Jan 16 2008 05:29 pm
News - English
Possible Locations For Aluminium Smelter In Greenland
The hunt for a location for an aluminium smelter in Greenland continues. The environmental assessment which you can read in the link provided at the bottom of the article below, found on this site shows the devastation which will happen in these areas which will be so called “minimised” by Alcoa. Here is the article:
“A strategic environmental assessment report of energy intensive industry in Greenland has been made public today. With the publication, the Home Rule Government commences a hearing period, which lasts till January 15th next year. The report pinpoints the potential environmental consequences by establishing an aluminum facility in Greenland.
The involved area stretches from north of Sisimiut to south of Nuuk. Preliminary investigations have been carried out since December of 2006.
In connection with the public hearing it is the plan to carry through a number of civic meetings in the involved communities, which are Sisimiut, Maniitsoq and Nuuk, in week 2 and 3 of 2008.
At the spring Parliament meeting this year ‘Review of energy intensive industry in Greenland’ about the potential establishment of an aluminum facility, was received well by the Parliament.
One of the recommendations of the review was that prior to a final decision of an implementation of the project as well as a siting of the aluminum smelter facility, a strategic environmental assessment should be carried out. It is the work of this strategic environmental assessment which is now being sent to public hearing.
The strategic environmental assessment report may be requisitioned from Direktoratet for Milj� og Natur (Department for Environment and Nature) or be downloaded from the internet address
The International Rivers Network provide an excellent summary of the proposed developments in Greenland:
November 1, 2007
Basic facts about the dams and the rivers:
1. Five total hydroelectric dams are planned, three for the Pascua River and two for the Baker River. These rivers are more than 2,200 kilometers (1,320 miles) from the central grid to which the electricity will be sent. Both rivers are fed by, and they flow in between, the world�s two largest ice caps outside Greenland and Antarctica. And they are relatively short in length, 170 kilometers for the Baker and only 62 kilometers (40 miles) for the Pascua.
2. The Baker River has the highest flow rate (576 meters cubed per second) of all Chilean rivers. Its ecosystem supports high levels of biodiversity, including documented populations of the endangered huemul deer1. Chilean environmental authorities have characterized the river�s entire basin as a biological corridor and have said that the Baker River�s conservation should be prioritized.
3. The Pascua River has the third highest flow rate (574 meters cubed per second) of all Chilean rivers. Especially in its upper reaches, the Pascua river ecosystem includes some of Chile�s largest remaining populations of the endangered huemul deer. Chilean environmental authorities have recognized the Pascua for high aquatic biodiversity, have characterized most of the river�s basin as a biological corridor and have said that this river�s conservation should be prioritized.
4. As currently planned, the two dams on the Baker River would create artificial lakes flooding more than 4,300 hectares (10,700 acres). Flooded lands would include some of the best agricultural and ranching lands of the region.
5. As currently planned, the three dams on the Pascua River would create artificial lakes flooding more than 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres). Flooded lands would include some of the world�s rarest forest types.
Basic facts about the transmission lines:
1. The corridor for these would set the world�s record for longest distance between the source of the electricity and its primary distribution center. As currently planned, the distance would be more than 2,200 kilometers (1,320 miles).
2. As currently planned, the transmission line corridor would require clearcutting forested areas for at least 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) of the corridor�s total length. Transmission towers will be 70 meters high. The transmission corridor will be 120 meters wide.
3. As currently planned, the route for transmission lines would pass through 12 areas that, because of their unique environmental values and vulnerabilities, have been granted protected status under Chilean law.
1Chile�s huemul deer is classified as Endangered (EN C2a) on the IUCN Red List 2004 and is listed on Appendix I of CITES. It is also listed on Appendix I of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention).
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