By Rhodina Villanueva (The
Philippine Star) | Updated January 9, 2017 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines – The Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered SMC Consolidated Power
Corp. (SMCCPC) to stop any activity inside its coal-fired power plant in Limay,
Bataan in the wake of an ash spill that has reportedly caused several residents
to fall ill.
Through its Environmental Management
Bureau (EMB)-Central Luzon office, the DENR also directed the nearby Petron
Bataan Refinery (PBR) to “stop from dumping newly-generated bottom ash” in the
area while the ash spill incident is being investigated.
The two directives, both dated Jan.
6, were issued by regional director Lormelyn Claudio of EMB Region 3, which is
based in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
EMB, a line bureau of the DENR, is
responsible for the implementation of various environmental laws, rules and
regulations, including Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1586 or the law
establishing the Environmental Impact Assessment System that requires an
environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to ensure that a development
project will not cause adverse environmental impacts.
In a Notice of Alleged Violation
issued to SMCCPC, the EMB wanted the power firm to explain why the ECC for its
Limay facility should not be revoked or cancelled due to the ash spill.
“Notice is hereby served in
connection with the dumping of bottom ash at (SMCCPC’s) facility in Limay,
Bataan. This allegedly caused unmitigated spread of ash which affected the
health conditions of the residents in the host community,” the notice read.
The EMB is giving SMCCPC a period of
seven days from receipt of the notice to explain why it should not be penalized
under PD 1586, and why its ECC should not be revoked or suspended.
“Similarly, you are hereby ordered
to stop from further undertaking any activity while the matters are being
investigated,” the EMB told SMCCPC.
The bureau also ordered the company
to attend the technical conference scheduled on Jan. 9 at the EMB Region 3 office
in Pampanga.
“Failure to attend will qualify you
to be considered in default and the case shall be resolved based on evidence on
record,” the EMB warned SMCCPC.
Meanwhile, the EMB said the latest
order against PBR was based on the notice of violation it issued against the
oil facility last Dec. 28 when the ash spill in Limay was first reported.
The EMB said it was inclined to
issue a new order against PBR “considering the most recent reports and
information on the alleged skin diseases caused by the dumping of bottom ash at
(SMCCPC’s) facility.”
SMCCPC and Petron Corp. are both
subsidiaries of San Miguel Corp., one of the country’s most diversified and
biggest conglomerates.
Petron Corp. operates the PBR, which
is the largest integrated crude oil refinery and petrochemicals complex in the
country.
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