in trading halt, page-14

I suspect they can't block UCG on the science alone, especially due to wider industry implications. 'Rigorous' risk management is most subjective reason they have available to block the project, and the most difficult reason to challenge, either technically or in the court of public opinion. I suspect they are using risk management both to cover their asses on environmental grounds but, more importantly, to buy themselves more time while they get the wink-wink nudge-nudge from their political bosses on which way to jump. While I suspect DERM is filled with people ideologically opposed to clean coal (i.e. environmental scientiest tends to be), they are still bureaucrats who want to keep their jobs and appear to be impartial while they wait for their masters higher up in government to find the time to consider the issue properly.