DENR grants compliance certificate for Itogon landfill

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan recently welcomed the approval of the Environmental Compliance Certificate of the proposed Ampucao engineered sanitary landfill (ESL).

The mayor said he received news from Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan Wednesday that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau unanimously approved the ECC of the proposed ESL site in Ampucao village in Itogon.

He was told Itogon Mayor Oscar Camantiles was also present during the deliberations of the EMB officials.

He told Governor Fongwan he was able to send both their endorsement to the EMB for immediate issuance of the ECC.

“From this we can proceed with talks with the Korean investor if there are indeed available funds for the ESL,” Domogan said.

After the approval of the ECC, the mayor said the feasibility study, plans and specifications and program of works will be scrutinized and be furnished to officials to ensure the transparency of the project.

The mayor said the project may face social acceptability challenges but a public hearing where these issues are to be discussed will explain to residents the need for an ESL facility particularly in the BLISTT area.

Meanwhile, aside from the proposed ESL in Itogon, the city government is also entertaining proposals for waste to energy and waste to coal proponents.

The mayor said General Services Officer Romeo Concio has finished evaluating the proposals and will present these evaluations to the City Solid Waste Management Board as it convenes on August 16.

Once the evaluation process is done, the mayor said they will present the new technologies before the City Council for approval. (JM Agreda)