Quarries in Arroyo Tercero: ANSE has cried foul over the Environmental Impact Study that would extend mining activity at two open-pit mines near Arroyo Tercero, in Moratalla, Murcia. Environmentalists claim that the study presented has not only expired years ago, but also hides thirty years of illegal mining activities in the area.
If mining activities continued in the area, environmental threats to the Sierra de Villafuerte would increase; in addition, within 500 meters of the mines there are housing complexes that would see air quality worsen, their water resources dwindle and the natural landscapes of the Red Natura 2000 network that has required so much effort to conserve would be destroyed.
The quarries at Arroyo Tercero, on the ropes
The environmental organization ANSE has filed objections to the Environmental Impact Study (EsIA) that intends to give continuity to the mining activity of the two open-pit mines located beside the mountain village of Arroyo Tercero, in Moratalla.
The ecologists denounce that the document presented is expired, hides records of illegal activities in the area and aims to validate works carried out illegally for more than 30 years, something they deem unacceptable.
The facilities are located less than 500 meters from the population center of Arroyo Tercero and directly affect the scope of the ZEC «Sierra de Villafuerte» and rock art sites catalogued as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC).
The Association has submitted a block of allegations to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) file relating to the project for continuing mining exploitation (quarries «Alba» and «Sabinar») located in the Arroyo Tercero area (municipality Moratalla), formally requesting the competent administration the inadmissibility and definitive archiving of the file, as well as the immediate opening of sanctioning proceedings for the grave environmental damages caused in the protected space.
The association already reported 25 years ago to the Directorate General of Industry, Energy and Mines, the impact of these quarries on mountain ecosystems.
Too many irregularities
ANSE denounces in its allegations that the Environmental Impact Study (EsIA) provided by the promoter dates from June 2016, thus having clearly lapsed in its validity by exceeding the legal one-year period established by Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment.
One of the gravest aspects is that the file conceals under the appearance of an extension an extractive activity that has been partially or wholly carried out for more than 30 years without the required prior assessment, flagrantly violating the prohibitive nature of environmental law and constituting a genuine fraud of law to validate works outside legality.
ANSE completely opposed to the EsIA
The promoter acknowledges being unaware of the levels of particle emissions, which prevents assessing the real impact on the health of Arroyo Tercero residents (located less than 500 meters away) and on the habitats of the ZEC «Sierra de Villafuerte» (Red Natura 2000).
The technical document completely omits assessment of impacts in an area near rock art sites catalogued as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), incurring in an inadmissible fragmentation of environmental information.
The study does not include a detailed analysis of vulnerability to natural disasters (slope instability, use of explosives, or wildfires) and downplays the «Zero Alternative» without taking into account scientific opinion on the natural recovery of protected habitats.
As if all this were not enough, they omit environmental crimes that have occurred in the area for more than three decades, such as stockpiles, illegal access roads, and illegal dumps, completely leaving unprotected the heart of the Red Natura 2000.
