NewsWhore
06-25-2009, 04:30 PM
President Leonel Fernandez says the Ministry of Environment has asked the United Nations Development Program to channel a request to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for an environmental advisory team. The mission would determine whether a cement plant would be damaging in the location chosen by the Dominican Mining Consortium, on the edge of Los Haitises National Park.
He said the authorities would follow the recommendations made by the impartial specialists from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Last week, a judge ordered a halt to construction until the case presented by a Monte Plata community group and the leading caving group could be heard in court. Environmental groups say the operation of the cement plant would be damaging to the underground water sources in the area. In a letter dated 17 March, deputy Environment minister Jose Manuel Mateo Felix said that the heavy machinery would affect the rest of the karst formation and the underground water sources in the area. Nevertheless, in April, the Ministry granted environmental permits for the construction. Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez later said that authorization had come directly from President Leonel Fernandez.
The request for an opinion was also made for a cement plant that the Ministry of Environment has rejected for construction in the northern Luperon area, on the grounds that it would be damaging to future tourism development interests in the area. Another cement plant, located in southwestern Pedernales, was granted a concession on lands adjacent to prime tourism land, and is now affecting tourism development in the area.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
He said the authorities would follow the recommendations made by the impartial specialists from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Last week, a judge ordered a halt to construction until the case presented by a Monte Plata community group and the leading caving group could be heard in court. Environmental groups say the operation of the cement plant would be damaging to the underground water sources in the area. In a letter dated 17 March, deputy Environment minister Jose Manuel Mateo Felix said that the heavy machinery would affect the rest of the karst formation and the underground water sources in the area. Nevertheless, in April, the Ministry granted environmental permits for the construction. Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez later said that authorization had come directly from President Leonel Fernandez.
The request for an opinion was also made for a cement plant that the Ministry of Environment has rejected for construction in the northern Luperon area, on the grounds that it would be damaging to future tourism development interests in the area. Another cement plant, located in southwestern Pedernales, was granted a concession on lands adjacent to prime tourism land, and is now affecting tourism development in the area.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)