January 22, 2018
DOC joins Te Kuha coal mine fight
The new Government has shown it wants to give the Department of Conservation its voice back as an advocate for the environment.
The department has joined an appeal by Forest and Bird against the Te Kuha coal mine project.
West Coast Regional Council and Buller District Council granted the 150 hectare coal mine project a resource consent in November.
Forest & Bird chief executive Kevin Hague says under the previous Government DOC had been blocked from exercising its statutory function to be a voice for the environment, leaving it to conservation, Maori and community groups to carry the weight of opposition.
Under that regime, DOC had made a neutral submission on Te Kuha.
"By joining our appeal it means they now will be in court. The court will have access to its expert witnesses on different aspects of the natural values of that place, people to talk about great spotted kiwi, fern bird, the West Coast green gecko as well as all the amazing trees and plant life that's up there," Mr Hague says.
Without DOC witnesses it would be hard to find experts able to testify to those natural values.
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