Post-lodgement process
Once a matter (application for resource consent, notice of requirement or request for preparation of regional plan or private plan change) has been lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the EPA has 20 working days to make a recommendation to the Minister for the Environment on whether the matter should be referred to a board of inquiry or the Environment Court.
Contacting the EPA prior to lodging a matter is extremely important to make sure all the necessary information is provided at the outset.
For all matters the EPA will acknowledge receipt of a matter and will assess it for completeness/adequacy. If the matter passes this stage it will remain with the EPA for processing, if not it will be returned to the applicant.
The EPA can request further information or commission a range of reports during the processing stage. If the EPA requests further information from the applicant or commissions a report before it makes its recommendation to the Minister, the 'clock' or timeframe within which the EPA must make a recommendation stops.
The EPA will have 20 working days to make its recommendation to the Minister from the date the information is requested or the report is received or the deadline for providing information expires. The EPA would prefer to work with applicants prior to formal lodgement to reduce the potential for delays while further information is sought.
Once the required information is gathered, the EPA will make a recommendation to the Minister for the Environment on whether the matter is of national significance and should be referred to a board of inquiry or the Environment Court. A copy of this recommendation will also be provided to the applicant and local authorities.
The Minister then makes a direction on whether to refer the matter to either a board of inquiry or to the Environment Court.
Last updated: 1 October 2009
