19.02.2009
Movement of Dam Affected People organize public audience to debate and resolve the social impacts of the PCH of Moinho

Dam affected people jointly with representatives of the Catholic Church, municipal mayors of the region, state deputies and other public authorities participated on the 16^th of February in a popular assembly in the community Serra dos Gregórios, Municipality of Pinhal da Serra, seeking to open a dialogue channel with company Engevix. The aim is to seek solutions to the social problems caused by the construction of the Small Hydroelectric Plant (PHC) of Moinho.

Despite been invited, Engevix did not participate in the audience and refused to negotiate. In addition to the approximately 200 people affected by the specific dam, participants included the Bishop of Vacaria Dom Irineu, local priests Elizeu Vicente, Caetano Caon, Caritas Diocesana, Deputy Dionilso Marcon who represented the Legislative Assembly, the mayors and vice-mayors of the municipalities Pinhal da Serra: Sr. Evandro Birk and Delmar Jagujeski, Esmeralda: Sr. Luis Jaime Cranos, Barracão: Sr. Antonio Duval Clamer and Vacaria: Sr. Elói Poltronieri.

The assembly agreed to the following:

1. Understanding the just cause of the dam affected people, the local authorities promised to apply pressure to the company to negotiate and consider the demands of the people. A statement was elaborated where authorities express their support to the campaign of dam affected people.

2. It was agreed that all entities will request a public audience in the Legislative Assembly in the following days. Invitations will be send to company ENGEVIX, FEPAN and BNDES (whish is financing the project) and the Ministry of Mining and Energy.

An important moment of the meeting was the presentation of the proposal of MAB for the placement of Moinho Dam under the control of the municipality. The idea is that the dam should be constructed and administered by the local prefectures, local farmers and a rural electricity cooperative.

The PCH Moinho is property of ENGEVIX S.A on the Bernardo José River, between the cities Barracão and Pinhal da Serra in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The plant is projected to enter in operation on March 2010. ENGEVIX S.A is the same company that doctored the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) of the Barra Grande Dam and occulted the existence of 6.000 hectares of primary forest, composed mainly of araucaria trees.