Now, in addition, an inquiry must be made at the National Committee of Protected Areas to determine if a construction project is within a protected sector.
The headache of getting a construction license in Guatemala will get worse now that a new process has been added to the list. In addition to the 13 agencies that must "rule " whether or not a permission can be granted, Government Agreement 20-2016 by the Ministry of Environment, establishes in Article 13 a new requirement for the construction sector: a consultation with the National Committee on Protected areas (CONAP), said Jorge Benavides, research associate of the Foundation for the Development of Guatemala to Republica.gt.
The Ministry of Agriculture ordered the measure due to an increase of the pest in Guatemalan forests, in order to have more resources to combat it.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) in Guatemala declared a state of sanitary emergency due to a significant increase in pine weevils in the country, and the threat posed by the scourge of this species in the coniferous forests of Honduras, reported Prensalibre.com.
In 2006 exports of allspice reached 1,500 tons, while in 2012 they barely reached 700.
Producers blame a tax of 15 quetzals per quintal, as a check on the production of grain.
The tax has been called anachronistic, since its intent was to protect the pepper trees, growing only in Petén, and which were considered endangered.
Rodolfo Rivera, an allspice producer, notes that "The National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) raised the tax because before the trees were only produced in Petén and were considered an endangered species, but they are now grown elsewhere and already out of danger. "
The Guatemalan Tourism Institute will promote fifty-one protected areas as tourist destinations.
Guatemala has 300 protected areas, although the authorities are promoting about 51 sites as tourist destinations within and outside the country.
The Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (Inguat) and the National Protected Areas Council (CONAP), with support from USAID / Countepart, have joined forces to launch the website www.turismo-sigap.com.
The National Council of Protected Areas has rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted by Grupo Tomza, for the second time.
On February 2010 the National Protected Areas Council (CONAP) rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the grounds that "in Punta de Manabique there cant be a liquefied gas plant since it is a recovery and conservation area for endangered species... "
The regulator has still not issued an opinion on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted by Grupo Tomza to build a gas plant in Punta de Manabique.
The new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) presented by the company includes moving the location of the plant by about 500 meters to ensure that the impact on flora and fauna will be temporary and can be mitigated through forestation plans.
On approval of the project, Grupo Tomza will confirm its investment of $ 27.7 million in the construction of the terminal.
The new environmental impact assessment (EIA) submitted by the company, which is currently under consideration, suggests moving the location of the plant by about 500 meters in order to ensure that the impact on flora and fauna will be temporary and can be mitigated by forestation plans .
Tomza Group has introduced a new environmental impact study to construct a liquefied gas storage plant in Izabal, Guatemala.
An article by Lorena Alvarez in Elperiodico.com.gt notes that in February 2010 the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) had rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the grounds that "Manabique tip can not be a site for a liquefied gas plant because it is a recovery area and conservation area for endangered species "