Sorry, have been avoiding the cesspool that is HC of late.So the...

Sorry, have been avoiding the cesspool that is HC of late.

So the way it works is that the EPA board makes recommendations on whether to approve or not, and on the Approval conditions. The appeals convener then addresses any appeals that are made during the appeals period and makes a recommendation to the minister. Its then up to the minister to decide to accept the EPA and appeals convener recommendations. Appeals need to be on the process rather than the merits of the project. So in this case the epa has recommended approve and a set of conditions, there was an appeal that have multiple issues, the appeals convener has recommend most are dismissed but has recommended some are upheld (all to do with condition changes). The minister has not accepted some of the appeals convenor recommendation but has accepted some.

So what that means is it goes back to the EPA to draft revised conditions (including a potneital back and forth with the company). It then goes directly to the minister for sign off (ie appeals covneor does not see it again). Unfortunately this will take time and i beleive (not sure) that the final conditions will need to go back to the next EPA board meeting. Back in the day the EPA board did not meet in January so it could be mid feb until they meet (again, this may have changed recently. Then the minister signs off. So very best case you are looking at late January sign off. But realistically it could be Feb or even march depending on the backlog. My guess would be most likley late Feb but things are changing so fast in the process it could be weeks either side.

On the bright side, the actual recommendation to approve the project was not appealed so that is pretty much a lock.

Side note, the appeals convener is new and I know her personally.. Fantastic human being and very good at her job. Am seeing a marked improvement in the turn around timing of appeals.