New Threat to Brazilian Rain Forest
4/5/98
*******************************
RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: New Threat to Brazilian Rain Forest
Source: correa pinto <"ngiterei@uol.com.br"@uol.com.br>
Status: Contact source for reprint permissions
Date: 4/5/98
NEW THREAT TO BRAZILIAN RAIN FOREST
Speech of the Federal Deputy Mr. IVAN VALENTE, representative of the Workers
Party from Sao Paulo on the Federal Congress of Brazil
Mr. President;
Ladies and Gentlemen of this Congress:
From the Tribune of this House, I bring to the knowledge of the congressmen
and the citizens of our country, one more serious threaten to Brazilian
Rainforest environment - Highway Poses a New Threat to - I specially want to
call attention upon the implications of certain practices and programs of the
Fernando Henrique Cardoso Government, and also of the present administration of
the State of Sao Paulo.
There are more than few evidences and demonstrations of distance between, for
one side, the propaganda, the speech, the profession of faith and the supposed
adhesion of the present federal government to the principles of sustainable
development- and, for extension, the obedience to the established compromises
assumed by Brazil, as signatory of the AGENDA 21- and, on the other hand, the
concrete practice and the governmental program that implies and behaves with
aggression to the environment, to our biodiversity an and even threatens
those environmental areas which have the guarantee of integrity and
preservation formally established and protected by law and even by the
Federal Constitution.
With this previous affirmation I do not intend to go back, for example,
to the illustrative treatment that the environmental question receives on the
Brazilian budget from the present government. I want specifically to indicate
that THE ENVIRONMENT IS THE BIG ABSENT of the so called project " BRAZIL IN
ACTION "
I will be here, directly dealing with a concrete example of this propagandistic
and electing program. I'm referring do the so called "Mercorsur Highway"- the
duplication of the highway , known as BR- 116- planned between the Brazilian
cities of Sao Paulo and Florianopolis, as it is known, this highway duplication
is an old request of the Southern and Southeastern populations of Brazil.
Nevertheless, this construction project is threatening an appreciable portion
of what is left from the rainforest in southern Brazil, which The Federal
Constitution consecrates as National Patrimony.
Only this reason, should already be enough to recommend the firm determinant of
the Public Power- federal, stately, or municipal- or all together, to place
the environmental dimension in the heart of their actions and programs related
with the minimum left of Atlantic Rainforest, already so threatened and
reduced.
However, this is not what is occurring in the implementation of the referred
project, which , as we know, is co-sponsored by IDB (Inter American Development
Bank) .
The State of Sao Paulo government, through its environmental branches and the
Ministry of Transports are proceeding at breakneck speed- according to the
technocratic exigencies ruled by the radical economicism, very fashionable in
neoliberal times- they are developping this project with such haste that
neglects the need of effectively evaluate the several locational and technical
alternatives, and their consequently impacts and environmental costs ( such
haste may well be the reason for an impending ecological disaster).
They aren't even worried about considering the opinion and interests of the
communities affected by the future location of the highway or to discuss with
the regional scientific community. The indications that I have, attest that the
federal and state administrations are treating the problem a if it were only a
mere "government or political issue".
As if society's role was only to applause and to say AMEN to the wishes and
commands of government.
The route for this highway, near the top of Serra do Juquiaguassu
Mountain(Cafezal), chosen by the State of Sao Paulo Secretariat for Environment
and approved by the Environmental State Council of Sao Paulo, IS BEING
VEHEMENTLY CONTESTED, UNDER THE TECHNICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIEW, BY THE
EXPERTISES OF 25 WELL KNOWN SCIENTISTS.
NINE COUNSELORS OF THIS STATE COUNCIL HAVE REQUESTED THE URGENT REVIEW OF THE
LICENSED LOCATIONAL ALTERNATIVE.
All of the them argue that cartographic mistakes, among several others, have
induced to the mistaken decision making, which has granted the erroneous
environmental license. THEY ALLEGE THAT THE AUTHORITIES MUST CHANGE THE DESIGN
OF THE PROPOSED DUPLICATION, IN ORDER TO AVOID DESTRUCTION OF A PRICELESS
ECOSYSTEM AND THAT A WELL-DESIGNED PROJECT WILL CAUSE NO HARM TO THE
ENVIRONMENT, ON THE CONTRARY, THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE
WILL BE ENHANCED. THEY URGE THAT IF PROVIDENCES ARE TAKEN ON TIME THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT WILL NOT BE DELAYED.
On its side the Public Federal Attorney, provoked by the Environmental
Commission of the Bar Association, has installed inquiry as a preliminary step
for a possible PUBLIC LEGAL ACTION WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF SUSPENDING THE
ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSE.
The movement "SOS Serra do Cafezal ", arguments that: The section of
highway located in Serra do Cafezal, crosses the Atlantic rainforest at
a very vulnerable point. THE REGION IS AN OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AREA, IT IS ALSO DECLARED BY MAB- UNESCO, BIOSPHERE
RESERVE AND PATRIMONY OF HUMANITY, DUE TO ITS BIOMA BE ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT OF THE PLANET, AND INCLUDES A PRIVATE WILDLIFE RESERVE, ITEREI (1).
TThis sector is designated as "Lote 2" (km 339,2 to km 366,8), on highway
department plans, and the problem occurs specifically at "trecho 6".
It is at this point that the highway designers have resolved to have separate
lanes for the duplication. For a distance of about 7 km., the new lanes will
be, between 300 and 600 meters away from the present highway. There are few
human activities as destructive as a highway construction site. Some of the
largest vehicles known to mankind move vast amounts of earth, produce
artificial dust storms, and destroy all forms of native plant and animal life
which are unfortunate enough to be in their path. THE DISASTER WILL BE
COMPOUNDED BY DESTRUCTION OF EXISTING PURE WATER RESOURCES, CONSISTING OF A
NETWORK OF SPARKLING MOUNTAIN STREAMS.
The proposed route WILL BISECT ITEREI AND DESTROY AN ECOLOGICAL CONTINUUM.
TREES, HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD, AND OTHER PLANTS WILL BE UPROOTED AND WILDLIFE
COMMUNITIES WILL BE SEPARATED BY THIS MAN-MADE BARRIER AND CEASE TO EXIST.
Since hunting is not permitted in Iterei, this region has become a sanctuary
for countless groups of wild animals. Yet another assault against biodiversity
is in the making. IN ADDITION TO MASSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, THE PROPOSED
HIGHWAY DUPLICATION IS AN UNSIGHTLY INTRUSION IN THE MIDST OF AN EXQUISITE
RAINFOREST AND AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE JUQUIAGUASSU
MOUNTAINS IN THE CA?ADOR BASIN.
From this Congress Tribune I request to the Minister of Transports and
to the National Environmental Council , their intervention in the sense that,
considering the environmental magnitude of this issue, the haste that this
project is being conducted is reverted so that the several technical-
environmental and locational alternatives are adequately considered.
I believe that is the minimum providence that an administration which affirms
to be compromised with Agenda 21, may adopt.
Thank you,
Deputy Ivan Valente
http://www.nativus.com/alert_sos.htm