Court Prohibits Dredging Work at Porto Aratu

The Federal Court upheld a lawsuit filed by the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and ordered the suspension of dredging works at the Organized Port of Aratu-Candeias. The injunction suspended the environmental licenses granted for the intervention, scheduled to start on November 15 and run until December 12. If the decision is not complied with, those responsible for the works may face fines of R$200,000 per hour.

According to the MPF, the measure aims to protect the area’s quilombola and traditional communities from the activity’s potential socio-environmental impacts. The MPF’s action identifies ten quilombola communities that could be affected, highlighting the direct impact on three of them located in Ilha de Maré: Bananeiras, Porto dos Cavalos/Martelo/Ponta Grossa, and Praia Grande. Federal Prosecutor Ramiro Rockenbach warned that the dredging could release dangerous contaminants, posing significant risks to the communities, which depend on the local environment for their economic activities and way of life.

According to the court’s decision, the work must remain suspended until the Quilombola Component Study (ECQ) is prepared and a Prior, Free, and Informed Consultation (CPLI) is held with the traditional communities to assess the impact of the dredging on these vulnerable groups.

The Federal Court also ordered the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) to prepare, within 30 days, a Specific Terms of Reference (TRE) containing the necessary content to carry out the ECQ for all the traditional communities in the area influenced by the Organized Port of Aratu-Candeias.

Environmental Licensing

Regarding the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), the ruling requires the agency to provide, within a maximum of 30 days, information on the entire history of environmental licensing for the Aratu Port and the Landulpho Alves Refinery (RLAM)/Mataripe Refinery. The federal agency must also explain why the environmental licensing for all impactful activities carried out by various private companies and economic agents in the port zone is under the responsibility of the Institute of Environment and Water Resources (Inema), given that the responsibility for licensing is federal.

The Union and the Bahia Dock Company (Codeba) must ensure access to all necessary documents and locations for Incra to carry out the work.

The lawsuit involves the Union, Ibama, Inema, Codeba, Incra, and CS Brasil as defendants.

Source: PS Notícias

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