Spanish
By: Linda Veras
Santo Domingo.- The senator for the province of San Juan, Félix Bautista, reaffirmed his opposition to the mining projects in that demarcation and proposed as an alternative that the Government declare it an energy district, oriented to the production of clean energy and the preservation of water resources. During a press conference held in the Senate of the Republic, the legislator warned that the area where mining activities are planned to be developed coincides with one of the main water generation areas of the Central mountain range. He explained that important reservoirs such as Sabaneta, Palomino, Sabana Yegua and Monte Grande are fed from that point, which are fundamental for water supply, agricultural production and energy generation in large regions of the country. As detailed, these water resources benefit approximately 770 thousand people, distributed across 46 municipalities and 75 municipal districts belonging to seven provinces in the Valle and Enriquillo regions. In that context, he warned that any mining intervention in that area would represent a significant risk to the environmental balance and water supply.You can read: Communicator opposes mining exploitation in San Juan and questions GoldQuest's Romero project
Bautista pointed out that the Romero mining project would involve the release of waste with heavy metals such as lead, zinc and copper, as well as oils and other chemical compounds, which could seep into the basins located upstream of the dams. In his opinion, this situation would endanger not only the ecosystems, but also the health of the population. The senator explained that pollution by these elements can have severe effects on the environment, affecting the development of plants and causing the death of animal species. In humans, he indicated, it could cause respiratory diseases, damage to the nervous, digestive and circulatory systems, as well as complications in pregnancy, premature births and effects on infant cognitive development. Likewise, he maintained that mining exploitation in that area would contravene current legal and constitutional provisions, including articles of the Constitution, the Environmental and Natural Resources Law, the Energy and Mining Law and regulations on territorial planning, in addition to a ruling by the Constitutional Court. Error en el proceso de traducción Error en el proceso de traducción According to these studies, the projects could generate a combined capacity of up to 850 megawatts, which would translate into significant annual energy production. Bautista estimated that this initiative could represent millions in revenue for the State throughout its useful life, in addition to strengthening the national electricity system. Error en el proceso de traducción Error en el proceso de traducción In economic terms, the senator compared the projected benefits of the energy model with those proposed by the mining company GoldQuest. He indicated that, while mining would generate income and jobs in the short term, energy development would offer greater sustainable benefits, including more direct jobs and greater economic contributions for the country and the province. Bautista insisted that the priority should be the protection of natural resources and the promotion of initiatives that guarantee development without compromising the environment. He affirmed that the conversion of San Juan into an energy district would allow the promotion of clean energy production, increase water availability, and ensure a more sustainable future for the impacted regions.
