Mining company MMG awaits decisions from federal minister and court regarding further development at its mine in Rosebery

The Bob Brown Foundation brought on the court challenge against previous approval for the dam on the basis that rainforest clearance for the project would wipe out habitat for the endangered Tasmanian masked owl.

After Labor came to power in the May election, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced the project, approved under the previous government, would be reassessed.

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A decision on whether it would be allowed to proceed or overturned was expected this month.

In closing submissions, counsel for mining company MMG, Penny Neskovin, said although the total cleared area for the works would not exceed 14.8 hectares, the work once completed would be in a much more confined area.

"The works will be progressive in nature and the entire area will not be a construction site at any any one time," she said.

"That the entire area should be regarded as impacted is not a valid submission."

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In regards to masked owl habitat, Ms Neskovin said vegetation clearance was unlikely to substantially reduce habitat available to the local population with regard to the scale of the clearing, the home range of the species and the surrounding available habitat.

Counsel for the Bob Brown Foundation, Kathleen Foley, said while the proposed work might be completed in a six-month window, it would significantly alter the landscape once it was done.

"So if a 300-year-old tree is cut down in order to clear an access way, it doesn't matter that the work has stopped in six months because the tree is gone," she said.

"If it's a habitat tree, if it's a hollow bearing tree, it's gone.

"The rejuvenation work is not going to help a species that is on the path to extinction in the medium term."

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Ms Foley said if the court found in favour of the foundation and a reconsideration decision had not yet been made by the federal government, it would seek orders for remittal.

Earlier in the day, the Commonwealth's legal representative Nick Wood said any decision by the court for these proceedings would be rendered moot once the minister made her decision.

Ms Foley disputed this and said the court could notify parties of the decision, after which they could debate the next step concerning the court's orders.

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