EDC geothermal project on the right track—Lizares
BACOLOD CITY -- Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation, Inc. (NFEFI) Chairman of the Board Paul Edward Trebol Lizares said that the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) is on top of what they are supposed to do relative to the geothermal development project at the 12.5 hectare buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP).
NFEFI is part of the Provincial Monitoring Team created by the Provincial Government.
Lizares said that as of now the EDC has complied with all the requirements imposed on them.
Lizares cited EDC's reforestation project now reaching 150 hectares. He said they are on the process of completing the 400 hectares that they are committed to do.
"I know that they are doing as much of the endemic trees as they are adhering to that requirement. From what I have seen from going there, they have excellent nursery and they have a good selection of endemic trees. They will use endemic trees as the majority of their reforestation. I am in support of what they are doing at this point of time," Lizares said.
He added, he has been there four times since the monitoring team got implemented.
"I have been there when the trees were cut and seen them fall down. From my visits and from the weekly report from EDC, my concerns have been answered from those reports and first hand knowledge in the operation and from direct links with Erwin Magallanes of the EDC, who is on call. He is always there for answers," he said.
"Everything seems to be black and white from our perspective. We're looking things from the present. What happened six years ago when this law was passed, I am just basing everything on the current issues and going from there and making the most of what we have," he said.
On the biodiversity, he said its not majority of the MKNP. The impact would be limited to that area alone.
With regards to carbon emissions, old trees' carbon credits are not that effective compared to younger trees. The reforestation of 400 hectares would be more effective in the long run than keeping the old trees, Lizares said.