DENR sec says mining will not be allowed in geohazard zones BAGUIO CITY — Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje said mining should not be allowed in geohazard areas. “In the country now you have the what you call ‘go zone’ and the ‘no go zone’ when it comes to mining the reason being is that we cannot allow mining in geohazard areas, meaning that will cause geohazard,” he said. Paje said the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) already completed the ‘no go zones’ for mining. November 24, 2013 in mining, national by editors By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL nordis.net He said the geohazard map played a key role in identifying no go zones. Among the no go zones he mentioned are tourism areas and areas of important use to the state. He did not mention any particular ‘no go zone’. He added that the identification of ‘no go zones’ is also a way to protect mining investors. “We must make sure that the investment of the industry will be protected. We cannot let the industry invest in an area that will later be declared by the state as ‘no go zone’. It would be unfair to let the mining company invest in the area and then later declare it as a ‘no go zone’. So we might as well define it now,” he said. Paje was a guest of the annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference of the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) November 19 to 22, here. Regional Director Clarence Baguilat said the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is still working on identifying the no mining zones in the region using the newly accomplished geohazard maps. Baguilat said the MGB is closely coordinating with all other government agencies and local governments for the finalization of the ‘no go zones’ in the region. “This is an inter-agency collaboration. We are coordinating with the NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous Peoples) for the ancestral domains, our protected areas bureau for the protected areas so that it will all be integrated,” he said. He said that in the event that existing mining operations fall into identified no mining zones they will invoke the Environment Protection Enhancement Program provision of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 that provides for the responsibilities of mining companies to the environment. He said the mine rehabilitation fund committee is another instrument to make sure that mining companies rehabilitate areas within their mine operations that needs to be rehabilitated. “We are becoming stricter in terms of implementation and we are reviewing the mining policies and implement changes if necessary,” Baguilat added. Baguilat also said mining companies are part of the mine rehabilitation committee where they constantly discuss the various aspects of their operations that include its impact on geohazard areas and find ways to rehabilitate and reforest their mine sites. # nordis.net
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 15:02:08 +0000
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