Hydro's representative on the CA, Eduardo Bustamante, presented a table with the status of all foreseen commitments. According to the balance sheet, of the 37 items agreed between the signatory parties, 20 are concluded, 15 are in progress and two have not yet started.

As for the items not started, it was clarified that the implementation will start from the results of the independent audits in progress.

Completed actions – Among the items already completed and with evidence reported to the signatory parties, are the evaluation of the containment efficiency of the piles of the solid residue deposit 1 (DSR1) of Alunorte, provided for in item 3.2.1 of the TAC; the study of hypothetical rupture of solid residue deposits, known as Dam Break (3.2.2); and the installation of monitoring cameras and provision of real-time images for the Integrated Environmental Monitoring Center of the State of Pará – Cimam (items 3.2.3 and 3.2.4).

The payment of food coupons (2.1.2) and a series of actions related to the safety of the companies' production process are also among the commitments already fulfilled.

Hiring independent audits – Selection processes are underway for hiring environmental studies (item 2.1.1 BDEF of the TAC), epidemiological studies (2.1.1 C) and auditing the safety of the production process (4.1). Hydro expects that these contracts will be completed by May 2023. Given the complexity of the studies involved and the need to collect data in different periods, the audits will require varying deadlines, estimated between 180 and 240 days.

The term of reference for contracting the socioeconomic and ethnographic study is still in the evaluation phase (2.1.1 A). The substitute for the 8th representation of civil society at CA, Ivo Torres, reinforced the importance of this study, since, according to him, the flow of tourists decreased in the period after the events of February 2018. I think it's very important. Merchants didn't know what to do, tourists canceled inns, stopped coming to the beach”, he commented.

According to a note published on the TAC website, the company Ambipar Response Control Environmental Consulting Ltd was selected to carry out the audit of the emergency action plan (5.1). The contract was signed on November 29, 2022, from when the 180-day period for completion of the service is counted.

The security and stability audit of solid residue deposits (3.1) is in the execution phase and the preliminary reports are already being reviewed by the technical representatives of the signatory parties in the TAC Technical Committee. Eduardo Bustamante, from Hydro, proposed a presentation on the progress of this audit at the next Board meeting.

Actions in progress – The permanent water distribution solution (item 2.1.4 of the TAC) is in advanced negotiations for the purpose of approving the cooperation term to be signed between the City Hall of Barcarena (PA), the Public Services Regulatory Agency (Arsep ) of the municipality, water and sewage concessionaire Águas de São Francisco and the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability of Pará (Semas).

About the creation of assessment systems for surface and groundwater (item 2.1.6 of the TAC), beach bathing (2.1.7), air quality (2.1.8) and the telemetric system for assessing beach water (2.1.9), the work plans and terms of reference are being evaluated by Semas, by the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará (IFPA) and by the University of the State of Pará (Uepa).

Monitoring compliance with commitments is available in full on the TAC website, which is constantly updated.

Civil society – Representatives of civil society at the CA raised doubts, mainly about the audits. Fabiano Azevedo, alternate from representation 4, asked if there is any survey regarding the hiring of local labor to perform the services for which the companies have already been selected.

As the doubts presented required checking information in other sectors of Hydro and also with other signatory parties, Eduardo Bustamante requested that the executive secretary of the Board systematize the questions presented at the meeting and forward them to the signatories, so that they are adequately answered.

Bylaws – After an extensive period for evaluation by all members, the bylaws of the TAC Monitoring Committee were approved at the 27th meeting and became definitively effective. However, members will still be able to submit questions and suggest changes when necessary.

Next meeting – The next meeting will be on January 31st and will have as its agenda the presentation of preliminary results of the audit of safety and stability of solid residue deposits (item 3.1 of the TAC), which is in progress.

Contact – In case of doubts, the executive secretary of the Follow-up Committee has a communication channel available by call or message at number (91) 99349-0098.

Members of the Follow-up Committee present at the 27th meeting:

José Edson Maciel – Alunorte Alumina do Norte do Brasil S/A – owner

Eduardo Romano Bustamante – Norsk Hydro Brazil – starter

Vera Nascimento – Civil Society Representative – Region 1 – Quilombola and Traditional Communities – Alternate

Jackeline Sales – Civil Society Representative – Region 2 – Incumbent

Leandro Azevedo – Civil society representative – Region 3 – holder

Fátima Solange – Civil society representative – Region 4 – holder

Fabiano Azevedo – Civil Society Representative – Region 4 – Alternate

Rozemiro Brito – Civil society representative – Region 5 – holder

Amauri Figueiredo – Civil society representative – Region 5 – alternate

Elidiane Cardim – Civil society representative – Region 6 – holder

Rosa Maria Dias – Civil society representative – Region 7 – holder

Elisomar Barreto – Civil society representative – Region 8 – holder

Ivo Torres – Civil Society Representative – Region 8 – Alternate

Maria das Graças – Civil society representative – Region 9 – holder

Hamilton Caminha – Civil Society Representative – Region 9 – Alternate

Ereny Barbosa – Civil Society Representative – Region 10 – Alternate

 

Executive Secretariat Team of the International Institute of Education of Brazil (IEB):

Edane France Acioli

Paulo Pantoja

Raphael Castro

Source: Executive Secretariat of the TAC Monitoring Committee