The proposed Vaca dam would be the third and final dam on the Macal river in Belize. BELPO in its submission has stated that commencing work on the third dam should not be allowed as portions of the Environmental Compliance Plan for Chalillo – the already constructed second dam in the three-dam scheme – have not been complied with by the developer Belize Electric Company Limited (BECOL). Specifically, that BECOL has not yet installed an adequate emergency response system in the event of a dam break, and not completed the testing of mercury levels in fish.
BELPO has listed the Chief Environmental Officer as the defendant, and the Director of Health Services, the National Emergency Response Organization (NEMO) and the National Meteorology Service (NMS) as interested parties. BECOL has also joined in the case as an interested party.
BELPO has gone to the court for an injunction, as well as a compliance order (or writ mandamus), ordering the Department of the Environment to enforce the country’s environmental laws. The plaintiffs maintain that there should be no talk about building a third dam at Vaca when the environmental compliance plan for the second dam, Chalillo, is not being complied with. They say that they are particularly concerned that should the dam break, there is no emergency response system in place to ensure the safety of people and businesses in the area.
