The Ministry of Environment suspended the handling and transportation of aggregates and mining products through Barahona Port and the roads of Barahona province. The suspension comes after the Ministry confirmed “a dust” was causing major inconveniences to the population.
Resolution 0026-2021 signed by Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera indicates that an investigation is underway to establish potential sanctions for the contamination.
Jorge Mera recalled that his administration has been working for months with communities in the Barahona area to find joint solutions to the dust problem now addressed by Resolution 0026-2021.
The suspension is in place until the identified companies demonstrate they have the facilities to sanitize the vehicles before these leave their facilities, that they use airtight tarpaulins in the transportation of the materials and comply with the measures mandated by the mining companies’ management plans, including routes and measures to prevent accidents.
Belfond Enterprise is the largest mining enterprise in the area and has a 75-year concession to extract calcium carbonate for export via the Port of Barahona. The company invested in improvements of the Port of Barahona.
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Ministry of Environment
21 June 2021