Friday, August 12, 2016

DENR suspends 2 mining firms’ ECCs

by Ellalyn De Vera August 11, 2016

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered yesterday the temporary suspension of the environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) of two mining firms and one land developer for various environmental violations.
DENR Secretary Gina Lopez said Sagittarius Mines, Inc.’s (SMI) Tampakan Copper-Gold Mine Project in South Cotabato, Semirara Mining and Power Corporation’s Molave Coal Project in Antique, and Century Communities Corporation’s land development project in Quezon City were each given show cause orders to allow them to explain within at least seven days why their ECCs should not cancelled.
The $5.9-billion Tampakan Copper-Gold Mine Project has not started its operation, but the respondent as of date still failed to secure permits and clearances from other government agencies; has not yet resolved pending issues with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Agrarian Reform; and has not yet secured favorable endorsement from the local government of Sultan Kudarat.
The project is also faced with unresolved issues, such as liability to maintain post-mining facilities and impact on downstream agricultural land.
Tampakan project’s ECC was issued on Feb. 19, 2013. The open pit mine project is the country’s single largest foreign direct investment.
Lopez has directed the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau to create a composite team that will conduct an independent and impartial investigation on the Tampakan project.
Meanwhile, Semirara Mining’s Molave Coal Project’s ECC, which has been issued in April 29, 2016, has been suspended due to massive clearing affecting the island ecosystem and mangroves, land reclamation, dumping of mine waste and siltation due to run off, degradation of water quality, and water and air pollution.

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