The Senate of Mendoza has given final approval to the Environmental Impact Statement (DIA) for the mining project PSJ Cobre Mendocino, located in Uspallata, with 29 affirmative votes, 6 negative votes, and one abstention. The project, promoted by Governor Alfredo Cornejo, received majority support from the Cambia Mendoza coalition, the PRO party, part of Peronism, legislators from La Unión Mendocina, and the Democratic Party. The three initiatives had already been passed by the Chamber of Deputies. The DIA for MDMO II was approved with 31 votes in favor and 3 against. Ariel Pringles, of La Unión Mendocina, stated that his favorable vote aims to reverse the economic stagnation in the province. During the debate, Kirchnerist Senator Félix González criticized the validity of the DIA and requested its return to the Executive Branch. The negative votes came from Gerardo Vaquer, Cristina Gómez, Félix González, Helio Perviú, Dugar Chappel, and Flavia Manoni. In contrast, Pedro Serra defended his favorable vote by arguing that “there are false dichotomies that propose mining or agriculture, when they must be both things.” For her part, Senator Mercedes Derrache justified her change of stance on access to supplementary documentation incorporated by the General Department of Irrigation, in particular a report signed by Sergio Marinelli.
