Stop the Illegal Mining of Rio Arias - please sign our petition to SETENA!

Please help us to stop the illegal mining of Rio Ario by signing our petition to SETENA.  

At the beginning of this month a company started work to mine materials from the bottom of the Ario River.  This company does NOT have a valid and up-to-date permit to carry out extraction of materials from this river.  

The mining is taking place very close to the Caletas-Ario Wildlife Refuge, with potentially damaging consequences for the delicate ecosystem of the Caletas wetlands and to the coastal marine life.  

SETENA did grant permits in December 2007, but these expired on the 12th January 2011.  Without an up-to-date permit, any mining
of the river is illegal.  

In order to be compliant with the law, the company must obtain new permits and undergo a new Environmental Viability study.  These laws are in place to protect the environment and wildlife from irreparable damage.  

Our petition asks for action from SETENA and from the Department of Geology and Mines (a department within the Ministry of Environment and Energy).  We ask them to bring a halt to this project and to cancel the mineral concession granted to this company because: 

(a)  Its permit expired on the 12th January 2011.  Work has started WITHOUT a valid permit.  

(b)  The company has failed to fulfill its obligations under the mining concession, among other things - abono del canon ambiental, boundary marking of the work to be undertaken and annual reporting.  

We demand that these institutions study and assess the location of this project for its potential impact on the coastal ecosystem.  The mining is planned to take place less than 1 kilometer from the river mouth.  The sedimentation from the mining could cause a dramatic decrease in the aquatic life of the area.  The site of extraction is very close to the Wildlife Refuge of Caletas-Ario and of the Caletas Wetland.  The marshes of Caletas are a fragile ecosystem and are home to a large number of important species of the area.  

A detailed and careful study of the environmental impact is required, in conformity with Costa Rican law.  

We support development, but only when undertaken in a sustainable manner and in full compliance with the environmental laws of Costa Rica.  

Please follow the link to sign the petition and share it with your friends - LINK TO PETITION

Note - SETENA is the governmental institution that assesses the environmental impact of any type of development.