The city government of La Vega has rejected a proposal to start mining in the Loma Miranda area. The Medina administration asked the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to present an opinion on the proposal. The Dominican Academy of Sciences has prepared extensive documentation on why mining should not take place, and specialists from the Ministry of Environment share their opinion. Nonetheless, the director of Mines, Alexander Medina, a former employee of Falcondo (Xstrata), the mining company, has not given his opinion. During a meeting in La Vega, the local City Councilors unanimously rejected the proposal on the grounds of the potential adverse environmental effects. The mayor of the municipality, Alexis Perez said that mining would lead to the disappearance of several water sources in the province, causing water shortages in urban and rural areas. “We reject the proposal because if it is implemented it would pollute the waters with heavy metals, would lead to mass deforestation and would cause drought due to the depletion of water sources,” he said.
The mining proposed by Xstrata is also rejected by the La Vega Development Association, the Vega Real Cooperative, the National Farmers Confederation (Confenaca), the Association of La Vega Residents in the United States, and other members of civil society from the province.
As reported in Diario Libre, Falcondo (Xstrata) has said it would remain in the country depending on the decision to allow mining in Loma Miranda. The government has yet to grant the permits for the mining.
www.diariolibre.com/ecos/2013/04/09/i378409_cabildo-vega-rechaza-explotacion-loma-miranda.html
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