Argentine, Paraguayan and US Environmental Organizations Question Decision to Raise Water Level of the Controversial Yaciretá Dam.
Serious Contradictions of the Argentine Government. Legal Actions Against the Decision Would Approach International Tribunals.
Summary: In simultaneous press conferences held in Asunción (Paraguay), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Washington, DC, environmental organizations manifested their opposition to a
bilateral government decision of raising the water level of the Yacyretá dam from 76 to 83 meters, and demanded "reparations for damages caused to local communities and to the environment". Raising the water level of the dam, "would result in irreparable damage to
costal communities in a large geographical area", and could result in "immediate irreversible impacts on the unique ecosystems of the Estuaries of the Iberá".
The organizations forecasted "possible actions legal against the governments of the EBY (Bi-national Yacyretá Entity) for damages, which "could go before international tribunals". The government of Argentina is contradicting itself. While one Argentine public entity has already agreed to raise the water level, another governmental agency of the same country publicly admitted the non-availability of precise data and the need to proceed under extreme caution.
Buenos Aires, Asunción, Washington. November 11. The Bi-national Yacyretá Entity (EBY) and the governments of Paraguay and Argentina, in a controversial move, decided to raise the water level of the Yacyretá Dam, despite anticipated severe social and economic impacts, and irrespective of historical international concerns over one of the most corrupt and environmentally questionable dam projects.
Argentine, Paraguayan, and American environmental organizations indicated that the decision adopted by the EBY and the Argentine and Paraguayan governments "is inexplicably contradictory with the position of the maximum Argentine environmental public institution".
They added that the decision also ignores the opinions of recognized experts and universities studying the controversial dam project.
Environmentalists argued that the decision "ignores warnings made public just days before at a meeting of experts held in Buenos Aires and organized by the Argentine Department of Sustainable Development and the Environment (SDSyPA) specifically on the environmental
impacts of the Yacyretá dam. After analyzing the likely effects of raising the water level beyond the 76 meters, the meeting of experts concluded, "precaution should be taken in the matter, and that all necessary measures should be taken to minimize uncertainty and
facilitate decision-making on the issue".
According to documents produced by the meeting of experts held at the offices of the SDSyPA, the maximum environmental authority in Argentina, external experts and SDSyPA staff recognized "the existence of an high degree of scientific uncertainty with respect to the reaction of the natural ecosystem surrounding Yacyretá", as well "insufficient consensus on the area of influence of benefits of the project". Additionally, experts of the National University of the
Central Region, presently researching the state of the Estuaries of the Iberá, in unison with European and Brazilian scientists studying the region, warned that a serious environmental impact assessment is necessary before taking any decisions on raising the water level of
the Yacyretá dam.
Environmentalists insisted that the decision to raise the water level, "ignores the conclusions of the meeting of experts held by the maximum Argentine environmental authority", as well as warnings by "experts and universities," placing the Argentine and Paraguayan
governments "in a delicate situation". "The victims of the impacts of the project, whose claims we will continue to support, could initiate legal actions against the de governments for damages, possibly before international tribunals". "This is not only about an authoritarian and non-consensual decision affecting an ecosystem; this is a clear
violation of human rights".
Environmentalist submit a proposal
Following warnings emitted by the recent meeting of experts in Buenos Aires and other previous impact assessments, concerned environmental organizations of Argentina, Paraguay, and the United States released a strong statement demanding "to maintain the water level of the
Yacyretá Dam"; "that reparations of social and environmental damages be prioritized", and "that the numerous denunciations of corruption plaguing the hydroelectric project be investigated".
The demands of the declaration included:
- Since neither the population nor the environment should suffer further damage, the water level of the dam must remain at 76 meters.
- Compensation and external assistance to commensurate a renovation and revitalization process aimed at improving the quality of life of all of the affected parties, including those above the 76-meter level.
- The creation of a Reparations and Reinvestment Fund, which would not imply further debt for Argentina and Paraguay. The Banks could provide leadership in the form of debt restructuring, such as debt-swap linked to loan repayment, to finance not only compensations
and reparations necessary to mitigate past damage, but also to reinvest in affected communities.
- Fully investigate corruption allegations in the Yacyretá dam project. An exhaustive audit must be carried out by Argentine and Paraguayan controllers on the one hand, and by the multilateral institutions on the other (World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank-IDB), to determine the destination of the estimated US$ 12 billion supposedly spent on the Yacyretá project.
- Declare the downstream Paraná River and upstream Yacyretá "dam free", with a view to create a manageable and sustainable basin, as a form of compensation for damages caused thus far.
- Declare all remaining non-flooded islands of the dam region, and all downstream islands, "protected areas" in order to preserve these ecosystems.
- A proper environmental, social and economic impact assessment of the Yacyretá dam project at the present water level.
- The cost of the energy sold by Yacyretá must reflect the costs of all damages caused by the dam.
The environmental organizations also submitted to the governments of Argentina and Paraguay, as well as to the World Bank and to the IDB, an extensive report on the history and monitoring by civil society of the Yacyretá dam project, which concludes that the water level must
remain at 76 meters to avoid further damage to the local population and to the environment. Elevating the water level will result in "FURTHER UNPAYABLE DEBT AND FURTHER IRREPARABLE DAMAGE".
The statement is signed by the Federación Argentina de Amigos de la Tierra; Coalición de Ríos Vivos; Red de Asociaciones Ecologistas de Misiones; CEDHA (Center for Human Rights and Environment); FUNAM (Fundación para la Defensa del Ambiente; Taller Ecologista); Fundación
Proteger; Sobrevivencia - Amigos de la Tierra, Paraguay; CIEL (the Center for International Environmental Law, Washington); International Rivers Network (Berkeley); BIC (Bank Information
Center, Washington).
End
For more information contact:
ARGENTINA:
*Elba Stancich, Taller Ecologista, Rosario, Telfax 54-342-4496167,
email: taller@cyberia.net.ar;
*Jorge Cappato, Fundacion Proteger - Coalición Rios Vivos, Santa Fe; Telfax 54-342-4558520, email: jcproteg@satlink.com;
*Raul Bregagnolo, Red de Asociaciones Ecologistas - RAE, Misiones, Tel 54-3755-470065; 54-3755-156-58068;
*Raul Montenegro, FUNAM, Córdoba, Tel 54-351-4557710, Fax 54-351-4520260, email: montenegro@funam.org.ar;
PARAGUAY:
*Oscar Rivas, Elias Diaz Peña, Sobrevivencia - Amigos de la Tierra -
Paraguay, Asuncion, Telfax 595-21-480182, coordina@sobrevivencia.org.py
ESTADOS UNIDOS:
*Monti Aguirre, IRN, International Rivers Network, Berkeley,
Tels 1-510-848.11.55 y 1-707-869.16.37, Fax: 1-510-848.10.08,
email: monti@irn.org
*Emilie Cornu Thenard, CIEL - Center for International Environmental Law, Washington, DC, Tel 1-202-785.8700, Fax 1-202-785.8701, email: ethenard@ciel.org
