On March 26, the 35th meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC) of Hydro in Pará took place. Updates were discussed regarding item 6.3, which concerns the payment of fines agreed upon in the TAC, and about the epidemiological studies (item 2.1.1 C).

The Monitoring Committee consists of ten representatives from civil society in Barcarena and Abaetetuba, Pará, the Chemical Industry Workers' Union (Sindiquímicos), and the Barcarena Municipal Government, as well as the signatories of the TAC: the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), the State Public Prosecutor's Office of Pará (MPPA), the State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability of Pará (Semas), and the companies Hydro and Alunorte.

Appeals of Fines – Federal prosecutor Igor Lima and state prosecutor Márcio Maués reported that they received a legal opinion from Semas regarding the transfer of resources from the fines agreed in the TAC, certifying that the procedure is in legal and administrative compliance. They also reported that all signatories had already approved the text of the addendum to the TAC to safeguard the application of the resource to the Eastern Amazon Fund (FAO).

On April 2, the addendum was signed at the headquarters of the Attorney General of the State of Pará, with the presence of the signatories, as announced in a statement published on the Federal Public Prosecutor's website (click here).

According to item 6.3, this resource was deposited in the State Environment Fund (Fema), but last year, Semas, responsible for Fema, chose to transfer to the FAO the responsibility of managing the values until they are allocated to the financing of community projects in the regions covered by the TAC in Barcarena and Abaetetuba (PA).

Vera Nascimento, alternate representative of traditional and quilombola communities in the MC, asked whether the application of the resource will be made according to suggestions from civil society. Federal prosecutor Igor Lima emphasized that the method of applying the funds should be discussed after the transfer to the FAO, but that dialogue with the communities will be ensured. The MPF's representative in the MC also stressed that there is no ongoing registration for distributing the resource to individuals, families, or organizations.

Elidiane Cardim, representative of the sixth civil society group in the MC, highlighted the importance of civil society's monitoring and the construction of suggestions for a resource application plan from the beginning of this dialogue with Semas. The representative of the second group, Jackeline Sales, emphasized that all the accumulation of ideas and experiences should be considered, but the process of final allocation of this resource should take place close to the communities, listening to the local reality.

Mário Santos, representative of quilombola and traditional communities, highlighted the need to expedite the process of transferring and managing the fine resource, considering the frustration of community work and misinformation on the subject.

Epidemiological Studies – Federal prosecutor Igor Lima informed the MC that the specialized consultancy from the Butantan Institute, which supports the contracting process for epidemiological studies, advised that it is most appropriate to wait for the commencement of environmental studies, scheduled in the TAC, so that they can indicate cause and effect parameters for the results of the epidemiological studies.

The environmental studies stipulated in the TAC (item 2.1.1, topics B, D, E, and F) will assess the quality of soil and waters used for agricultural, fishing, and other purposes in the region of the Murucupi river basin and nearby streams.

According to the MPF, the Butantan Institute explains that the results of the epidemiological studies before the environmental studies could confirm contamination in the population's health without being able to point to a causal relationship. Therefore, the signatories of the TAC agree that the environmental studies should be initiated before the epidemiological studies.

Currently, the contracting of a company selected to conduct the environmental study audit is underway, and it is expected to begin its activities soon. An update on this contracting is expected at the next MC meeting.

Jackeline Sales, Rozemiro Brito, and Elidiane Cardim, civil society representatives in the MC, reinforced the importance of epidemiological studies, considering the concern for the population's health and the rumors about the subject that aggravate the situation.

Federal prosecutor Igor Lima clarified that the urgency in concluding the studies is always considered, without compromising the quality of the studies. He also clarified that the recommended methodology is that the results of the environmental studies be obtained before the conclusion of the epidemiological studies. "A schedule adjustment was made just to allow time for the environmental studies to move ahead of the epidemiological studies. But it doesn't mean that one needs to finish before the other can start," he emphasized.

Water Supply Investment – The item dealing with an investment of BRL 8 million in expanding the potable water supply system (2.1.4) is still awaiting final developments. In February of this year, the MPF and MPPA hosted a meeting between representatives of communities covered by the project, Barcarena City Hall, the water and sewage concessionaire Águas de São Francisco, and Hydro to discuss the latest negotiations for the implementation of the expansion project with TAC resources.

The communities presented a series of demands to those responsible for implementing the project, including the implementation of a specific social tariff for quilombola communities that will begin paying for the water supply service from the company Águas de São Francisco.

A specific meeting between the MPF, MPPA, and the representation 1, of traditional and quilombola communities in the MC, was arranged with the aim of monitoring the compliance with the demands and rights of the communities.

Next Meeting – The 36th MC meeting will take place on May 28 and will include a presentation of the consultancy for conducting the environmental studies (item 2.1.1B, D, E, F of the TAC).

Contacts – For inquiries, the executive secretariat of the Monitoring Committee is available through communication via call or message at (91) 99349-0098.

Members of the Monitoring Committee of the TAC present at the 35th meeting
Igor de Lima Goettenauer de Oliveira – Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) – titular
Eduardo Gonçalves – Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) – alternate
Márcio Silva Maués de Faria – State Public Prosecutor's Office of Pará (MPPA) – titular
José Edson Maciel – Alunorte Alumina do Norte do Brasil S/A – titular
Alessandra Stremel Pesce Ribeiro – Norsk Hydro Brasil – alternate
Mário Assunção do Espírito Santo – civil society representative – Representation 1 – Quilombola and Traditional Communities – titular
Vera Lúcia Brito Nascimento – civil society representative – Representation 1 – Quilombola and Traditional Communities – alternate
Jackeline Souza Sales – civil society representative – Representation 2 – titular
Rozemiro Gomes Souza de Brito – civil society representative – Representation 5 – titular
Elidiane Marinho Cardim – civil society representative – Representation 6 – titular
Rosa Maria Dias da Silva – civil society representative – Representation 7 – titular
Elisomar Barreto de Souza – civil society representative – Representation 8 – titular
Maria das Graças Figueira Pereira – civil society representative – Representation 9 – titular
Hamilton José Moreira Caminha – civil society representative – Representation 9 – alternate
Ereny dos Anjos Lima Barbosa – civil society representative – Representation 10 – alternate

Executive Secretariat Team – International Institute of Education of Brazil (IEB)
Edane Acioli – Socio-environmental Analyst
Paulo Pantoja – Technical Assistant
Raphael Castro – Communication Advisor
Vanessa Silva – Technical Assistant

Source: Executive Secretariat of the TAC Monitoring Committee