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In what many are calling a huge victory for environmental and revolutionary ideals, the Communes of the Navales Region have indicated that they will formally cancel any plans to construct a dam along the Montagua River within the boundaries of Montagua National Park and will instead work with the Regional FNT and stakeholders to evaluate options friendlier to the environment. This ends a battle that was waged back in 2015 when the Communal Council of Navales City announced it had reached an agreement with the Councils in Sierra Cristal to construct the dam, a process itself that has caused no shortage of criticism and speculation from neighboring communes.
A relatively new addition to the National Park System, Montagua National Park was designated as such by the 30th Cayabocani National People’s Assembly in 1978 due to its unique fauana. Notably, this decision came over decent opposition from Representatives in the Navales Region. Nevertheless, the Park is one of the most popular in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.
Therefore, the controversy was quick and substantial when the project was announced. Both the Navales Communes and the Regional FNT submitted their own, contradictory environmental impact reports. One stated that no discernable harm would be had while the other warned or irreparable damage to the Park’s ecosystem. Due to the disagreement, the Regional FNT collectively refused to allow any construction companies in the Region to contract with the Communes, effectively stopping the Communes from getting any workers to construct their dam. To bypass this action, the Communes looked nationally to contract out, offering to be even more accommodating due to the increased logistical challenges.
This, of course, caused the Regional FNT to appeal to the National FNT. The Permanent Secretariat of the FNT announced that they would conduct their own study, eventually finding that the environmental impact of the dam would be “substantial and ultimately unnecessary. Our report clearly demonstrates that the dam is not necessary for the power needs of the Navales Region and that there are ample amounts of other, less harmful, alternatives that the Communes should investigate further. As a result, we concur with the decision of the Regional FNT to not engage in the construction of this dam.”
Rumors quickly rose that the Navales Communes would plan to appeal the National FNT’s prohibition at the 72nd Cayabocani National People’s Assembly in October of this year, further that if the National FNT would prohibit domestic companies, it would begin to debate the possibility of contracting with foreign companies.
Those rumors spelled almost as severe a pushback as the original proposal for the construction of the dam did. Even supporters of the project in Navales expressed concern over any decision to allow exploitative companies of foreign countries to begin work on the dam. While the impact of the dam is now generally agreed to be damaging, even worse so if that damage is to be done by a foreign company with foreign workers.
This news also resulted in a number of other Communes nationwide turning sour on the project, opinions that very well may have gone to the 72nd National People’s Assembly. As a result of the growing opposition, the Navales Communes ultimately signaled that they would agree with the National FNT and begin the process of evaluating other options.
In Other News…
The Communes of La Liberación City and the Regional FNT have agreed to a proposal to construct an additional 1,000 single-family housing units within the City, highlighting concerns that housing demands are not keeping pace with projected growth in the population.Severe weather along the Cantignian Coast leads to road closures as emergency crews struggle to clear debris.