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New legislation in Brazil opens up road-paving across country, threatening Amazon Jeremy Hance mongabay.com April 21, 2009
The measure was slipped into legislation meant to stimulate the economy by José Guimarães, a representative from the state of Ceará. Amending Brazil’s National Environmental Policy, it restricts rules that are meant to ensure a proper study of environmental impacts with regard to road building and paving. In addition, he measure gives environmental authorities only 60 days to consider a project, after which the project is automatically licensed and given the go-ahead. Environmental groups contend that the real purpose of the measure is to pave BR-319, a road between the city of Manaus in the state of Amazonas to Porto Velho in Rondonia. The road covers 475 miles (765 kilometers). In a statement provided by 30 environmental groups they called the plan to pave BR-319 “unacceptable”. Road paving is largest factor in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, according to the statement. Studies have shown that 75 percent of deforestation in the region has occurred along paved highways. A few members in the Chambers attempted to remove the controversial measure, citing concern about environmental impact, but were unsuccessful. The measure "would drastically harm Amazonas," former environmental minister Marina Silva told the daily Brazil news source O Globo. The legislators "are carrying out scorched earth politics with environmental legislation," she added. Related articles Brazil suspends Amazon road project until protected areas established (09/26/2008) Brazil has temporarily suspended the paving of a major Amazon road pending demarcation of 13 neighboring protected areas, reports the Associated Press. Brazil will forge its own path for developing the Amazon (05/15/2008) The Brazilian government will use cheap loans, payments, and other benefits to encourage Amazon farmers to reduce their impact on the Amazon rainforest, under a plan unveiled last week Brazil's environmental minister resigns after losing Amazon fight (05/14/2008) Marina Silva, Brazil's environmental minister, resigned Tuesday after losing several key battles in her fight to rein in destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
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