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.
No comments:
Post a Comment