Protest in Te Awamutu
The resource consent application for a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu remains suspended, a month after the applicant told The News its outstanding bill would be settled.
Adam Fletcher
The Environmental Protection Authority suspended processing of Global Contracting Solutions application on August 13 due to nonpayment of costs, as an independent board of inquiry prepared to rule on the application.
The applicant owes more than $100,000 to Waipā District Council and Waikato Regional Council, as well as an undisclosed sum to the Environmental Protection Authority.
Project manager Adam Fletcher told The News the costs would be paid a month ago but is no longer returning calls from The News.
“We have been making regular payments to the EPA all the way through,” Fletcher said in the August 21 edition of The News. “We have always intended to settle the bill.”
Costs had doubled one month before the board of inquiry began into the application in June.
“We are a bit bemused as to why they chose to do this now. . . only two weeks away from the decision. It seems a bit non sensical.”
“The application remains suspended,” said an EPA spokesperson this week.
“We are working with the applicant regarding the payment of outstanding costs. At this stage, there is no fixed deadline for payment. Once full payment of all outstanding costs has been received, the EPA will notify all parties and resume processing the application.”
The three-week board of inquiry heard a plethora of objections to the application for a plant in Racecourse Road, including from dairy co-operative Fonterra and Waipā District Council.
Nearly two thirds of the 2173 submissions received were concerned with the effects the operation could have on air quality, emissions, and human health.
Waipā District Council regulatory services manager Wayne Allan said the resource consent application process was in the hands of the Environmental Protection Authority and remained suspended until the applicant meets its cost obligations.
“From council’s perspective, the situation is unchanged since the suspension was announced. Council will continue to participate in the statutory process as required.”
