Pro-oil and mining duo will lead Energy Commission – 03/13/2024 – Environment

Chosen this Wednesday (13) to preside over the CME (Mines and Energy Commission) of the Chamber of Deputies, Júnior Ferrari (PSD-PA) has already publicly defended oil exploration in Foz do Amazonas and voted in favor of the release of mining on indigenous lands.

Ferrari, who is from Oriximiná (PA), a region with heavy bauxite mining, was nominated by the PSD bench, which, according to the agreement signed in the House, chooses who will preside over the group.

The first vice-president, also appointed by the acronym, is Hugo Leal (PSD-RJ), who, as shown in the Sheetis part of the list of parliamentarians linked to mineral exploration — he holds shares in a mining company and also voted in favor of regulating mining on indigenous land.

Samuel Viana (Republicanos-MG) and Carlos Veras (PT-PE) will be, respectively, the second and third vice-presidents of the collegiate.

When contacted, Ferrari said that, as president of the CME, he will “act impartially” and respecting the Federal Constitution when it comes to mining — the Magna Carta prohibits exploration in the territories.

Regarding oil exploration, he stated that “we need to guarantee environmental sustainability, but also social sustainability.” “It has already been proven that Petrobras has the technology and expertise in offshore oil exploration”, he added.

Leal confirmed that he has been a member of a mining company since 2015. “I have no defense in this sense,” he said, regarding mining, but stated that he is against the illegal activities of miners.

In 2022, in the elections, the Sheet also questioned him about his participation in the area. “I defend effective regulation, so that the product found remains regularized in the country and generates foreign exchange. Mining is not an activity that has ideal conditions for effective supervision”, he stated at the time.

Ferrari and Leal are from the same party as the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira. Under reservation, parliamentarians told the Sheet that the choice, however, was made by the group of deputies and had already been pre-agreed last year.

Ferrari defended oil exploration in Foz do Amazonas in 2023, during a hearing held by the CME itself, with the presence of the Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva.

“We defend very vehemently, very firmly, the exploration of oil in Foz do Amazonas, as a form of economic development in our region”, stated the deputy at the time.

In 2023, Ibama (Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) denied Petrobras the prior license to drill oil block 59 in the Foz do Amazonas basin, on the so-called equatorial margin of the Brazilian coast.

The decision caused internal friction in the Lula (PT) government. The decision by Ibama technicians was criticized by names such as minister Alexandre Silveira or the government leader in Congress, senator Randolfe Rodrigues (no party-AP).

At the same hearing, Ferrari also defended “streamlining” the project’s environmental licensing process.

In 2022, the deputy was one of those who voted in favor of allowing mining in indigenous territories — just like Hugo Leal.

Ferrari is also the author of a project that allows cattle and buffalo farming within extractive reserves — his family declares that they own land and cattle heads.

Parliamentarians believe that the fact that he was from Pará and an ally of governor Helder Barbalho (MDB) had a positive impact on the deputy taking up the post at CME.

In 2025, the state will host COP30, the UN (United Nations) climate conference. At this summit, the goals of the Paris Agreement must be reviewed and, therefore, the edition is considered a key event in order to reduce the effects of global warming.

“Due to the importance of the state of Pará in the production of clean energy and ore production, Governor Helder supported me and was very happy with my appointment and, mainly, because of the personal friendship we have and the importance of the CME being chaired by a person from Pará “, said Ferrari.

“In relation to minister Alexandre Silveira, after confirming my name unanimously on the bench, he also ratified my name”, he also stated.

Ferrari was born in Oriximiná, in the west of Pará, a municipality that has dozens of quilombos and where MRN (Mineração Rio do Norte) has been operating in the exploration of bauxite for almost 40 years.

A Sheet visited the Trombetas river region, in the city, in 2023. The processing and loading of the mineral takes place next to a quilombo, Boa Vista, a historic community and the first in the country to have won its title.

Residents and researchers stated that MRN’s actions have been killing the rivers — they lose water flow, become polluted and become unviable for fishing.

They also say that the mining company irregularly uses preservation areas (such as the Saracá-Taquera National Forest) and spaces that quilombolas used for plantations.

There are reports that local inhabitants are unable to use the company’s hospital, which would be one of the socio-environmental compensations planned for the project.

The City of Oriximiná states that the amount transferred by the mining company in return for exploration is not enough to pay for improvements for traditional communities and that the mining company frequently delays transfers.

“I defend the exploration of bauxite and any other type of ore not only in Oriximiná but also in any other region of the country, as long as environmental legislation is respected […] and that the rights of quilombolas are guaranteed”, said Ferrari.

A Sheet He sought out the company MRN again to comment on the criticisms from quilombola communities, but received no response.

In 2023, the company told the reporter that studies point to the ecological restoration of the region, that water samples comply with legislation, as do dust levels.

He also said that the community’s boundaries were delimited and recognized years after the start of its operations and that it never interrupted medical care for quilombolas. Finally, he claimed that the delay in transfers was due to operational issues at the National Mining Agency.