"Let your voice be heard" - Alagoas Brancas wetland site Public Consultation information

ALAGOAS BRANCAS  

Make your voice heard 

• We ask the participation of all Portuguese and Foreign residents and visitors, especially the Lagoa Council population to take part in this public consultation
• Simply write a letter addressed to the 'Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Lagoa' expressing your observations, complaints or suggestions regarding the future you would like to see for the Alagoas Brancas site ( to be delivered at the “balcão único” at the Cãmara Municipal de Lagoa) or send an email to (saou@cm-lagoa.pt cc alagoasbrancas@sapo.pt ) It's necessary to include your full name and the number of an official identification document e.g. cartão de residência, passport and your address. According to the information desk at the Cãmara the letters/emails must be in Portuguese 
• If you think you live in a democracy now it is your time to make your voice heard.
• The closing date for admissions is Monday, 21 May, 2018.

Save Lagoa´s lagoa (fresh water wetland habitat)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1804372499825939/?ref=group_header

or email alagoasbrancas@sapo.pt

Alagoas Brancas

Public Consultation

On 16^th of April the President of the Municipal Câmara of Lagoa published a notice on the Câmara's website announcing a period of public discussion about the licensing request made by Edifícios Atlântico SA to divide the site into building plots.

This comes as a complete surprise to activists who have been working hard to preserve the location as a haven for wildlife. At the time there was cause for optimism: the environmental commission of the national parliament had approved two resolutions formulated to safeguard Alagoas Brancas, one by Bloco de Esquerda and another by PSD, later voted and aprovedby the Assembleia da República; following this the fencing around the perimeter of the site was taken down and removed. Now it appears that the process is back in full swing.

In the notice, the President invites the public to come and view the licensing request, and to write a letter to him outlining their observations, suggestions and complaints. I took advantage of this invitation, visited the Câmara building and asked to see the file, which documents the planning procedure since its inception in 2008. I noted that on 27 February, the developers had submitted a new plan for the Câmara's approval (see photograph). It can be seen that this latest request differs only marginally from previous offerings and in no way does it attempt to accommodate the resident wildlife. Elsewhere an internal Câmara document seems to indicate that their architects are ready to endorse the plan. On the 10^th of April a committee made the decision to hold another public discussion, citing a government decree passed in 1999, which states that the public can have a say when projects ' have implications for the urban environment that justify the participation of local populations in respect of the decision-making process.'

The new plan from Edifícios Atlântico SA arrived at Lagoa Câmara just 12 days after the resolutions to protect Alagoas Brancas were approved in parliament. This does not seem like a coincidence. What does this say about the ethics of this company and its respect for environmental recommendations made by the government?

At a recent public Lagoa Câmara meeting, officials responded to questions from the public about the latest developments concerning Alagoas Brancas. It was admitted that the Câmara was aware of the parliamentary resolutions but they had no bearing on local government. It was up to the national government to enforce their own resolutions.

Other responses were that Alagoas Brancas does not have any importance (It says so in the file according to the ICNF report done in the middle of the Summer on a draught year!!!); and that it should be remembered that entrepreneurs also have rights. However, conversely, it was stated that the Câmara is committed to finding a solution. It was mentioned by the officials that the people fighting to preserve the Alagoas had rejected an offer from President which was “to move the lagoon from 7 hectares of land to a 1 hectare belonging to the Câmara”  So if birds (as per the ICNF report) are affected by the city´s noise how would it be “moving “ them even closer to more noise e.g. the football field.

There is a popular saying that goes: 'If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem.' Perhaps at this moment in time, the Câmara of Lagoa, regardless of their motives, by granting an additional public consultation, has made itself part of the solution? It has been my intention in writing this article to invite readers to make themselves part of the solution as well; by taking part in the public consultation. If you care at all about nature, please consider putting pen to paper. It is only by responding in sufficient numbers that we will be able to effect a change.

How to take part:

Write a letter expressing your opinions, solutions for the site addressed to the 'Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Lagoa'. This letter can either be sent by email: saou@cm-lagoa or it can be presented at the 'balcão único' on the ground floor of the main Câmara Municipal building in Lagoa. (It's necessary to include the number of an official document, e.g. cartão de residência, passport and your address.)

The closing date for submissions is (according to my calculations) Monday, 21 May, 2018.

The letters will be accepted both in Portuguese and in English according to the information desk at the Câmara.

By Martin Owen

http://www.parlamento.pt/ActividadeParlamentar/Paginas/IniciativasLegislativas.aspx

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