Environment dismantles gravel plant

[NewsWhore]

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarena), together with the National Environmental Protection Service (Senpa), has dismantled the processing equipment for sand and gravel extraction in the Nizao River belonging to the Monbraca Company. According to a ministry press release, the business had been notified that it had to stop working the material taken from the river, and advised of the time limit for the complete removal of all equipment. The note says, "Because the notification was not heeded, the Ministry was forced to remove the equipment in order to proceed with remedial work, which requires a lot of effort since the company never fulfilled the requirements of the plan for environmental handling of the extraction process as required." The ministry reported that equipment would be dismantled over the next few days on these lands and those of other sand and gravel companies, and reforestation work would begin as part of the Quisqueya Verde Plan. Monbraca president Juan Ramon Brea denied the ministry's version, and assured reporters that he never received any notification from Senpa agents that their personnel would go and dismantle the gravel company's equipment. Brea said that Monbraca ceased operations eleven months ago and that it came to an agreement with Semarena early last July, allowing the removal of 55,000 cubic meters of materiel already processed and stored on the grounds. He explained that the contract ended on 14 August 2008, and he asked for extensions twice in order to remove the sand and gravel, but, according to Brea, the requests were never answered. Brea claimed that Senpa agents had arrived yesterday at noon without any prosecutor and destroyed three electric plants and machinery, for which he is considering suing the ministry for damages. He said he felt like "a guinea pig" in relation to the gravel companies located near the Nizao, since, he said, he was the only one affected.

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