KASM, Forest & Bird appeal South Taranaki seabed mining decision

Trans Tasman Resources Limited has been given the green light to to extract 50 million tonnes of material from the seabed off South Taranaki every year for 35 years. Photo / File

Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) has today lodged an appeal against the Environmental Protection Authority's decision granting consent to ironsands miner Trans Tasman Resources.

The company was this month given the green light to extract 50 million tonnes of material from the seabed off South Taranaki and export five million tonnes of ironsand every year for 35 years.

KASM today announced it would be appealing the decision under 15 points of law, under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012, including "failing to take into account natural justice", to apply environmental bottom lines, to take a precautionary approach, and to require "adequate information" from TTR.

KASM has called for the High Court to set the decision aside.

"We have gone through the nearly 400-page decision and we think the EPA has erred on a number of points of law, right across its decision," KASM chairperson Cindy Baxter said.

"KASM is appealing because the EPA made a bad decision, a decision that we believe is wrong in law as well as in principle - and we have seen an overwhelming response against it."

Forest & Bird today also announced it has lodged an appeal in the High Court.

"The EEZ Act recognises that seabed mining could have significant impacts on the marine environment, and requires protection from such impacts," the group's chief executive, Kevin Hague, said.

"We think the EPA's decision to grant consent fails to protect the environment, and doesn't meet the requirements of the EEZ Act."

The other groups to lodge appeals are Ngati Ruanui, Ngaa Rauru, Fisheries Inshore New Zealand Ltd and Greenpeace.