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information toward preserving the country's most
important resource and one that is dwindling at
alarming rates worldwide.
Belize still has the rare
opportunity to protect, conserve and preserve an
existing sustainable and regenerative water suppy
system. But it, like other natural resources, is
being used and abused, resulting in compromise, contamination,
diversion and deforestation for profit.
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Water
protection is the most important thing we can provide
for our children. Without a plentiful clean, drinkable
water supply system humans, plants, and animals cannot
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Greatest
Threats/Contaminants to Belize Drinking Water and
Environment
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Southeastern Watershed Update...Aug 31, 2022 Emergency Notice re Vulcan Materials from Aquatic Ecologist Ed Boles Dear Colleagues,
As a
concerned
citizen of
Belize, I am
providing
information
about Vulcan
Materials
Company (attached),
a
multi-billion
dollar
aggregate
mining company
in the United
States, and
its purchase
of White Ridge
Farm in the
Stann Creek
District of
Belize.
Their intent
is to blast,
pulverize, and
ship Sugar
Hills, a
limestone
formation, to
the
southeastern
US for use as
road fill.
Blasting shall
disrupt local
hydrologic
systems in the
Southern
Lagoon area,
threatening
the largest
concentration
of Caribbean
manatees, as
well as
Central
American River
Turtles,
American
Crocodiles,
and other
fauna. The
crushed
material shall
be carried by
a conveyer
bridge that
passes over an
important
Hawks Bill Sea
Turtle nesting
beach to
waiting cargo
ships in the
dredged out
center of the
Inner Channel
behind the
Mesoamerican
Barrier Reef.
Spokes persons
for the
current Belize
Government
have stated
that no strip
mining shall
occur in this
area.
However,
Vulcan
Materials is
persistent and
maybe even
desperate to
open their
first mine in
Belize.
The
Mexican Government
temporarily
shut down the
Vulcan Calica
Mine south of
Playa del
Carmen in
February and
again on May
5, 2022, this
time closing
it due to the
extensive
damage the
mining
operation was
causing to the
local
environment
and the water
table. This
mine was
producing 12
million tons
of crushed
limestone for
the US market.
In response
these
shutdowns,
Vulcan has two
lawsuit
against the
Mexican
Government for
$1.1 and $1.5
billion USD
and the
International
Center for
Investment
Disputes shall
be issuing a
decision. Ten
US republican
senators are
urging US
President
Biden to
protect Vulcan
and put strong
pressure on
Mexico. Vulcan
Materials has
a long history
of litigation
within many
areas of the
United States
where they
operate mines,
so this is
nothing new to
their legal
team and their
US political
support.
This
web
address, https://www.whiteridgeproject.com/, takes
you to the
site where
Vulcan
Materials
describes
benefits of
having this
company within
Belize. The attached
document
tells a very
different
story,
reviewing the
scientific
literature
describing
ecological and
social impacts
of limestone
mining and
taking a close
look at the
Vulcan site
near Playa del
Carmen,
Mexico. The
Calica Mine in
Mexico is an
indicator of
what can
happen in
Belize if this
corporation
gets set up in
our small
country. If
the Government
of Belize had
to take action
against Vulcan
for violations
of their
agreement and
failure to
protect the
environment,
as is
occurring in
many places
where Vulcan
is operating,
we too could
face a billion
dollar plus
lawsuit backed
by a powerful
and
well-funded
group of
corporate
lawyers. If
this mega
corporation
gets a
foothold in
our small
country, our
world renowned
ecological
resources and
cultural/social
identity may
change
forever.
The
Vulcan team
arrives this
month to begin
groundwork to
get the mine
eventually
opened. The
word needs to
get out. The
people need to
know who we
are up against
and what the
real stakes
are, the real
cost we and
our great
grandchildren
shall have to
bare. If this
is of concern
to you, please
help us spread
the word.
Forward this
document to
anyone who may
be interested
in helping us
protect our
country from
this corporate
resource grab.
We need all
the assistance
and support we
can muster
against this
threat that if
realized shall
impact our
ecosystems,
water
resources,
ecotourism,
economy, and
cultural
integrity. We
need to
collectively
speak out.
Please
share this
with your
Belize
networks.
Thank you for
your attention
and your
concern.
Ed
Boles
Aquatic
Ecologist
Background on
Vulcan
Materials
Company and
Expected
Impacts should White Ridge Farm
Karst Hills
Become an
Aggregate Mine Sign 2 Petitions
Health Risks Associated with
Residents
Living Near
Quarrying
Operations for more TV coverage posts
Dr.
Vandana
Shiva's
twitter
observation
regarding
mining
operations in
northern India
in 2018:
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Southeastern Watershed Water
Safety Concerns of the Southeastern Watershed of
Belize Detergents Plant a soap nut
tree and use soap berries to wash your clothes. Then use
wash water to water your garden plants.
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