Atacama Environmental Authority approves El Morro mining project
The Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) gave as fulfilled the consultation process met indigenous communities after they refused to participate in the process ordered by the Court
The Environmental Assessment Commission of the Atacama Region approved yesterday El Morro gold project, that the Canadians Goldcorp (70%) and New Gold (30%) boost in that area and would require an investment around U.S. $ 4,000 million.
Authority’s vote came after the Department of Environmental Assessment (SEA) declared fulfilled indigenous consultation initiative, process the Supreme Court asked to perform in April 2012, when through a failure assessment decided to roll back the evaluation of mining initiative, originally received environmental clearance in March 2011.
“We are confident in the Chile’s legal system as well as in its institutions and authorities. So pleased to receive this approval, but also with a great sense of responsibility, as we are sure that El Morro can be a great contribution to the community and also to the economic development of the Province of Huasco and the entire region of Atacama “said Mauricio Alvarez, Gold-corp executive in Chile.-
In March, the SEA began the process for indigenous consultation, a procedure that is established in the Convention 169 of the ILO, as opposed to the initiative, particularly the Diaguita Agricultural Community of Huascoaltinos (ACHR), challenged the environmental permit project because this procedure is not yet regulated in the country, had not been performed.-
Obstacles
Whereas be rolled back when they only reduced 14 days to comply with the statutory period of evaluation of the initiative, the authority decided to suspend the process to have adequate time to conduct the indigenous consultation. This, after early July that the company delivered a fifth set of responses (Addendum) to the observations of public services, particularly with regard to the relationship with communities.
There Goldcorp offered new compensation like yielding to the ACHR an area of 3,560 hectares, which doubles the surface area that will use El Morro.
In parallel, the SEA tried to carry on the consultation, but the ACHR blocked the process, as embodied in the Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA), which is why after the presentation of new remedies and a single meeting, July 31, SEA gave completed the process.
“The Chilean State has complied budgets of the Convention 169 of ILO as well as it mandated by the court to be tried as part of the environmental assessment of a project submitted to the System of Environmental Impact Assessment, deliver instances and seek steps required for the development of a dialogue process according to the provisions of applicable legislation on the matter, “says the RCA.
Source: Diario Financiero
