What’s an ECC anyway, and the way do you get one?

Official knowledge counts 447 ECCs or environmental compliance certificates issued for important initiatives throughout the Philippines

It’s an acronym you hear on a regular basis within the information.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon mentioned no flood management challenge will proceed with out an ECC. Monterrazas de Cebu violated situations in its ECC, the setting division discovered. In Padre Faura early November, local weather advocates known as out the dearth of transparency on environmental paperwork — together with the ECC — of sure initiatives.

What’s an ECC anyway and why is it vital? Who will get one and the way?

The method in a look: The ECC is brief for “environmental compliance certificates.” A challenge proponent will get one after conducting an environmental affect evaluation (EIA).

This course of is named the Philippine Environmental Impression Assertion (EIS) System, established below Presidential Decree 1586 in 1978.

What’s the system for? The EIS system sought to reconcile the potential environmental degradation that comes with infrastructure and trade growth.

Getting an ECC

A challenge proponent must efficiently full an environmental affect evaluation or EIA first. This can be a research that evaluates how a challenge will have an effect on the setting from building to abandonment, and identifies mitigating measures.

Early on, the proponent ought to current an outline of the challenge and the evaluation to affected communities and events. This stage known as public scoping. The Surroundings Administration Bureau of the Division of Surroundings and Pure Assets (EMB-DENR) points a discover of public scoping so involved sectors are conscious and might take part on this exercise. Most of the people is welcome to attend this program.

The scoping section turns into a supply of dispute when affected communities complain of not getting any discover or when they’re given incomplete data. However even earlier than the scoping, the DENR says proponents ought to already be conducting data and schooling campaigns.

Amongst those who needs to be included on this engagement: native authorities items, involved authorities companies, civil society teams, households and companies, indigenous populations, and native establishments.

Upon completion of the evaluation, the proponent comes up with a report.

The DENR checks the report and upon “optimistic overview,” they problem an ECC. The ECC outlines the proponent’s commitments to adjust to environmental laws. Its validity is nice for 5 years. Proponents ought to request for extension three months earlier than expiry.

As soon as the proponents get hold of the ECC, they will then apply for different vital permits from different authorities companies. That’s after they can proceed to the following phases of challenge implementation.

The DENR has repeatedly clarified that the ECC isn’t a allow, regardless of the doc being a prerequisite for different permits.

What number of are there?

As of June 30, the Surroundings Administration Bureau issued a complete of 447 ECCs for environmentally important initiatives throughout the Philippines.

Solely environmentally important initiatives, listed below Presidential Proclamation 2146, are required to get an ECC. These are initiatives which have excessive potential of incurring injury to the setting.

Right here’s the breakdown per trade:

• Heavy industries: 69 initiatives
• Useful resource extractive industries: 173 initiatives
• Infrastructure initiatives: 169 initiatives
• Golf course initiatives: 36 initiatives

Calabarzon has 84 most environmentally important initiatives with ECCs issued, the area with probably the most quantity. It’s adopted by Central Luzon with 76 initiatives and Caraga with 53 initiatives.

Tasks in Calabarzon embody quarry and reclamation initiatives, coal and liquified pure fuel crops, Kaliwa Dam, hydro and offshore wind initiatives.

Some might not be recognized as environmentally important initiatives however are positioned in environmentally important areas (additionally recognized in PP2146). These initiatives would nonetheless require ECCs earlier than they proceed. Areas embody nationwide parks, wildlife reserves, habitats of endangered wildlife, settlements of cultural communities.

Then there are initiatives not recognized as environmentally important below the legislation or aren’t positioned in important areas. These are required to get a certificates of non-coverage (or an exemption to the requirement of getting an ECC).

Transparency points across the ECC – and the entire system

Not too long ago a coverage and advocacy group urged the Supreme Courtroom to declare as void the DENR’s freedom of data coverage. The petitioners, Authorized Rights and Pure Assets Heart, known as the coverage “restrictive.”

Within the petition, LRC mentioned they requested environmental paperwork of the Tampakan mining challenge in South Cotabato. These paperwork embody Tampakan’s conditional environmental compliance certificates.

The group wished to verify the authorized and environmental compliance of what’s mentioned to be one of many largest copper mines on the earth — as soon as it operates.

“As [the Tampakan mine] would immediately have an effect on 1000’s, if not thousands and thousands, of Filipinos, the general public definitely has the suitable to know the phrases granted to the mining firm in its monetary or technical help settlement,” mentioned Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas, a petitioner alongside the group.

Rolly Peoro, authorized companies coordinator of LRC, mentioned the DENR’s denials of their requests for these paperwork are “clearly a grave abuse of discretion.” – Rappler.com