23 June 2011 | News | Climate Justice and Energy
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The development of the controversial hydroelectric project HidroAysén was temporarily suspended this week, after a Puerto Montt Court accepted the demands by members of Congress and environmentalist organizations.
As part of the HidroAysén project, Spanish company Endesa and Chilean company Colbún aim to build five hydroeletric plants in the Chilean Patagonia, more precisely on the basins of Baker and Pascua Rivers.
According to Púlsar agency, over 70 % of the Chilean population is against HidroAysén, due to its environmental impacts. Nevertheless, the Chilean government has already approved the environmental permits for the company, and the project is supported by President Sebastián Piñera.
The complaints filed by the Members of Congress were against the Coyhaique Environmental Assessment Commission, that had approved HidroAysén on May 9th.
While the organizations that demand the project to be abandoned welcomed the Court decision, they stated that this needs to be taken with caution. Also, they stated that they wouldn´t stop expressing their demands and that they are preparing large mobilizations for July.
In last month´s mobilizations thousands of people participated and on May 28th, 87,000 people demonstrated against the hydroelectric project.
Also, Marcelo Castillo, lawyer at Patagonia Without Dams, said to La Tercera newspaper that he will file a complaint against HidroAysén and the authorities involved in irregularities. He also said “we are not going to get tired, we are very hopeful”.
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