UNDP says mining project does not fulfill environmental requirements
SD. The Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo) company said that "it recognizes and will thoroughly analyze" the study released yesterday by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) which concluded that the project that the company has on file for the exploitation of ferro-nickel in Loma Miranda, La Vega, "does not meet the environmental and social demands, and therefore the demands of sustainable development of the country."
During a press conference held yesterday morning the UNDP representative in the country, Valerie Julliand, said that the decision to exploit or not the Falcondo Xstrata Nickel project is in the hands of the government, "given the deficiencies found in the Environmental Impact Study" which the company had previously carried out.
Yesterday afternoon, Diario Libre contacted the Minister of the Environment, Bautista Rojas Gomez, who reported that they were ready to receive the study from the UNDP and that at the proper time they would issue their opinion regarding the conclusions.
According to Falcondo, their mining activity would generate for the Dominican state at least US$5.4 billion over the next 25 years. Nonetheless, after a campaign of opposition to the project of Loma Miranda, the government asked the UNDP to carry out an technical evaluation of the Environmental Impact Study prepared by the company.
For four months, the international technical team, headed by the international consultant Eduardo Vadillo, carried out the pertinent studies, finding that important aspects had been omitted regarding the hydrological, biodiversity, social and cultural impact.
Julliand stressed that while the Falcondo study only mentioned four springs, the team of technicians found 40 springs in just one visit carried out on 9 March.
"The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to allow for the appropriate Environment Impact Study. Nonetheless, they omitted relevant issues such as the ecosystemic services and the issue of risks, they considered only those relative to mining activity and not the social or bio-physical parts," says the UNDP.
The UN agency argues that although the company presented a novel project, which proposed new technologies, especially in the areas of the mine, the handling of the sediments and runoff and the process of replanting the vegetation in the affected areas, the Environmental Study that was done "contains deficiencies regarding the definition of the area of the project and its area of influence."
"On the hydrological, biodiversity issues and the social and economic aspects, the Study is general, incomplete, with gaps in the analysis of the baselines and as a result, deficient in the identification and weighing of possible impacts that the mining activity could cause," it says. Among these impacts they cite water contamination and the reduction of the flow of rivers caused by the mine.
Regarding the social aspects, the UNDP feels that the state did not consider the opinion and the level of acceptance or potential opposition of some communities to the project, nor the visual, health or cultural impact. Moreover, they indicate that the public hearings that were held were biased and excluded many.
Location of Miranda
The project is located between the provinces of La Vega and Monsignor Nouel. Loma Miranda is part of the Central Mountains.
The flora in the area has been surveyed and has about 1,110 species, of which 241 are endemic, and the fauna is composed of perhaps 62 species.
The waters flow into the Rincon Reservoir, contribute to electric energy, drinking water, and contribute to the irrigation of rice and oriental vegetable crops.
The ore deposits of Loma Miranda are estimated at 20,000,000 tons of ferro-nickel. The area is part of the Quisqueya I concession, in which Falcondo wants to explore, extract and process nickel-bearing laterites. The concession gives the mining company legal rights over an area of 217.86 km2.
The UNDP recommended doing a new analysis in order to determine how the project can guarantee sustainable human development. They also want the country to reflect on the advisability of promoting mining as a priority given its environmental as well as social impact.
Applause and demands
The report was presented in the United Nations House in the presence of environmentalists and members of the press.
Out in front of the building there was a contingent of police that were watching to see if there were any protests. The person that were there, upon hearing the decision, applauded, but during the question and answer period they demanded a more definitive position regarding the exploitation of the hill.
In the room, Deputy Elpidio Infante exclaimed: "Loma Miranda National Park!" Cesar Rosario Peña could not hide his impression during an extensive commentary which for a moment tarnished the formality of the meeting.
During a press conference held yesterday morning the UNDP representative in the country, Valerie Julliand, said that the decision to exploit or not the Falcondo Xstrata Nickel project is in the hands of the government, "given the deficiencies found in the Environmental Impact Study" which the company had previously carried out.
Yesterday afternoon, Diario Libre contacted the Minister of the Environment, Bautista Rojas Gomez, who reported that they were ready to receive the study from the UNDP and that at the proper time they would issue their opinion regarding the conclusions.
According to Falcondo, their mining activity would generate for the Dominican state at least US$5.4 billion over the next 25 years. Nonetheless, after a campaign of opposition to the project of Loma Miranda, the government asked the UNDP to carry out an technical evaluation of the Environmental Impact Study prepared by the company.
For four months, the international technical team, headed by the international consultant Eduardo Vadillo, carried out the pertinent studies, finding that important aspects had been omitted regarding the hydrological, biodiversity, social and cultural impact.
Julliand stressed that while the Falcondo study only mentioned four springs, the team of technicians found 40 springs in just one visit carried out on 9 March.
"The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to allow for the appropriate Environment Impact Study. Nonetheless, they omitted relevant issues such as the ecosystemic services and the issue of risks, they considered only those relative to mining activity and not the social or bio-physical parts," says the UNDP.
The UN agency argues that although the company presented a novel project, which proposed new technologies, especially in the areas of the mine, the handling of the sediments and runoff and the process of replanting the vegetation in the affected areas, the Environmental Study that was done "contains deficiencies regarding the definition of the area of the project and its area of influence."
"On the hydrological, biodiversity issues and the social and economic aspects, the Study is general, incomplete, with gaps in the analysis of the baselines and as a result, deficient in the identification and weighing of possible impacts that the mining activity could cause," it says. Among these impacts they cite water contamination and the reduction of the flow of rivers caused by the mine.
Regarding the social aspects, the UNDP feels that the state did not consider the opinion and the level of acceptance or potential opposition of some communities to the project, nor the visual, health or cultural impact. Moreover, they indicate that the public hearings that were held were biased and excluded many.
Location of Miranda
The project is located between the provinces of La Vega and Monsignor Nouel. Loma Miranda is part of the Central Mountains.
The flora in the area has been surveyed and has about 1,110 species, of which 241 are endemic, and the fauna is composed of perhaps 62 species.
The waters flow into the Rincon Reservoir, contribute to electric energy, drinking water, and contribute to the irrigation of rice and oriental vegetable crops.
The ore deposits of Loma Miranda are estimated at 20,000,000 tons of ferro-nickel. The area is part of the Quisqueya I concession, in which Falcondo wants to explore, extract and process nickel-bearing laterites. The concession gives the mining company legal rights over an area of 217.86 km2.
The UNDP recommended doing a new analysis in order to determine how the project can guarantee sustainable human development. They also want the country to reflect on the advisability of promoting mining as a priority given its environmental as well as social impact.
Applause and demands
The report was presented in the United Nations House in the presence of environmentalists and members of the press.
Out in front of the building there was a contingent of police that were watching to see if there were any protests. The person that were there, upon hearing the decision, applauded, but during the question and answer period they demanded a more definitive position regarding the exploitation of the hill.
In the room, Deputy Elpidio Infante exclaimed: "Loma Miranda National Park!" Cesar Rosario Peña could not hide his impression during an extensive commentary which for a moment tarnished the formality of the meeting.