Confidential.
The Request describes potential environmental harm to the community, as well as patrimonial and health issues for the Requesters, due to the future construction and implementation of the sewage collection and treatment system within the framework of the Project.
Specifically, the Requesters indicate that the system would represent significant environmental damage to the different bodies of water (rivers and lakes), riverbanks, and beaches in the area, which they allege would be contaminated with spills. They add that these bodies of water and beaches are used by both residents and tourists for recreational activities, as well as for the provision of drinking water, so any alteration of these could cause significant damage to health.
The Request adds that the Environmental Impact Study generated would be incomplete by not correctly detecting the area impacted by the Project and its environmental implications in protected areas and vulnerable ecosystems, as well as by not offering viable alternatives for its implementation. In the same way, it indicates that it has not received complete information about the Project, nor has it been correctly consulted about it.
Lastly, the Requesters warn of potential damage to their property since several of the contemplated works, such as pumping stations and pipelines, would be planned on private property and not on public domain properties, as currently reported.
October 14th, 2021: Due to the Executing Agency’s decision not to apply for Project eligibility, the Inter-American Development Bank will not finance the sewage collection and treatment system. In this context, MICI does not have matters to address as there is no project financed by the Bank that could cause the damage alleged in the Request. Therefore, the management of Request MICI-BID-AR-2021-0168 has officially concluded.
For more information, please refer to MICI’s public update on the matter: https://www.iadb.org/en/node/31671
On June 22, 2021, MICI notified the Requesters and IDB Management of the registration of the Request.
On August 23, 2021, MICI determined that the Request was eligible because it met all the eligibility criteria established in the MICI Policy. This determination of eligibility is not an assessment of the merits of the Request or of the issues contained therein.
The Request was transferred to the Consultation Phase as per the decision of the Requesters.