Mendoza Begins Environmental Monitoring for Copper Mining Project

Following the sanction of the law approving copper extraction in Mendoza, the provincial government held its first meeting to present how the environmental impact of the San Jorge project will be supervised. According to the ruling party, the initiative will allow for comprehensive monitoring, with the participation of technical and academic bodies, and the possibility for interested citizens to join the control process. During the meeting, which brought together more than 20 institutions, the Environmental Management Unit held its first working session, presenting the regulatory framework, the inspection methodology, and the plan for evaluating the project's environmental documentation. The meeting was led by authorities from the Mining Directorate and the Environmental Management and Control Directorate, along with representatives from universities, municipalities, and provincial and national bodies. According to the government, the control scheme will include periodic evaluations of the project's documents, joint inspections in the field, and coordination with the Mining Environmental Police, as part of monitoring the activity within the limits established by law and environmental standards. The head of the supervisory body stated that the forum is plural and open to citizen participation, and that any adult can join the project's monitoring by completing a form available on official portals. Among the participants were representatives from UNCuyo, UTN, the General Irrigation Department, the Directorate of Protected Areas, Biodiversity, and Ecopark, Cultural Heritage, the Municipality of Las Heras, the National Institute of Agricultural Technology, and other provincial and national bodies linked to environmental management. The government recalled that this scheme is part of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), promoted by the World Bank, which seeks to ensure the exploitation of natural resources is carried out with public information and the participation of various sectors. According to the ruling party, with this presentation, a new phase of more structured environmental supervision begins, with continuous controls and multi-sectoral participation in mining in Mendoza.