"interim"="reserved" decision. meybe? parhaps?

At risk of depressing some people.....

"No deadline for decision"

By Lee Scanlon

Buller people hanging out for a decision on
whether a proposed new coal mine will get the
green light will have to remain patient.
No date has been set for the Environment Court
decision on the appeals against Bathurst Resources
proposed Escarpment mine at Denniston.
The decision had been expected early this year
but Environment Court case manager, Ruth Grif?ths, said she had no indication when. “The decision will be issued in due course.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said there was
no deadline and no legal time limit for a decision.
“There’s no stopwatch that’s triggered. Each case
is given its due attention by the judicial of? cer and
they are not rushed.”
When it was completed, a reserved decision
would go to interested parties and the decision
would be made public three to ?ve days later, the
spokesman said.
Bathurst Resources’ spokeswoman Petrina
Brenchley said the company had heard nothing
about when the decision was due.
Bathurst received resource consent in August
2011 for the 200ha mine site and coal processing plant. Three appeals were ? led - from the
Wharaetea-Fairdown Residents Association, the
Royal Forest and Bird Society and the West Coast
Environmental Network.
The residents association withdrew its appeal
after mediation with Bathurst.
The others continued to the Environment Court,
which ?nished hearing the appeals in Christchurch
almost two months ago.
Even if Bathurst gets the go-ahead, it still needs
consents and access agreements from the Department of Conservation before the mine can proceed.
Bathurst has estimated the Buller project, once
operational, will create 450 direct jobs and 1800
indirect jobs, $90 million a year in household
income and $180m a year in royalties and taxes.


From Westports "The News" Feb 14