The latest Investing Matters Podcast episode featuring Jeremy Skillington, CEO of Poolbeg Pharma has just been released. Listen here.
Happy new year to all. Well not all, but most on this message board.
The NRW permitting team have told me "they are working through this as quickly as possible and we thank you for your patience" ....." this" being Alba's Water permit application. They also told me that the delay with processing the permits is due to the permitting team experiencing a high volume of applications, a current backlog of work, and reduced staffing.
They are working on our permit as quickly as they can, so they are doing there best for Alba, that is what they say, and I believe them. Frustrating yes, but nothing sinister going on, NRW are behind Alba, just doing their job. I am absolutely expecting a great year for Alba.
Great RNS.
With what is happening in China right now and the fact that they basically dominate the worlds graphite supply can only mean that GreenRoc will become even a more amazing asset as time goes by, and the market wakes up to what Greenroc Offers.
As for Gold, I do firmly believe NRW Wales fully supports Alba. NWR have there own issues with delays in processing applications, that are quite severe, they have nothing against Alba and comments to suggest otherwise are unfounded.
Happy Christmas to all good investors, and yes lets hope next year will be a good one for all invested in Alba.
For what its worth.I managed to get an update today on the question of how long it would take for a decision on Alba European protected Species License. Remember we need this before the water permit is issued.
I have been told by NRW that the species licence application is still being assessed. As this licence requires a Habitat Regulations Assessment,it will will take considerably longer than the standard 40 working days. This license was applied for at the end of October so I guess it could be done in January although the word "considerably" was not what i wanted to hear. The sooner the better of course. To clarify this is only the European Species license I am talking about.
Agree Ocelot-Robbie,
Just got to wait it out. I was wanting NRW to tell me, as it was a re- submission and due to the circumstances of its last refusal, it would be processed alot quicker than the standard new applications. However they have not told me that. If it is the case that it will fast tracked they may well not share that information with me anyway. So lets hope they are keeping things close to their chests and Alba application won't take as long as others.
Over the last couple of weeks have been trying to get a better idea of how long we will have to wait for the Dewatering Permit decision. I have been in direct contact with the NRW water quality permitting team who are dealing with Alba application. I was being told that "The Water Quality Permitting team is currently experiencing a high demand for our services. Unfortunately, this will increase the time before water quality applications can be assessed for completeness, and if adequate, duly-made ready for technical determination and consultation, as necessary. The current estimate is a delay of approximately 14 weeks"
this to me was a general statement that did not answer my specific questions about Alba's application.
I have now received another e mail from them, the two main questions I wanted answers to were.
1.Alba have mentioned that NRW may fast track their application due to the circumstances of their application, is that the case.
2. Will that 14 week time frame really mean a decision will not be forthcoming until after the full 14 weeks, or can Alba expect a decision sooner.
They have told me that they can not fast track any applications, and that the 14 week delay on applications dose stand and it may take up to 14 weeks before they can even assess this application and then make it duly made, and then once it is duly made it could take a further 4 months to complete.
I do know that they can not tell me everything and I am just going to leave it now, and the application decision will come when it comes. I guess I am not expecting the RNS to drop anytime soon, but lets hope it comes faster than the time frames they are giving me. I would like to think it will.
If you want me to post the e mail they sent me in its entirety let me know and I will do that.
Alba have mentioned that NRW may fast track their application due to the circumstances of their application, is that the case.
Will that 14 week time frame really mean a decision will not forthcoming until after the full 14 weeks. Can Alba expect a decision sooner.
@Lodes
will second that, thanks to all the good, genuine, honest posters on this message board, some great information on here. I do know of Iwan, that would be MR H at species team, I have not had direct contact with him..
@Lodes
Did you get anything interesting, I don't know of Iwan
No I don't use them.
Nothing more to do, just got to keep being patient now. I happy that the Alba team, know what they are doing. I believe Mark Austin is a very intelligent, very honest and trustworthy man, for him to be so deeply involved in Alba is for me a huge reason to believe that Alba will come good soon.
I have been doing some enquirys this morning and Just got some information right now from NRW, I was trying to get an idea on how long it would take to get the Species License, and confirm it indeed had been applied for.
"NRW can confirm to date we have received three applications, one in relation to a species permit, one in relation to a water quality permit and one that relates to a temporary water abstraction licence"
"The species application is currently being assessed to establish whether it can be duly made. Once our assessment of the water quality application is complete and they are duly made the water quality application information will be published on our public register. Species permit application information is not published on our public register as there is no legal requirement to do so."
I have asked before and asked again today, on the de-watering permit timescale they will only give me the current time for a new application, not a re-submission, and not taking into account any fast tracking, and that time is 14 weeks. I would hope that will not apply to Alba's application.
Details of the abstraction application will be available on the public register once the application is validated."
One other thing that may be of interest, but not particularly helpful.
Even though Alba have always been in further discussions concerning the de watering license application, I was also told by NRW that Alba initial application was closed when it was refused, that is why no more info appeared on public data base under that application number. Also normally, even though this is a re submission it will need a new case number however It seems Alba's case appears to be being treated as "special" and may not follow the normal procedures, so I am not so sure if we will or will not see more info on the public data base under a new case number before the final determination is made.
If this helps at all, I would say the answer is the applications are decided by teams not individuals. My understanding is that, Determining the De-Watering License Application- this is done by the Water Quality team ,
More importantly right now we need the European Protected Species license (as water quality is no an issue) - this is granted by the species licenses team, and is independent of the de-watering team. Once we get the Species license, the De watering License will be a formality.
The permit is issued by the permit receipt, issuing center(just admin). My thinking is that it's the Species license that we are waiting for, once this is issued the Water Quality team 's work will already have be signed off and then the De-Watering License Application will be granted.
Hope that helps somewhat.
Previously Alba had agreed in the original Habitat regulations assessment "Works will not be permitted to take place within the known bat-inhabited areas of the mine between November – March (inclusive), eliminating potential effects to hibernating bats" No reason to think this will have changed. However, de watering may be able to go ahead without effecting the bat -inhabited areas of the mine.
From what I can conclude, I am very confident that this dose not have to go out for public comment again, the " Fast Tracking" that has been mentioned means that the normal time lines for an application will not apply. The fact that the officials from NWS have recently visited the site is a very positive sign that things will progress quickly.
A very welcome positive RNS from Alba this morning. Thanks for all the constructive reply's to my recent posts. I did try and get some idea on how long the decision might take, but no luck on that one. For what its worth, I do fully believe NWR will fast track this process. I will just sit back now and continue to wait for the license to be granted. I now see a very bright light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel.
@elir certainly plenty of correspondence has been entered into since 29 Oct 2021,
I have no idea why this has not appeared on the public data base, this was my main reason for wanting to find out what has been going on.
The information I state as facts comes direct from personnel at NRW . How I got it, just persistence and asking the right questions to the right people.
The other information is just my thoughts after following this whole permit application process from day one, reading every public document and report released by NRW on the subject and of course following all of Alba RNS and VOX podcasts ect.
Just to add, I also had hoped that Alba had submitted the final de watering license application to the licensing team last month, but today I found out this was not the case. Now at least we know the application is in.
Just a follow up to my post earlier.
From what we were told by George on the VOX Q and A video in September 2022 , Alba hoped they would have the revised Habitat Regulations Assessment(HRA) report back from the external company that did the work, and hopped to submit that completed HRA document to NRW in mid September.
I know as a fact (from NRW) the revised HRA document would not be sent to NRW as a draft document, but only as a document in part of the final application for the European Protected Species License( EPS)
As we know all Alba need is the EPS license to get the De water permit. The water quality issues are done and dusted.
I can only assume, and yes it is an assumption that the time from mid September until now has been dealing with the HRA report and EPS License application.
It could be the case that the EPS Licence has been approved, or it has not been approved yet and will be looked at simultaneously with the de watering application.
Just dealing with facts, I have two.
NRW received the application for the de watering permit today.
There are no outstanding European Species licenses being processed at present.