NewsWhore
08-14-2007, 04:50 PM
Press reports carry today widespread support for The Ministry of Environment Resolution 16-07 that bans the extraction of construction material from quarries located on riverbanks.
As reported in Hoy, Environment Minister Max Puig said that the time had come for a total ban on extraction of materials from rivers, with no exceptions. He said that this practice is banned in Puerto Rico and Cuba.
The Ministry says aggregate vendors will have to source the material from 502 dry sites that have been identified. Of these, 256 are in operation primarily in Peravia, San Cristobal, Santiago, La Altagracia, Monsenor Nouel, and La Vega provinces.
Puig said that the measure taken this week had been announced in a 5 June speech at the UASD University. He said in August 2004, 50% of construction material was being extracted from river sites, but today, this has reverted to 80% being extracted from dry quarries, so that construction activities or the price of construction material would not be affected.
The Ministry is calling for citizen vigilance to ensure that the materials are not extracted from rivers. He said that the 90-day period does not allow companies to continue to extract material. The period is for the closing down and removal of extraction installations at the river sites. The Ministry said that at the Nizao river site, one of the most affected, five companies are still running mining operations that need to be dismantled.
Max Puig said that since 2004 the department has imposed 1,843 penalties for violation of regulations on extracting construction material from rivers. These penalties have generated RD$6 million in fines. The Ministry has 500 inspectors for this purpose.
Geologist Osiris de Leon said that in 1971, 1986 and 2000, the aggregate companies had promised to move to the dry quarries. The measure comes with the realization that fresh water sources were being considerably affected, as environmentalists have been warning over the years.
De Leon explained that the quarry business has transactions of around RD$2.5 billion a year, which is enough to buy off public opinion. In the past, the companies lobbied for continued extractions, arguing that if these were discontinued, the country's construction industry would be paralyzed. De Leon explained that construction companies have always argued that dry quarries are more expensive, because riverside extractions provide free material. The only cost is transportation.
De Leon said that the difference could be absorbed by the spread between the production cost and the sales price, which he said is 10 to 1.
The geologist warned that if extractions at the Nigua, Yubazo, Nizao, Yuna and Yaque del Norte rivers, among others, are not stopped, there will not be fresh water in the country within 15 years. He said that permanent damage has already been caused to the Yubazo, Nigua and lower sections of Nizao River. De Leon said if the measure is respected, the country would have sufficient water sources for another 100 years.
Luis Carvajal, an environmentalist from the Academy of Sciences congratulated the Environment Ministry on the long-overdue measure and said that a complementary resolution should oblige the construction material extractors to repair the damage, as reported in Listin Diario. He said that the decision to ban riverbed construction material extraction should have been taken years ago. He described the measure as the most complete adopted by President Fernandez and the Ministry of Environment to protect natural resources.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)
As reported in Hoy, Environment Minister Max Puig said that the time had come for a total ban on extraction of materials from rivers, with no exceptions. He said that this practice is banned in Puerto Rico and Cuba.
The Ministry says aggregate vendors will have to source the material from 502 dry sites that have been identified. Of these, 256 are in operation primarily in Peravia, San Cristobal, Santiago, La Altagracia, Monsenor Nouel, and La Vega provinces.
Puig said that the measure taken this week had been announced in a 5 June speech at the UASD University. He said in August 2004, 50% of construction material was being extracted from river sites, but today, this has reverted to 80% being extracted from dry quarries, so that construction activities or the price of construction material would not be affected.
The Ministry is calling for citizen vigilance to ensure that the materials are not extracted from rivers. He said that the 90-day period does not allow companies to continue to extract material. The period is for the closing down and removal of extraction installations at the river sites. The Ministry said that at the Nizao river site, one of the most affected, five companies are still running mining operations that need to be dismantled.
Max Puig said that since 2004 the department has imposed 1,843 penalties for violation of regulations on extracting construction material from rivers. These penalties have generated RD$6 million in fines. The Ministry has 500 inspectors for this purpose.
Geologist Osiris de Leon said that in 1971, 1986 and 2000, the aggregate companies had promised to move to the dry quarries. The measure comes with the realization that fresh water sources were being considerably affected, as environmentalists have been warning over the years.
De Leon explained that the quarry business has transactions of around RD$2.5 billion a year, which is enough to buy off public opinion. In the past, the companies lobbied for continued extractions, arguing that if these were discontinued, the country's construction industry would be paralyzed. De Leon explained that construction companies have always argued that dry quarries are more expensive, because riverside extractions provide free material. The only cost is transportation.
De Leon said that the difference could be absorbed by the spread between the production cost and the sales price, which he said is 10 to 1.
The geologist warned that if extractions at the Nigua, Yubazo, Nizao, Yuna and Yaque del Norte rivers, among others, are not stopped, there will not be fresh water in the country within 15 years. He said that permanent damage has already been caused to the Yubazo, Nigua and lower sections of Nizao River. De Leon said if the measure is respected, the country would have sufficient water sources for another 100 years.
Luis Carvajal, an environmentalist from the Academy of Sciences congratulated the Environment Ministry on the long-overdue measure and said that a complementary resolution should oblige the construction material extractors to repair the damage, as reported in Listin Diario. He said that the decision to ban riverbed construction material extraction should have been taken years ago. He described the measure as the most complete adopted by President Fernandez and the Ministry of Environment to protect natural resources.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)