Chalillo receives green light from NEAC
Chalillo will be built. That’s the word from the National Environmental Appraisal Committee, NEAC, which has given clearance for the project to proceed. According to the committee, the advantages of the hydroelectric facility, which would dam the upper Macal River, outweigh any environmental costs and that even the most drastic side effects can be managed by an environmental compliance plan. The clearance might have conditions but for all intents and purposes, the debate is over and preliminary construction by B.E.L. will begin in the new year. This evening, News 5 sat down with the company’s chief executive officer, Lynn Young, who says even though the environment will continue to be a major focus, the plan now is to get started.
Lynn Young, CEO, B.E.L.
“We’ve tried to stay out of the emotions, stay out the printing people’s pictures in the papers and calling people’s names. We just try to stay away from that. We present the facts, we try to stick to the facts as best as we know it, we try to unearth all the information and put it in front of NEAC and we take it from there. I think in any project of this magnitude there’s going to be controversy and you can’t back down because somebody doesn’t agree with you.”
Janelle Chanona
“Following the announcement today that NEAC has given the environmental go ahead for Chalillo, a lot of people might be thinking, “Oh what’s the big deal, this thing is a done deal.” What’s your reaction to that?”
Lynn Young
“It depends on what you mean by a done deal. A done deal in the sense that yes, B.E.L. wanted it, yes, the government supported the idea. I know the previous government had supported it; they seem to have second thoughts now. But if you want to say it’s a done deal from that point of view, well it just means that people have looked at it and think it makes sense. But you aren’t going to go through with a project if it doesn’t make sense. We do our homework, we do the studies and if we feel that it makes sense to go through with the project then we say let’s do it.”
Janelle Chanona
“So what’s the next step now, what kind of time frame is the company looking at, as far as getting Chalillo off the ground.”
Lynn Young
“I’m not sure if we can get started on actual construction in January. There’s going to be a lot of work being done in the area next year, the survey, the road, preliminary work, setting up the camp and all that. But I don’t think you’re going to be seeing any blasting or dam building taking place in January or February, it’s going to be mostly preliminary work. We expect to be able to complete it in eighteen months or so. Yes, we’re starting in January, it’s just you won’t be seeing a lot of earth works until late next year or going into the following year.”
According to a Government press release, NEAC has planned public hearings at which the information presented in the E.I.A. and the conditions attached to the clearance will be discussed. News 5 attempted to solicit comment from opponents of Chalillo but those contacted either declined to speak on camera or did not return our calls.
