Opposition Spokesperson on Land, Environment & Climate Change, Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns calls on NEPA  to again review the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Special Mining Lease (SML) 173, which it  recently published.

According to Senator Frazer-Binns, the EIA has left more questions than answers. She is particularly concerned that the state agency with responsibility for environmental protection would regard such an assessment as final. On close review of the document, it appears that stakeholders’ concerns and queries have largely been disregarded or overlooked. She opines that stakeholders remain concerned about the threat that bauxite mining poses to our underground water supply as well as the   Rio Bueno’s watershed protection area.

In addition to the fact that stakeholders’ concerns were ignored, critical maps depicting underground water flows have been conspicuously removed from the final version of the document.

“The Prime Minister, Mr. Andrew Holness cannot in good faith attend COP26, demanding international climate action and financing while simultaneously destroying vital forest reserves that reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change locally,” said Frazer- Binns. 

The Opposition Spokesperson stated that Cockpit Country is Jamaica’s largest remaining natural forest which produces over 40% of the country’s fresh water. It is vital for climate resiliency. She warned that, “Bauxite mining in the Cockpit Country will endanger the lives of thousands of Jamaicans and push us farther and faster into the climate crisis”.

It is for these reasons that the Opposition asks for a further review of the “Final EIA”. Senator Frazer Binns further noted that her motion in the Senate for a Joint Select Committee of Parliament to review the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act, NEPA and the EIA process becomes more urgent everyday and calls for its  earliest debate.It  is critical that the Jamaican government recognizes that Climate Change is an existential threat to Jamaicans by taking action.