NEPA Jamaica to declare its decision on controversial Bauxite mining permit for Noranda soon

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) of Jamaica commented that in another two months a conclusive decision could be ready on whether Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners II (NJBP II) receives an environmental permit to mine in sections of western St Ann and eastern Trelawny.

Since May 2018, the Government of Jamaica has been pondering over the application. The proposal to mine in the SML 173 area, next to the Cockpit Country protected area, has been met with strong pushback from environmental lobbyists, interest groups and individuals.

On 27^th January 2021, Peter Knight, CEO, NEPA, explained to the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) that the process has not stalled, as wide consultations continue on the environmental impact assessment report.

He emphasized that it was too early to make a decree on what the outcome might be.

“We can't go by feelings; we have to go by the science and the evidence that is before us. We have to allow the process to work. There are fundamental questions that have been asked, there is science-, evidence-based questions that have to be responded to satisfactorily by the consultants so even saying two months, the process can take longer,” said Knight.

The NEPA head informed the Parliamentary committee that is was also too early to definitively pronounce on the potential impact of mining operations on water resources and biodiversity in the areas.

Knight added: “Over the last eight years there have been improvements in the environmental monitoring of the mining sector.”

“If you review pollution and demonstration incidents you would have seen that there is a fall in those instances. Our monitoring and enforcement programmes have been escalated,” argued Knight.

However in 2019 Noranda officials declared: “The Company would not make any move to start mining under its lease before the outcome of an environmental impact assessment and the gazetting of the declared protected areas.”

Until 2030, Noranda has a concession agreement with the Government to mine and a hold a 49% stake in NJBP II, which comprises the physical mining assets and executes the mining operations, while the Government owns the remaining majority shares in NJBP II.

“The company wants to increase its annual bauxite production from 3.5 million dry metric tonnes of ore to 5.2 million in the short term to improve the contribution of the local bauxite industry to the national economy — in keeping with the Government of Jamaica — through the proposed establishment of new mining areas in St Ann and Trelawny,” the company said in its submission to NEPA.