DENR lifts suspension order on Semirara's ECC

The government has lifted the suspension order against the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) of Semirara Mining and Power Corp.'s the Panian Mine in Antique province.

 

An ECC is a document that gives a company the green light to a project, in this case coal mining, after assuring the government that the undertaking will not cause a significant negative impact on the environment.

 

The Department of Energy and Natural Resources suspended Semirara Mining's ECE on July 21, after the northern wall of the Panian pit collapsed and killed nine workers. The company claimed the accident caused no negative impact on the environment and was beyond its control.

 

The DENR lifted the suspension order after the company said it is willing to comply with the government's recommendations and incorporate the conditions and amend the ECC.  

 

"In fact it was manifested that most of the recommended conditions are already being done by the respondent which is being reported to the Department of Energy consistent with their mandate to monitor its coal mining operation," according to a DENR order on Monday.

 

In a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Semirara Mining claimed that the government found "... no adverse effect or damage to the environment in relation to the landslide that occurred at the north edge of the Panian Mine and same is due to a fortuitous event."

 

Part of the recommendations is for Semirara Mining to submit a yearly report on its compliance with the monitoring of slope movements and groundwater conditions and with coal mine safety rules and regulations at the mine site. 

 

The company is also required to submit a detailed assessment on the cause of slope failure and climate change projections, and conduct a study on hazard and state of operations within 60 days after receiving the order and install an automatic weather station. – Keith Richard Mariano/VS, GMA News