On the West Coast, the Waitaha power scheme has been under consideration for nine years and the Te Kuha coalmine for over seven.
Waitaha is widely backed by West Coast mayors and chairpeople and is expected to be nominated.
Greymouth Mayor Tania Gibson said it was a great opportunity.
Top of her wish list was fast-tracking both the Spring Creek underground coalmine and Waitaha.
The mayors and chairpeople were working together regionally.
"We are in agreement on the way forward — we’ve stated that to the minister.
"It’s good to see it moving so fast."
West Coast Regional Council chairman Peter Haddock said the fast-tracking legislation would open the doors to development.
Minerals West Coast manager Patrick Phelps said he needed to fully digest the details of the Bill, but so far it looked good.
The permissions process was fractured and this was "an attempt to co-ordinate them more".
The coalition government was choosing to prioritise economic development, including mineral development.
But there would still be environmental safeguards, he said.
The weighting at the moment was too strongly to the "whims of self-appointed environmental watchdogs" and not enough on the resources needed and valued by the country and for regional prosperity.
— Greymouth Star
