The bill that would make the La Vega mountain, Loma Miranda into a protected area was passed in the Chamber of Deputies in its second reading yesterday, Tuesday 1 October. The bill needs to move to the Senate and then to the Presidency to become law.
The bill was introduced on 10 September by legislators from La Vega, Elpidio Infante Galan, Aridio Reyes, Evangelina Sosa Vasquez, Ramon Rogelio Genao and Hugo Nunez and other provincial representatives.
During the discussion, the Chamber of Deputies Environmental Committee chairman Ricardo Contreras said that two years ago the Ministry of the Environment said that Loma Miranda should be a protected area but nothing had been done.
Aridio Reyes Vasquez said that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Academy of Sciences had agreed that there should be no mining in Loma Miranda. He congratulated the legislators for their decision to declare the area a National Park.
The director of Mines, Alejandro Medina recently said that Falcondo was working on presenting a new impact study seeking to be authorized to mine in the mountain. Mining is not permitted in national parks.
Listin Diario mentions that Falcondo executives unofficially announced that 700 employees would be fired effective 1pm today, Wednesday 2 October.
www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2013/10/1/500714/Declaran-Loma-Miranda-como-Parque-Nacional-todavia-falta-otra-lectura
www.wjerez.blogspot.com/2013/09/art-307-la-barrick-gold-y-falcondo-son.html
www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2013/10/1/294181/Diputados-declaran-Loma-Miranda-Parque-Nacional