By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
Laoag
City—About 1,281 indigenous trees including
52 saplings are going to be sacrificed to give way for the installation of a
solar energy project at Brgy. Bimmanga, Currimao, Ilocos Norte.
The power project covers
about 60 hectares of timberland.
Among the trees marked to be
cut include agoho, Ipil-ipil, Auricaliformis, talisay, camachile, mango, lanete,
kakawate, cashew, tamarind, duhat and siniguelas with a total volume of 1,166.3
cubic meters.
The Dept. of Environment and Natural
Resources however recommended that the 1,281 trees to be cut upon approval of
the DENR regional director be replaced with a total of 128,100, or a ratio of
1:100 plantable seedlings as a replacement of every tree cut and these shall be
planted in an urban forest located in Currimao, Ilocos Norte.
This was confirmed by provincial
environment and natural resources officer Juan delos Reyes following a request
of MIRAE Asia Energy Corporation, the proponent of the 20-megawatt Currimao
solar project, which is now under the administration and control of Soleq
Philippines Inc., another business entity with interest on solar power projects
in Asia.
Based on the company website,
Soleq is backed by Equis Funds Group, a leading private equity group focused on
energy and infrastructure in Asia.
In a committee hearing held
at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Craig Marsh, Soleq Inc. director, has sought
the endorsement of the Ilocos Norte board for the solar project to finally take
off.
In November 2012, a
Korean power firm, Mirae Asia Energy Corporation expressed interest to develop
a 20-megawatt solar farm in the area but due to apparent financial
setback, Mirae sold its shares to Soleq, which is now pushing hard for the
project.
Paving the way for the
installation of the solar project in Currimao town, the Provincial Environment
and Natural Resource Office (PENRO) earlier organized a team to conduct an
inventory at the site particularly on the proposed locations of the solar panel
arrays, panel array buffer and transmission line right of way within the
approved Forest Land use Agreement (FLAg) area.
On August 27, 2014, the FLAg
No. 04-2014 was granted by the DENR to the Ilocos Norte government represented
by Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos for the solar project development in a
forest land cover of Brgys. Bimmanga and Salindeg-Paguludan in Currimao for
a period of 25 years and which can be renewed for another 25 years.
Based on the six-page lease
agreement, the Ilocos Norte government shall submit within six months, upon
signing of the said agreement, a Comprehensive Development and Management Plan
(CMDP) for the FLAg area, subject for approval by the review committee.
As specified in the CMDP,
the solar energy project shall ensure the protection of the
environment and conservation of natural resources in the area and it should
benefit among others the host community.
Presidential Decree No. 705,
otherwise known as the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines” authorizes
the special use of forestlands for beneficial purposes which do not impair the
forest resources.
After conducting a series of
evaluation and assessment, the establishment of the solar energy farm
in the barren sand dunes of Currimao town near a forest park of
fully-grown trees has been found technically and financially feasible.
SP member Joel Garcia, in the
provincial board’s committee on environment chairperson, said after the hearing
that the SP is set to pass an endorsement resolution in favor of the solar
project installation pending submission of the company’s detailed list of their
corporate social responsibility projects.
“We remain very committed to
deliver the CSR projects aligned to the provincial government programs and we
look forward to a long term partnership with you,” Marsh told members of the
Ilocos Norte board.
Comments
Post a Comment