EPA provides preliminary view on OMV marine consent
Environmental Protection Authority
EPA provides
preliminary view on OMV marine consent application
The
Environmental Protection Authority has provided a
preliminary view on the marine consent application by OMV NZ
Ltd (OMV) to complete its development drilling programme in
the Maari field in the Taranaki Basin.
The report provides the EPA staff’s view, at this stage, on the application which is being considered by a Decision-making Committee (DMC) appointed by the EPA Board.
General Manager of Applications and Assessment Sarah Gardner said that based on the information provided to EPA staff prior to publishing the report, it was considered that the adverse effects of the planned activities could be appropriately mitigated.
“While there is still information to come from OMV and submitters, through evidence and their attendance at the hearing, after a thorough assessment and evaluation of the application our preliminary view is that the DMC can consider granting the consent.”
The hearing of the OMV application by the DMC is scheduled to start on 29 October with a decision due to be made by 18 December 2014.
The Staff Report is available on the EPA website: http://www.epa.govt.nz/EEZ/omv/reports_advice_evidence/Pages/EPA-staff-reports.aspx
ends