Mayor suspends study to expand beach in João Pessoa – 07/12/2023 – Daily life

The mayor of João Pessoa, Cícero Almeida (PP), backed down and temporarily suspended studies for the artificial widening of the sand strip of up to four beaches in the capital of Paraíba, a measure that would replicate landfill experiences in other coastal cities in the country.

The project was one of Lucena’s priorities, but faced resistance from environmentalists, scholars, social movements and opposition politicians. In May, he became the subject of a civil inquiry by the Federal Public Ministry.

In a press interview this Tuesday (11), the mayor confirmed the cancellation of the contract with the Santa Catarina company Alleanza Projetos e Consultoria, the same company responsible for extending the beach in Balneário Camboriú (SC).

The company had been contracted for BRL 275,500 to prepare a conceptual project for coastal protection and urbanization of grounded areas. The contract was suspended amicably.

“We are seeing misunderstandings in the debate, many motivated by political interests. This is an important, serious issue that demands responsibility, and we are going to treat it with caution. We canceled the preliminary study, we are going to discuss with society, the Public Ministry and the academy to outline the best way,” said the mayor.

The purpose of the proposal was to contain the erosion of the coastline of João Pessoa and would include four stretches of coastline: the beaches of Manaíra, Bessa, Jacarapé and the stretch between Cabo Branco and Ponta do Seixas, skirting the Cabo Branco cliff.

The intention to widen the beaches was announced by Mayor Cícero Lucena in October 2021, with the justification of stopping erosion and opening spaces for road works.

The project only started to move forward in April of this year, when the city government hired the company from Santa Catarina to carry out the basic studies.

A month before hiring, Lucena and municipal secretaries visited Balneário Camboriú. In the city of Santa Catarina, the work to widen the beach cost R$ 66.8 million, lasted nine months and increased the strip of sand from 25 to 70 meters.

In João Pessoa, the initial cost estimate for the works on the four stretches is R$ 200 million. Also taking into account the package of road works and infrastructure on the waterfront, the budget would reach R$ 400 million.

Despite the estimates, the city hall said that only the studies would indicate which would be the best alternative in each region of the shore and highlighted that it would not necessarily adopt the artificial fattening of the strip of sand.

Since previous administrations, the city hall of the capital of Paraíba has been studying ways to contain erosion on the shore. One of the evaluated options was the construction of a breakwater about 200 meters from the coast, but there was an understanding that there would be a high environmental impact.

The widening of the sand strip was seen positively by the Cícero Lucena management, especially for Manaíra beach, where there is a demand for requalification of the shore with the construction of a new lane and expansion of the boardwalk.

In an interview with Sheet in May, the municipal secretary of the Environment, Welison Silveira, stated that the studies presented in past administrations indicated that “enlarging the beaches is one of the least impactful solutions from an environmental point of view”.

For the Cabo Branco cliff region, the mayor even indicated the possibility of building a track around the barrier that would connect Cabo Branco to Ponta do Seixas, a region known for being the easternmost point of South America.

Silveira, however, said that a possible landfill in the region is unlikely. The area is home to the headquarters of Cabo Branco Station, a complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer that includes the Science Museum, as well as tourist facilities such as the Cabo Branco lighthouse and Bosque dos Sonhos.

The proposed embankment on the beaches was criticized by specialists, who advocated carrying out more in-depth studies along the entire coast of Paraíba, in addition to a complete environmental diagnosis before starting the works, to identify the dynamics of the coast.

The 90-day period of the contract with the company from Santa Catarina was pointed out as too short to arrive at a complete diagnosis.

There was also a fear of possible impacts on sensitive areas, especially on the beaches of Bessa and Manaíra, a spawning area for hawksbill turtles, a species considered endangered by the Ministry of the Environment.

The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a civil inquiry to investigate the fattening of the waterfront and highlighted the lack of clear information from municipal managers about the project. At the time, the City Hall said it would provide the necessary information and work in harmony with the Attorney General’s Office.