I not sure if this got posted, but i checked and I didn't see anyting...if it was, I'll delete the post
Source:
http://www.nosmeltertnt.com/US Aluminum Giant Alcoa is facing massive criticism over a proposed 340,000
metric ton smelter plant in Cap De Ville in the Caribbean Island of
Trinidad. The country of Trinidad is one of the most densely populated
places on earth with 249 persons per sq. kilometer and also already ranks
very high in pollution levels due to ongoing industrialization. According to
world bank statistics, Trinidad is #5 in the world when it comes to Carbon
Dioxide Pollution.
The 2005 Yale/Columbia Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) showed
Trinidad and Tobago as having the worst percentage of negative land impacts
of 146 countries, yet Trinidad's government is continuing on a path toward
industrialization of what was once a scenic Caribbean Island.
The proposed smelter plant, one of the largest in the world is scheduled to
be located within a mile or less of the population center of
Cap-de-Ville/Point Fortin in the Cedros Peninsula. The residents of the
until now sleepy and peaceful peninsula are uniting and organizing massive
protests on a regional and international level. While similar protests in
Chile, Brazil and Vietnam successfully kept proposed Aluminum smelter plants
out of their countries, the Trinidad government is determined to let Alcoa
go ahead with their project at all cost.
The citizens group Cedros Peninsula United managed to obtain a copy of
Alcoa's application of Environmental Clearance which was jointly signed by
Alcoa and the government's Energy Corporation which Alcoa tried to keep
secret and found it full of omissions, inaccuracies and outright false
statements.
"We are very worried about a company that promises us an 'environmentally
friendly' smelter, yet is already lying about things like waste and
pollution before the smelter is even built. How can we trust them," warns
the citizens group. The local press totally ignored the findings in Alcoa's
environmental clearance application but had no problem accepting three page
ads by Alcoa promoting their smelter project. Money rules in Trinidad.
Alcoa's record in Trinidad is already spotty. They have a trans-shipment
facility in the northern part of the Island in Carenage and have been under
fire from citizens there for many years. A 1989 air-monitoring report by
Cariri, commissioned by a Carenage citizens group, showed Alcoa exceeded US
emissions standards for residential areas at three monitoring sites in
Carenage on each of the five days of monitoring.
The residents of the Cedros Peninsula suffering from sleepless night these
days, their livelyhood from fishing and agriculture and their health and
environment threatened by Aluminum Giant Alcoa.
One of the largest aluminum smelters in the world in one of the smallest
countries in the World. It's a recipe for disaster and the citizens of
Trinidad are fighting a serious battle, not just with Alcoa but their own
government that supports and sponsors Alcoas plans. The citizens of the tiny
Cedros Peninsula are hoping that once the facts of this project are made
known to the world community, that Alcoa may be swayed to look elsewhere to
build their smelter.
