Tuesday, October 21, 2008 DENR says coal power plant's ECC irrevocable
THE DENR-issued environmental clearance certificate (ECC) issued to the coal fired power plant project of Global Business Power Corp. in Iloilo City cannot be revoked just to please the five governors of Western Visayas.
This was stressed by Environment Secretary Lito Atienza in a radio interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo in October 16. Atienza stood pat on his decision not to revoke the ECC unless there is clear violation of the conditions in the permit given for the coal plant in Panay Island.
The petition of the five governors to revoke the ECC on the issues of health and environment was submitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last week and was forwarded to the DENR for study and comment.
Atienza clarified that the ECC was only issued upon the submission of all requirements by the proponent, and this is a very long and tedious process that include answers to health and environmental issues raised by the opposing governors.
The DENR chief also said the governors are not residents of Iloilo City and they could not understand the sentiment of residents who asked for additional and sustainable power to prop up the local economy.
The governors - -namely Salvacion Perez of Antique, Carlito Marquez of Aklan, Victor Tanco of Capiz, Isidro Zayco of Negros Occidental, and Felipe Hilan Nava of Guimaras -- have asked the President to reconsider the ECC as hundreds of their constituents are in the city as students and workers and will suffer from the ill effects of a coal-fired power plant soon to be established in the heart of a very populated city.
However, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas expressed disappointment with the governors who seemed to forget inter-governmental courtesy, pointing out that Iloilo City is a separate local government unit.
Treñas said he is very open and transparent and was willing to dialogue with the governors on the merits of the coal plant. Treñas said that if only he was given the chance to talk to them before they submitted their petition to the President, he and the proponent could have explained the clean coal technology approved by the Department of Health and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (LCP)
