Chamber approves project that facilitates restoration of vegetation around springs

The Chamber of Deputies approved this Tuesday (8) the 3430 / 19 Bill, from the deputy Leandre (PV-PR), which changes the Forest Code  to facilitate the restoration of vegetation around springs, without requiring an environmental license. The matter will be sent to the Senate.

According to substitutive approved, by the deputy Igor Timo (Pode-MG), occasional or low environmental impact activities will be considered those with the objective of restoring native vegetation around springs or other degraded areas, in accordance with the standard issued by the competent body of the National Environmental System (Sisnama).

The Forest Code provides that the intervention and removal of vegetation in Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserve for occasional or low environmental impact activities will depend on a simple declaration to the competent environmental body.

To do this, the interested party must have a small property or rural family possession and have registered the property in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR).

Payment for environmental services 

For the author, the destruction of springs puts the water system at risk and the project will help regulate payment for environmental services, as provided for in the 5028 / 19 Bill, recently approved by the Chamber.

“The destruction of springs has direct negative consequences for streams, rivers and other watercourses and they are exposed “to all types of aggression, such as deforestation, fires, soil erosion and contamination with pesticides”.

“It is very important that we return to protecting the environment and springs”, said the deputy Erika Kokay (PT-DF), criticizing the actions of the Ministry of the Environment.

for the deputy Eli Borges (Solidarity-TO), “the protection of springs is essential for the preservation of rivers, agriculture and reservoirs”, but criticizing what he considers excessive bureaucracy on the part of environmental agencies.

Other activities 

The law defines eleven other types of interventions for which a declaration is sufficient, such as opening small internal access roads; implementation of facilities necessary for capturing and conveying water; implementation of trails for ecotourism; construction of housing for family farmers, remnants of quilombola communities and other extractive and traditional populations; and scientific research relating to environmental resources.

Watercourses 

Igor Timo removed changes from the original text that implied the end of the concession for the use of water. “The issue of damming watercourses for irrigation and flow regulation deserves to be widely discussed in this House”, said the rapporteur, referring to the deputy’s amendment Zé Vitor (PL-MG), rejected in its opinion.