Download RIO SANTA CRUZ FREE OF DAMS Dam construction in Santa Cruz

RIO SANTA CRUZ FREE OF DAMS
Dam construction in Santa Cruz must be stopped
A coalition of environmental organizations is demanding the National Administration to put an end
to the construction of dams on the Santa Cruz River, given that it is a bad technical, environmental,
and economic deal. Instead, it suggests targeting State resources to complying with the promotion
of renewable and alternative energies, and the development of energy efficiency policies, both pre
electoral commitments.
Buenos Aires, May 5th 2016. Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN), Aves
Argentinas, Banco de Bosques, Flora y Fauna, Fundación Naturaleza para el Futuro (FuNaFu) and
Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina (FVSA) call on the National State to cease the construction of
Kirchner-Cepernic hydroelectric complex dams, which lie on the Santa Cruz River basin, located in
Santa Cruz Province. This river is the last Patagonian glacial river flowing freely from the Andes
into the sea.
In response to the news published yesterday by Diario La Nación, on the renegotiation between
the Argentine Government and the Popular Republic of China regarding the progress of the works,
the coalition made up by the above mentioned organizations believes that there are three
fundamental reasons why this project should not be continued. From its onset, it has not
followed transparent procedures, public participation mechanisms or a proper analysis of the
possible environmental impacts that such a construction may pose on the ecosystem. Even more
so, it is not a priority project nor is it in line with the commitments entered into by Argentina in
the Acuerdo de París (Paris Agreement) regarding global climate change issues.
1. Lack of energetic and economic grounding
Large dams are not considered renewable energy sources, since they have a high impact on
nature and a short life cycle due to the accumulation of sediments which render them useless.
Also, their productivity or capacity factor would be 34%, compared to Yacyretá’s 71%, plus, only
43% of the energy generated could be actually used given the current electric grid features. In
their design phase, the strategic relevance of the project in a comprehensive and inter-ministerial
framework, as well as the real cost of the MW generated, how and who would pay for it were
overlooked.
Foreign Affairs Minister Susana Malcorra stated that the Santa Cruz Dams Project will be
completed, although the original budget will be reduced. In this regard, she reported that the
dams in question will have 8 rather than 11 turbines, the work will cost USD 4 billion rather than
USD 7.6 billion, the deadline will be postponed and Santa Cruz Province will obtain 12% in
royalties on account of the energy provided to the nation, although the National State will keep
ownership of the dams. This is revealing of the fact that the hydroelectric project merely responds
to financial commitments with another nation in order to avoid a potential cross-default scenario,
rather than to true energetic and environmental priorities, agreed strategically and collectively by
all Argentines.
2. Socio-environmental impact
There is consensus within the scientific community that building dams is one of the greatest
causes of water flow disruption. Also, they are primary destructive factors of the water habitat,
by contributing greatly to the destruction of fisheries, species extinction and the overarching
loss of ecosystemic services on which human economy relies. A report drafted by the
Administración de Parques Nacionales (National Parks Administration) on the specific impacts of
the Kirchner-Cepernic hydroelectric complex highlighted the risk of biodiversity loss, as well as the
loss of limnological communities, and cultural values due to the loss of archaeological information
and paleontological heritage.
Such a hydroelectric complex would turn the Santa Cruz River into large artificial reservoirs,
devastating an irreplaceable ecosystem such as that of Los Glaciares National Park (declared a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO) area of influence, host to Perito Moreno and Upsala glaciers, and
Monte León National Park. In addition, the convergence and mouth of Chico and Santa Cruz Rivers
has been declared IBA (Important Bird Area). The site serves as a key wintering area for the
critically endangered hooded grebe (Podicepsgallardoi), an Argentine endemic bird only seen in
Santa Cruz Province and declared Natural Provincial Heritage.
3. Lack of transparency and environmental public information
The project has been skewed from its onset. There has been a systematic and disturbing lack of
vital information which has kept the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) process from
fulfilling its preventive and precautionary role and has violated the dispositions set forth by the
Environment General Laws (25675), Glacier Protection Laws (26639) and National Park Laws
(22351). This kind of deficiency was presented before the Argentine Supreme Court of Justice,
which has recently demanded that the State informs whether these studies were conducted
before starting the construction of the dams.
There are two irregularities that are the most striking of them all: the lack of a transparent
award process before approving the construction in violation of EIA administrative procedures,
since the construction began months prior to conducting a study that could fully assess the effects
that the construction would have on the environment and the community, and the flawed citizen
involvement instance which prevented a true contribution by the public, turning participation
into a mere formality.
It was made public, yesterday, that engineering works will proceed soon and the
Chinese line of credit will be released without any further delay. This raises another
issue: the role of foreign financing, in this case Chinese, in our economy. It may seem
that the pressure to conduct works exceeds the national needs related to facing the
energy crisis, and this project would be a stronghold of the comprehensive strategic
partnership. Actually, the Chinese Government responded with a warning: other
agreements entered into as from July 2014 would be stopped, including nuclear plant
works and a financial swap, a tool that would serve as an exchange rate stabilizing factor
which would in turn strengthen the national reserve level.
In short, the project continues despite not having followed the EIA legal-administrative
process or the Strategic Environmental Assessment. The potential damages that the
dams might cause remain unknown to this day, even under the new design. To state
that by merely downsizing from 11 to 8 turbines, the impact caused by the dam power
on the environment will be avoided is irresponsible of the National State, to say the
least of it.
+ Link to the Coalition Position Document: “Santa Cruz River Free of Dams”
Press Contacts
Banco de Bosques: Darío Rodríguez [email protected] 153240-9108
FARN: María Emilia Garro [email protected] 154070-0397
FVSA: Carolina Martínez [email protected] 155701-4955
Aves Argentinas: Francisco González Tá[email protected]