Judge Rescinds President Temer's Decree and Federal Prosecutor Criticizes End of Amazon Reserve

08/31/2017 - 10h09

On Wednesday (the 30th) Federal Judge Rolando Spanholo, from the Federal District's 21st Court, suspended the Presidential decree abolishing the National Reserve of Copper and Associates (Renca) in the Amazon.

For the magistrate, the decision should not have been made without the involvement of Congress, which would need to pass a law modifying the area. The Federal Attorney General's Office (AGU) announced that it will appeal the decision.

With this decision, Spanholo suspended any potential administrative actions that would allow for immediate exploration of the mineral resources that Renca holds. Spanholo's decision was made in response to public reaction to the elimination of the reserve.

Additionally, on Wednesday (the 30th), the Prosecutor General's office also issued a technical finding against the elimination of the reserve.

The environmental consequences would be grave: the total area freed up for mining would be equivalent to the accumulated deforestation of four years throughout the entire Amazon.

"Within Renca today we have only 0.33% of the total deforested area, which represents a scenario that is much better that the area around it which doesn't possess the same protection", said the written communication.

The technical finding also stated that the deforestation is taking place in areas in which there shouldn't be any deforestation at all, which reveals the pressure that habitation exerts in the region.

"If this extensive degradation is already being verified in a protected area, the elimination of Renca would provoke a significant increase in degradation similar to what is taking place in the area around it."

On another front related to the judicialization of Renca, Congressman Glauber Braga (PSOL-RJ Party) was granted an injunction by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in seeking the court's recognition of the illegality of Temer's decree.

The PSOL Party declared that failure to immediately suspend the effects of the decree abolishing Renca could "generate irreversible damage to the environment".

Justice Gilmar Mendes was selected as rapporteur for the case by electronic lottery.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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	Agência Pará
	The National Reserve of Copper and Associates (Renca) holds mineral reserves including gold, iron and copper