 billion annually to the economy. 'It'll generate export revenues of around $850 million a year which will make it New Zealand's 11th or 12th largest exporter. 'Within the region it'll generate about 1150 jobs. We would spend about $230m annually and it'll generate $190m in government royalties and taxes per annum,' Eggers said. Eggers denied the approval process was a 'short cut' to avoid environmental compliance. 'We still have to comply with the embedded safeguards for the environment in the EEZ Act [Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Act 2012]. The Fast Track Act includes us having to comply with all the conditions and management plans that were approved under the EEZ Act.' He said the project planned to magnetically extract and export 5 million tonnes of heavy mineral sands containing iron ore and the critical minerals vanadium and titanium each year. 'Our research and marine reports have been independently peer reviewed by international experts in their areas in terms of marine ecologies and plume effects,' Eggers said. Opponents warns of harm to wildlife and environment Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee said dumping the remaining 45 million tonnes of sand back in to ocean each year would threaten marine life such as the pygmy blue whale, Māui and Hector's dolphins and the world smallest species of penguin, kororā – which migrated through the area. 'Investors in TTR's project are trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes, telling us to 'trust the science'. But TTR has never been able to alleviate the courts' concerns for harmful impacts on wildlife and the environment,' Lee said. The head of Kiwi's Against Seabed Mining, Cindy Baxter, said she was 'livid' at the approval. She said there was 'massive opposition' to the project and seabed mining in general. 'A couple of weeks ago we saw 500 hundred people paddle out in Ōpunake against seabed mining. You've got many of the councils who are against it, you've got all the iwi, you've got surfers, you've got people who love their ocean, even the fishing industry is against it,' Baxter said. She said people were angry at being 'shut out' of the approval process. 'We're not allowed to make submissions – and it's the public opposition that has stopped this process so far – so that's why Christopher Luxon's government has shut us out of the process,' Baxter said. Approval risks 'open slather' for coastlines across the country – Baxter Baxter said if the project was successfully approved it would create a precedent for seabed mining on coastlines all across the country. 'When we first started opposing this in 2012 there were companies all waiting in the wings for this first application to get across the line and, if it does, it'll be open slather on our coastlines,' Baxter said. She said activists would continue to oppose the project. 'We will continue to make our voices heard and we're going to fight this all the way – as far as we can – through the courts. 'If we need to get into boats and go out into the ocean to stop them we'll do that as well,' Baxter said.
Scoop
18-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Trans-Tasman Resources' Taranaki Seabed Mining Project Clears First Phase Of Fast-Track Process
, Journalist A company's plan to mine 50 million tonnes of South Taranaki seabed every year has cleared the first hurdle in the Fast-track process. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) executive chair Alan Eggers said he was "delighted" the company's application for its Taranaki VTM project had been accepted as complete and would now move on to the next stage of the Fast-track process. Opponents, meanwhile, are "livid" and have vowed to continue their fight against the project. TTR wants to mine 50 million tonnes of seabed a year for 30 years in the South Taranaki Bight. Eggers said the company had identified a world-class vanadium resource that could contribute $1 billion annually to the economy. "It'll generate export revenues of around $850 million a year which will make it New Zealand's 11th or 12th largest exporter. "Within the region it'll generate about 1150 jobs. We would spend about $230m annually and it'll generate $190m in government royalties and taxes per annum," Eggers said. Eggers denied the approval process was a "short cut" to avoid environmental compliance. "We still have to comply with the embedded safeguards for the environment in the EEZ Act [Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Act 2012]. The Fast Track Act includes us having to comply with all the conditions and management plans that were approved under the EEZ Act." He said the project planned to magnetically extract and export 5 million tonnes of heavy mineral sands containing iron ore and the critical minerals vanadium and titanium each year. "Our research and marine reports have been independently peer reviewed by international experts in their areas in terms of marine ecologies and plume effects," Eggers said. Opponents warns of harm to wildlife and environment Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee said dumping the remaining 45 million tonnes of sand back in to ocean each year would threaten marine life such as the pygmy blue whale, Māui and Hector's dolphins and the world smallest species of penguin, kororā - which migrated through the area. "Investors in TTR's project are trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes, telling us to 'trust the science'. But TTR has never been able to alleviate the courts' concerns for harmful impacts on wildlife and the environment," Lee said. The head of Kiwi's Against Seabed Mining, Cindy Baxter, said she was "livid" at the approval. She said there was "massive opposition" to the project and seabed mining in general. "A couple of weeks ago we saw 500 hundred people paddle out in Ōpunake against seabed mining. You've got many of the councils who are against it, you've got all the iwi, you've got surfers, you've got people who love their ocean, even the fishing industry is against it," Baxter said. She said people were angry at being "shut out" of the approval process. "We're not allowed to make submissions - and it's the public opposition that has stopped this process so far - so that's why Christopher Luxon's government has shut us out of the process," Baxter said. Approval risks 'open slather' for coastlines across the country - Baxter Baxter said if the project was successfully approved it would create a precedent for seabed mining on coastlines all across the country. "When we first started opposing this in 2012 there were companies all waiting in the wings for this first application to get across the line and, if it does, it'll be open slather on our coastlines," Baxter said. She said activists would continue to oppose the project. "We will continue to make our voices heard and we're going to fight this all the way - as far as we can - through the courts. "If we need to get into boats and go out into the ocean to stop them we'll do that as well," Baxter said.
Otago Daily Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Opponents livid as seabed mine project clears fast-track hurdle
By Bill Hickman of RNZ A company's plan to mine 50 million tonnes of South Taranaki seabed every year has cleared the first hurdle in the Fast-track process. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) executive chair Alan Eggers said he was "delighted" the company's application for its Taranaki VTM project had been accepted as complete and would now move on to the next stage of the process. Opponents, meanwhile, are "livid" and have vowed to continue their fight against the project. TTR wants to mine 50 million tonnes of seabed a year for 30 years in the South Taranaki Bight. Eggers said the company had identified a world-class vanadium resource that could contribute $1 billion annually to the economy. "It'll generate export revenues of around $850 million a year which will make it New Zealand's 11th or 12th largest exporter. "Within the region it'll generate about 1150 jobs. We would spend about $230m annually and it'll generate $190m in government royalties and taxes per annum," Eggers said. Eggers denied the approval process was a "short cut" to avoid environmental compliance. "We still have to comply with the embedded safeguards for the environment in the EEZ Act [Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Act 2012]. The Fast Track Act includes us having to comply with all the conditions and management plans that were approved under the EEZ Act." He said the project planned to magnetically extract and export 5 million tonnes of heavy mineral sands containing iron ore and the critical minerals vanadium and titanium each year. "Our research and marine reports have been independently peer reviewed by international experts in their areas in terms of marine ecologies and plume effects," Eggers said. Opponents warns of harm to wildlife, environment Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee said dumping the remaining 45 million tonnes of sand back in to ocean each year would threaten marine life such as the pygmy blue whale, Māui and Hector's dolphins and the world smallest species of penguin, kororā - which migrated through the area. "Investors in TTR's project are trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes, telling us to 'trust the science'. But TTR has never been able to alleviate the courts' concerns for harmful impacts on wildlife and the environment." The head of Kiwi's Against Seabed Mining is "livid" at the approval. Cindy Baxter says there is "massive opposition" to the project, and seabed mining in general. "A couple of weeks ago we saw 500 hundred people paddle out in Ōpunake against seabed mining. You've got many of the councils who are against it, you've got all the iwi, you've got surfers, you've got people who love their ocean, even the fishing industry is against it." People were angry at being "shut out" of the approval process, she said. "We're not allowed to make submissions - and it's the public opposition that has stopped this process so far - so that's why Christopher Luxon's government has shut us out of the process." If the project was successfully approved, it would create a precedent for seabed mining on coastlines all across the country, Baxter believed. "When we first started opposing this in 2012 there were companies all waiting in the wings for this first application to get across the line and, if it does, it'll be open slather on our coastlines." Activists would continue to oppose the project. "We will continue to make our voices heard and we're going to fight this all the way - as far as we can - through the courts. If we need to get into boats and go out into the ocean to stop them we'll do that as well," Baxter said.
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Te Pāti Māori Condemns Fast-Track Approval Of Seabed Mining
Press Release – Te Pati Maori This project will extract 50 million tonnes of seabed every year, dumping millions of tonnes of sludge into the moana for 35 consecutive years, said Te Pti Mori co-leader and MP for Te Tai Hauuru, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Te Pāti Māori is gravely concerned by the Government's approval of the Trans-Tasman Resources (Taranaki VTM) seabed mining project under its fast-track regime. This marks the first time a commercial shallow seabed mining operation has been approved anywhere in the world- pushed through with no transparency, no public input, and no consent from tangata whenua. 'This project will extract 50 million tonnes of seabed every year, dumping millions of tonnes of sludge into the moana for 35 consecutive years,' said Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. 'Iwi, hapū, whānau, and local government have spent over a decade fighting to stop this destructive proposal- winning in the highest courts of the land. 'The approval hasn't come because it's safe or supported. It's been enabled by a fast-track process that gives unchecked power to Ministers and shuts out those most affected.' Te Pāti Māori acknowledges the tireless efforts of iwi, environmental protectors, legal experts, scientists, divers, and everyday New Zealanders who have stood up for this moana. 'Their voices weren't lost- they were deliberately excluded. This decision is devastating. It confirms that economic interests have been placed above environmental safety, public accountability, and Treaty justice. The fast-track regime isn't about efficiency- it's about erasure' said Ngarewa-Packer. Te Pāti Māori stands in full solidarity with iwi, communities, and all New Zealanders who oppose this decision. We reaffirm our total opposition to seabed mining and the fast-track process that enabled it. 'We must make this a one-term government- and repeal the fast-track regime at the very first opportunity' concluded Ngarewa-Packer.
