The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environ-mental Assessment Bureau (EAB) will in seven days say whether BK International will be getting the go ahead to open a sand mine in Yarrowkabra, on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway following a fiery public hearing yesterday which saw residents of the area and workers of BK almost coming to fisticuffs.
And a prominent environmental engineer is saying that there must be at least an environmental and social impact assessment done before determining whether the sand mine should be a go.
The hearing took place following the cancellation of a previously scheduled one on March 18 after a mix up in the venue that had been advertised for the event.
Yesterday’s hearing saw the residents and workers of BK International who turned up in their numbers screaming at each other and being disruptive.
Howard Bulkan, in his presentation, spoke of the jobs that he provided for the residents of the areas at his wood processing operation which has been in operation since 1997.
He said that not only does he provide jobs but he indirectly provides employment for the persons who supply wood for his processing operation and said that these people come from Linden, Kwakwani, Ituni and other areas.
“We provide employment for about 200 despite being a small operation,” he said.
However, tension grew when Bulkan said that Tiwari had privately told him two years ago that he was coming to open a sand mine in the area because of the planned airport expansion project.
However, Tiwari immediately objected to this statement by Bulkan. “You are a liar!” Tiwari shouted from the audience. Tiwari then accused Bulkan of being a squatter on the Yarrowkabra land.
Meanwhile, rabble-rousers in the audience were raising the chant “No BK! No BK!” disrupting the meeting for minutes on end.
Bulkan said that his company was objecting to the sand mine being given the go ahead to commence operation because of concerns of sand blowing into the wood processing operation, affecting the health of persons employed there and the operability of the wood processing machines.
Further, he said that there is a massive water tower which has run decrepit and which is a threat given the potential for vibrations from the sand mining operation.
Bulkan said that despite declarations of the operation being a reasonable distance away, a simple measuring exercise would reveal that the operation is a mere 53 feet away from the wood processing facility.
Speaking on behalf of Bulkan Timber Works, environmental engineer Charles Ceres asked that BK International does a comprehensive health assessment to assess the impact of sand blowing around. He said that this is a concern since there is the risk of silicosis, a respiratory disease caused by breathing in silica dust.
Ceres, a former member of the EAB, disagreed with the EPA in their assessment that the area is of low sensitivity.
He said that the sand mining operation could have impacts on water quality and wants BK International to do an assessment study of these potential impacts. “We need to have an environmental and social impact assessment done at the minimum,” he said.
An officer of the EPA explained the reasons why the agency did not consider it necessary for an EIA to be done for the proposed venture.
The officer said that on May 18, 2012, the EPA received an application from BK International seeking an environmental permit for the project. She said that the EPA reviewed the application and the information submitted with it and arranged a visit to the site.
According to the officer, the EPA found on the visit that the area comprised mostly secondary forests, no major waterways, no storage of fuel on the site and that there was no major infrastructure works planned as part of the project.
The EPA officer noted that the project will see 600 truckloads of sand per month being taken from the sand mine.
The officer pointed out that the possible impacts of the operation could be dust nuisance, noise nuisance and water pollution. The officer said that these impacts are considered low risk, hence the EPA’s decision that the project did not warrant an EIA.
Speaking on behalf of BK International, Kit Nascimento said that the company is willing to work with its neighbours.
He said that BK’s workers were at risk of losing their livelihoods if the operation did not go ahead.
One woman speaking on behalf of the women who burn coal in the area said that there needs were not considered by BK and the EPA.
According to a presentation by Jenel Williams, BK International’s Health, Safety and Environmental Officer, permission to operate the sand mine was secured from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Regional Democratic Council of Region 4 and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission through a special mining permit.
Williams said that the potential impacts identified can be addressed and mitigated.
She said that there will be periodic watering of the site to supress dust, covering of the trucks ferrying the sand to prevent “fugitive dust,” and limiting the speed haul of vehicles to and from the site.
According to Williams, the mine site will provide employment for between 15 and 20 persons directly from the Yarrowkabra areas with the scope for expansion commensurate with the expansion of the operations.
The project is expected to benefit the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, the Haag Bosch landfill, the East Bank four lane highway project and the Timehri road expansion project.
