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The Order to Close Pedregal is for Land that Was Not Being Exploited

By Oliver Pérez

Several Nicoyans are asking themselves how is it that the company of Pedregal can continue to work on the site of La Calera, at the entrance to the city of Nicoya. The reason is that the Environmental Administrative Tribunal, which ordered a temporary cessation of Pedregal in Nicoya, made this resolution due to a second site where the company was working in 2009.

Resolution 497-12-TAA, dated May 23, 2012, of the Environmental Court, is based on a complaint filed in 2009 by environmental engineer of the Municipality of Nicoya, Elizabeth Hernandez. In November 2009, Fernandez conducted an inspection at the site, 200 meters north of the city's main entrance on the road to San Antonio, where the company Pedregal was working on the movement of land, construction of terraces, fills, drainage channels, an opening for a rainwater gauge and the construction of a work shed.

Based on what the biologist saw, she found that the protection of Cañas Gordas stream was being affected as a result of their moving patches of earth and the landslides this caused.

In response, on March 25, 2010, the TAA ordered the director of Tempisque Area Conservation Nelson Marin, to make a report of the allegations.

Two months later, Marin reported that the damage in this area was valued at 20 million colones.
Pedregal uses 2 exploitation concessions, one of which expired a last year and the other of which is valid until 2013. Although they have requested renewal with Geology and Mines, to date they haven’t been renewed due to more complaints presented by the Municipality.

The complaint was filed in 2009 during the administration of Mayor Eduardo Gutierrez.

Meanwhile, José Manuel Peña Namoyure, Pedregal’s company spokesman, confirmed that work activities on the site of La Calera continue according to normal.

In reference to the resolution, Peña confirmed that the statement of the Environmental Administrative Tribunal only applied to one field, where they were working in 2009.

"We stopped work there a while ago. The company upholds standards of safety within their facilities and, for now, representatives of the company are collecting documentation to prove that all is in order,“ said the spokesman.

Pedregal has 100 Nicoyans working at its plant in Nicoya and, according to Namoyure Peña, all of them remain calm doing their job and earning their salary.

In the resolution, the Environmental Administrative Tribunal issued orders to the sub regional offices of Minaet, the Municipality, the Ministry of Health and the Water Board, that in no less than 10 days they must issue a report to them.

To read the Spanish resolution click here (pdf download)

More Regional News

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The Voice of Nosara brings you a brief recap of June stories you might have missed.

Montaña River Flooding May Wash Away Bridge Fill

The concern is twofold for the residents of Nosara when it comes to transit routes in their community. The roads are in poor condition and the Moñtana river bridge is unfinished.

Ministry of Health and Municipality Look to Eliminate Street Venders

Friday morning, June 22, a group of officials from the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Nicoya decomissioned merchandise from a group of women street venders that display their products in front of the Court of Justice in the city of Nicoya.

Wealthy US Citizens dumping Passports to Avoid Tax in Costa Rica

As taxes continue to rise in the United States, the upcoming expiration of the Bush Administration tax cuts and a proposed 55 percent tax increase on the horizon for the wealthy, an increasing amount of the United States’ wealthier population is disillusioned.

Health Department Shuts Down Artisan Tables in Samara

On Friday, June 22, representatives of the Ministry of Health shut down the tables where local artisans have been selling their wares. This is the second time the artisans have been shut down and left wondering where to go or what to do to continue working and supporting their families.

Representative Mendoza Supports Nosara’s Demonstration

Juan Carlos Mendoza, legislative representative of the Citizen Action Party (PAC-Partido Acción Ciudadana), recently visited Nicoya. VON took advantage of the opportunity to talk to Mendoza and get his opinion about the possible demonstration by Nosarans and the project of the Costal Territories law.

About 2000 From Nosara Will Protest on July 25th
• Demonstrators Will Demand Pavement for Route 160

Members of different social and community organizations from Nosara will march to Nicoya July 25th to request that the government incorporate pavement over route 160 in the budget.

Commission Reports that 90% of Proposed Regulatory Plan is a Cut and Paste Job

On Wednesday, June 6, the Administrative Commission of nine community representatives presented an extensive report to the Municpal Council of the Canton of Nicoya, recommending that the council completely reject the proposed regulatory plan elaborated by the Spanish company Inypsa.

Nicoya Mayor Will Protest Against the Government on July 25 Celebrations

Marco Antonio Jimenez Muñoz, mayor of Nicoya, Guanacaste, announced that he will protest against Laura Chinchilla Miranda’s government, on the Day of Annexation because of the "deplorable state of national roads in this area.”

Pictures and News of the Month

The Voice of Nosara brings you a brief recap of the May stories you might have missed.

Servicentro Nicoya Under Scrutiny for Closing Passageway and Possible Illegal Construction

Servicentro Nicoya, located 100 meters from La Anexion Hospital, is under the watchful eye of the Municipality of Nicoya, the Controller General of the Republic, the Environmental Court and residents of the El Carmen neighborhood.

Nosara’s Economic Forecast Looks Sunny

As the dust from dry season settles metaphorically and literally, merchants and business owners in Nosara are counting their spoils.

Rising Prices Hurt the Pocketbook

First the price of gas went up, next the price of bus tickets and finally the government added a 13% tax on products in the basic food basket. It’s time to take out the calculator and grab the pocketbook because everything is going up in price and your bill could reach an unforeseen amount.

Mystery of E.Coli in Carrillo’s Estuaries Goes Unsolved

This year Carrillo only earned one star instead of two in the Ecological Blue Flag program because of a study that revealed high presence of E.Coli in the beach’s estuaries. Although so far the ocean water is still safe for swimming, that could change if action is not taken to find and remedy the problem.

Nicoyan Auditor Owes Municipality 15 Years of Taxes
• Municipal Council Approved Sending Case to the Controller
• Official Was Suspended for Three Months

At the same time that ministers of the Republic have been under investigation for evading taxes, the internal auditor of the Municipality of Nicoya, Gilberto Lizano Elizondo, has also been under investigation for evading real estate taxes since 1997, as detailed in a report by the directive organ that investigated the case.