(April 5, 2014) A letter to the editor expresses concern at the lack of response from Belize authorities to environmental lawyer Candy Gonzalez’ public campaign for government bodies to implement a risk management program for the controversial Canadian-owned Chalillo dam on Belize’s Macal River. In particular, the monitoring and testing of mercury levels in fish caught in the Macal and E. coli levels in the river’s water. Writes concerned villager, John Tut: “It seems that the Government of Belize has once again abandoned the well-being and livelihood of the Cayo people in favour of the monstrous multinational company – BECOL [the non-regulated hydroelectric generation business that operates the Chalillo dam, a subsidiary of dam owner, Canadian company, Fortis, Inc.].”
Fighting for compliance again: Belize’s Macal River
(February 28, 2014) Candy and George Gonzalez from the Belize Institute of Environmental Law and Policy (BELPO) — longtime champions of Belize’s Macal River and active monitors of the controversial Canadian-owned Chalillo dam and its impacts on the river — say they are again trying to press various Belize government departments to adhere to the Environmental Compliance Plan agreed to for the project. Under the plan, the Macal’s water and fish require regular testing and the results published to protect public health and safety. At present, the Gonzalez’s say public health is in danger from high mercury levels in fish caught in the Macal and high levels of E. coli in the river’s water, but the departments responsible for implementing the project’s risk management program are not doing their job.
Mercury in Macal bay snook “very alarming”, says Candy Gonzalez
(May 5, 2010) There is no public advisory out; however, recently unveiled data on mercury levels in fish of the Macal River has environmentalist and activist Candy Gonzalez of Belize Environmental Law and Policy Office (BELPO) concerned that the community may be eating itself to poor health without knowing it.
Water Quality Update for the Macal River
(October 15, 2009) The Belize government has issued a press release with the results from water tests on the Macal River. The tests were performed on August 18th, after photographs were released showing the Chalillo dam on the Macal River discharging sediment-laden water.
An update on the Chalillo dam in Belize’s Macal River Valley
(August 23, 2002) In the last two years, we’ve made our concerns about Fortis and its federal backers heard in parliament, before the Senate, at Fortis shareholders’ meetings in St. John’s, and via the media in Belize, Canada, Great Britain, Mexico, and the United States.
Macal River Upstream Storage Facility Environmental Impact Assessment
(August 31, 2001) The executive summary of the environmental impact assessment of the proposed Chalillo dam in Belize produced by AMEC for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Chalillo Dam dispute goes before Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has given the government of Belize three months to respond to allegations filed 12 years ago by BELPO, an organization representing the Maya people and affected communities.
IACHR considers human rights violations regarding Chalillo dam
More than 10 years after its completion in September 2005, the Americas’ official human rights watchdog has opened a case against the government of Belize to consider the impacts of the country’s long controversial, Canadian-owned Chalillo dam.
Did a dam cause a water surge ending in multiple deaths?
(May 7, 2014) Did a rise in Belize’s Macal River, due to the routine release of water from an upstream dam, as part of its daily operations, cause multiple deaths by drowning in recent weeks?
BECOL warning system failed
(June 16, 2013) Belize: Various reports indicate a planned test of an early warning system in the event of a break at the Chalillo dam has failed.
Fortis proposed buyout of NY utility jeopardized by corporate reputation
(June 12, 2013) As Canadian electric utility holding company Fortis Inc. awaits a decision on its proposed $1.5-billion buyout of New York’s CH Energy Group, a coalition of groups opposed to the takeover see Fortis’ past performance in Belize and British Columbia as a warning of what may lie in store for them. Probe International provides a round-up of reports on the controversy.
Troubling similarities between carbon credits and mortgage derivatives
(February 8, 2011) Chuck Spinney at the Atlantic has written an interesting article comparing carbon credits to the complex mortgage dervativs that led to the financial meltdown.
What does it take?
(October. 12, 2010) Letter by Candy and George Gonzalez on the failure of Belize’s Department of the Environment (DOE) to fully comply with a court order regarding the Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP) for the Chalillo Dam.
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UMass Amherst Environmental Scientist Monitors Water Quality, Helps World Communities Threatened by Giant Hydro Projects
(December 29, 2009) Guy Lanza, director of UMass Amherst’s Environmental Science Program, says the hydro electric industry has mounted a public relations offensive to promote itself as green, and powerful institutions like the World Bank are buying it, but the reality is these projects are just the opposite of green and can cause severe, long-lasting damage. “I have real reservations about promoting hydropower as green power when in most cases it’s not,” he says.
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