The residents of the commune of Ocolis, Alba county, and several non-governmental organizations have recently sent an open letter, informing about the danger to which they are exposed through the exploitation of some dacite and limestone deposits which is to be carried out in the city, although 73% of the commune area is included in the sites of Natura 2000 ROSCI0253 Trascau and Natura 2000 ROSPA0088 Muntii Trascaului.
The NGOs demand the authorities to evaluate whether the approvals already issued by the National Agency for Mineral Resources (ANRM) are valid and to revoke the exploitation permits issued for the area of the commune, and to halt the environmental impact assessment procedures under way.
According to the NGOs, the company has an exploitation permit issued by the ANRM - No. 9061/2007, that was issued after the area had been included in the two Natura 2000 sites.
The groups claim that irregularities committed by the competent authorities of environmental protection seriously infringe European Directive 85/337/EEC as amended by Directives 97/11/EC and 2003/35/EC on environmental impact assessment for certain public and private projects, Government Decision 1213 / 2006 which transposes into Romanian legislation the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC, as well as the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation and access to justice on environmental issues.
For further information, see http://www.curierulnational.ro/?do=cauta&q=Afrodita%20Cicovschi.
[Source: Curierul National]
