Pará Public Prosecutor's Office Orders Management Plan for Alter do Chão Protected Area
The Public Prosecutor's Office of Pará State (MPPA) has recommended that the Santarém Municipality develop and implement a Management Plan for the Alter do Chão Environmental Protection Area (APA). Additionally, the MPPA has called for a suspension of new environmental licensing processes within the conservation unit until this plan is approved. This recommendation was issued on June 30th by prosecutor Lilian Regina Furtado Braga. The APA Alter do Chão, established in 2003, spans approximately 16,180 hectares and encompasses several communities, including Caranazal, São Raimundo, and the village of Alter do Chão itself. The area is recognized for its significant environmental, tourist, and landscape value, housing sensitive ecosystems, water recharge zones, forests, traditional communities, and indigenous peoples.
Federal law mandates that all conservation units must have a Management Plan within five years of their creation. However, the APA Alter do Chão has lacked this crucial document for over two decades. Despite previous inquiries and actions by the MPPA to monitor the municipality's progress, satisfactory responses and effective measures for plan development have not been forthcoming. The MPPA's recommendation requires Santarém and its Municipal Secretariat of Environment (Semma) to prioritize the necessary technical, legal, budgetary, and institutional steps for the plan's creation and implementation. Within 60 days, a detailed timeline, including responsible parties, funding sources, and deadlines, must be submitted. The process also mandates technical studies and broad social participation through public consultations and hearings, as well as prior, free, and informed consent from potentially affected traditional communities and indigenous peoples.
Furthermore, the MPPA has advised the immediate halt of ongoing environmental licensing processes, including renewals and new permits for activities within the APA, until the Management Plan is approved and implemented. Exceptions are made for actions aimed at protecting natural resources or ensuring the livelihoods and cultural integrity of traditional communities. The recommendation also extends to the Municipal Secretariats of Housing and Urbanism, urging them to suspend approvals for new developments, subdivisions, and other projects potentially incompatible with the APA's objectives. Santarém Municipality has 20 days to respond to the MPPA regarding its acceptance of the recommendation and any actions taken.
The Public Prosecutor's Office's directive highlights a systemic governance gap in managing protected areas, where regulatory timelines for essential planning documents like management plans are significantly exceeded. This delay, spanning over two decades, suggests potential challenges in municipal capacity, inter-agency coordination, or political will to prioritize environmental conservation alongside development pressures. The MPPA's intervention, including the suspension of new licenses, aims to mitigate further environmental degradation and ensure that future development aligns with conservation goals. This situation underscores the critical need for robust institutional frameworks that enforce compliance with environmental legislation and guarantee the active participation of local communities in decision-making processes, thereby fostering more sustainable and equitable land-use practices in ecologically sensitive regions.
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