Washington, D.C. February 7, 2006---The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced today that it will host two meetings next week as part of its ongoing consultation process to discuss the environmental and social impacts of two proposed pulp mills near the Rio Uruguay. Interested parties are invited to attend and participate.
The meetings will be held:
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February 14, 2006 in Montevideo from 3 pm to 8 pm in the
Sala Anacahuita, Centro de Convenciones y Reuniones, Torre de los Profesionales, Yaguarón 1407 piso 04.
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February 16, 2006 in Buenos Aires from 1 pm to 6 pm
Salon SUM, Punta Carrasco, Avda. Costanera Norte y Avda. D.F.Sarmiento.
The meetings, which are part of the consultation and disclosure process regarding the pulp mill’s cumulative impact study, build on IFC’s most recent consultations with stakeholders in both countries last month.
The meetings will offer an additional opportunity for interested parties to review and comment on the findings and analysis within the draft Cumulative Impact Study (CIS), commissioned by IFC. IFC has been soliciting input from stakeholders on the draft CIS to further inform its decision-making as it considers financing the mills. Comments and written material offered at the meetings will become part of the public record. The meetings will be facilitated by an independent third party who will define the structure and format to ensure a focused and fair dialogue process.
The Cumulative Impact Study and the Consultation Process
The CIS was released on December 19, 2005, in draft form, opening a consultation period to receive feedback from interested parties on the study's scope, methodology and findings. The consultation process will help determine whether there are any gaps in the analysis undertaken to date and whether any additional modification of the study may be required as a result. Subsequently, all comments will be reviewed by an expert panel specifically set up for this purpose.
Neither IFC nor MIGA, which is considering an investment guarantee for one of the mills, will make a decision on whether to proceed with funding or guarantees until the consultation process is completed. All written comments on the CIS must be submitted no later than February 17, 2006 (see below).
The Online Feedback Option
In order to facilitate feedback on the CIS from the public and interested parties, IFC has also opened an online submission mechanism via the Internet. The public and interested parties can submit comments, analysis, and feedback on the CIS at the following Web address:
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/lac.nsf/content/Uruguay_Pulp_Mills.
