APAMO appalled by U.S. Capital EIA and says it’s incomplete

Edilberto Romero

Most of the discussion surrounding the U.S. Capital Environmental Impact Assessment focused on the incident during which Martin Alegria and Ligorio Coy removed Greg Choc of the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management from the microphone. While that was a rather unfortunate display, the content of the E.I.A. is finally taking the spotlight.  The Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations has come out in support of the Maya Leaders Association, the Toledo Alcaldes Association and SATIIM and in an interview earlier today with APAMO’s Executive Director; he outlined some of the areas in which the EIA was severely lacking.

Edilberto Romero, APAMO

“When we look at the environmental impact assessment it has many serious flaws in the sense that many impacts are not properly addressed. For example, the environmental impact statement says that the project; the drilling of oil wells will violate several regulations that has to do with national parks. National Parks were established for protection and preservation of the natural significant features of the site and for the enjoyment of the people. So only research, education and tourism is allowed in that area—no extraction activity is allowed, no clearance of forest, no disturbance of habitat, no access should be provided other than what is needed for management of the site. So clearly allowing and considering oil drilling in there is wrong, is illegal; it should not even be considered. If the minister wants to abide by the laws of Belize, it should not even let the Department of the Environment consider an environmental impact assessment for drilling in the Sarstoon Temash National Park because otherwise it defeats purpose of a national park. Then, at the same time, the EIA is incomplete in the sense that it doesn’t address some of the major impacts. For example, the EIA says that there is no significant impact on the ecosystem. There is this sphagnum ecosystem which is a special rare ecosystem. The only place it is found is in the Sarstoon Temash National Park. It is a small area, which means that any oil drilling that takes place there; any road that has to be done there is a huge impact for that ecosystem and the environmental; impact statement fails to address that properly. It doesn’t provide any detail, in fact, it is asking for permission for drilling there and at the same time, in the likely event they drill in there, they will do further studies to see how it fits with the convention. It is our view that those things should be discussed in the environmental impact assessment; details should be provided in order for the people, the communities, as well as, the national environmental appraisal committee, the department of environment look at the real impact of that project.”