EIAs Increase Citizens' Role

Benefits of the 174 environmental impact studies (EIAs) approved by Peru's mining and energy ministry included an increase in local residents' involvement in decision-making, Expreso (Peru) quoted Walter Sologuren, former president of national mining society Sonaminpet as saying. Meanwhile, mining's 58 Pama environmental clean up programs scheduled to be completed by 2006, involve more than US$1bn of investment and installation of modern equipment. To date, seven companies have finished their Pama programs, 20 are more than 50% complete and the rest are all working according to plan, he said. Pamas are aimed at reducing the pollution impact of more than a century of mining in the Peruvian Andes. Canada's ambassador to Lima Graeme Clark, said the programs brought benefits to locals and increased international cooperation with Peru. Officials spoke after residents in mining districts protested in Lima last week against the pollution the industry causes.