Jennifer C. Tilos
VALENCIA,
Negros Oriental, June 29 (PIA) –
Environmental groups in Negros Oriental handed over a copy of more than 3,000
petition signatures to Mayor Edgar Teves to stop Energy Development
Corporation’s (EDC) 60 megawatt geothermal expansion project at Cuernos de
Negros or Mt. Talinis.
According to 350 Pilipinas coordinator Zephanie
Repollo, the mayor showed support to the groups and committed to ensure
transparency of the project.
With this, the Office of the Mayor will likewise
arrange a dialogue among the complainants, officials from the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and EDC.
This dialogue aims to bring answers to
questions raised by the different environmental groups regarding EDC’s alleged
non-disclosure of its development plans, said Repollo.
EDC is waiting for an Environmental Compliance
Certificate (ECC) for its proposed development block which covers additional
60MW.
However, in a recent media briefing, Negros
Island Geothermal Business Unit (NIGBU) Senior Manager Engr. Vicente Omandam of
EDC explained that this latest expansion will utilize approximately 30 hectares
within the “development block” of the EDC's Southern Negros Geothermal Field in
Valencia and not at Mt. Talinis as claimed by the environmental groups.
Omandam said the expansion will be distributed
in at least six sites within EDC's existing geothermal fields and power plants.
The groups have clamored for full
transparency of EDC’s proposed development block and demanded that there will
be no more expansion at Cuernos de Negros.
Forest Management Bureau Director Ricardo
Calderon of DENR recently clarified that EDC has not yet applied for a tenure
for a particular area which needs clearance from a local government and
endorsement from concerned agencies before a project will
push through. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)