DENR: CSI hotel project no critical impact
AN official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provincial office has stated categorically that the agency will not interpose an objection to the planned construction of the hotel in Barangay Lucao since the project has no known critical impact on the environment.
Amante Barbano, head of the land management division of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Dagupan City, made the clarification in connection with the plan of the CSI Group of Companies to build a hotel complex by the Jose R. De Venecia Sr. Expressway Extension.
He pointed out that all the documents submitted by CSI Group pertaining to the land located in Barangay Lucao are in order and the project does not require an environmental clearance since the project has no potential critical impact on the city’s environment.
He confirmed that the documents were forwarded to the DENR Regional Office in San Fernando City, La Union recently for evaluation.
“Our point is whatever the proponent wishes to do with its titled property, the DENR has no more jurisdiction over it,” Barbano clarified during the KBP forum on Thursday.
The Dagupan City Zoning Administrator continues to refuse to issue a locational clearance for the proposed hotel project on orders of Mayor Benjamin Lim.
A locational clearance is needed before the City Engineering Office can issue a building permit to the company.
Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, whose family owns the CSI Group, said all the documents required by the city zoning office have been submitted in compliance with the latter’s requirements.
She laments that in spite of the company’s full compliance, the zoning office still refuses to issue the locational clearance ostensibly owing to a memorandum issued by Mayor Benjamin Lim.
Meanwhile, Barbano pointed out that the 888 Dagupan Properties Incorporated which has been allowed to resume reclamation activities along the Calmay River beside the Jose R. De Venecia Sr. Expressway Extension, has been defying the law.
The corporation was issued a cease and desist order by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), an attached agency of DENR, for its illegal reclamation activities.
The EMB has called on the city government to enforce the CDO and help protect the river from further degradation.
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