Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie | Greater transparency needed following most recent spill in Rio Cobre

The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) is concerned with the lack of updates from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) following the toxic discharge from Windalco’s Effluent Holding Pond (EHP) in Ewarton, St Catherine, on July 30, 2022.

Effluent from the EHP flowed into the Rio Cobre, elevating the temperature and pH of the river, affecting water quality, killing fish and other organisms, and compromising the livelihoods and food sources of surrounding community members.

It also resulted in the interruption of domestic water supplies to parts of Spanish Town and St Catherine, as well as the supply of irrigation water to farmers.

Over their many years of operation, Windalco, which is currently owned by UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Ltd (UC Rusal), has received multiple enforcement notices for previous similar occurrences.

Following the most recent contamination, NEPA issued a statement on August 5, 2022 which outlined their intended actions.

These included:

i. To serve the company a Notice of Intention (NOI) to suspend the environmental permit and environmental licence as provided for under Section 11 of the NRCA Act.

ii. To draw down on the full amount of the Environmental Performance Bond (EPB), valued at US$771,558.69.

iii. To pursue prosecution against the company for the pollution incident and its breach of the Wild Life Protection (WLP) and the NRCA acts.

The public was told that a meeting was to be held with the company on August 8, 2022, and UC Rusal had the right to appeal NEPA’s decision. Following this meeting, however, very little update has been provided to the public on what has been agreed, next steps and what actions have been taken over the last four weeks.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

There needs to be greater transparency on this issue. There are a number of questions that the public would like answered, for example:

• How long does the company have to make an appeal?

• Have they made an appeal and if so, what was the result?

• It is also our understanding that the amount needed to compensate those affected by this most recent incident is not adequately covered by the Environmental Performance Bond, therefore, who will have to pay?

• Will it be taxpayers who have to pay for the actions of Windalco?

JET contends that, in the interests of transparency, the Notice of Intention to suspend the permit should be posted on NEPA’s website.

Regular updates should be provided to the public, particularly with regard to compensation for the affected communities and other members of the public, details of how the bond funds will be used and within what time frame.

Further, JET insists that the Government of Jamaica increase the bond value and also to outline to the public how the bond amount has previously been determined.

The lack of transparency is only serving to exacerbate the lack of trust that community members have in the regulators, considering the long-standing nature of this problem.

Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie is the chief executive officer of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET). Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com