Coal producer Bukit Baiduri violates environmental regulation

The Provincial Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda) of East Kalimantan has accused coal producer PT Bukit Baiduri Enterprise (BBE) in the province?s Tenggarong agency of violating the environment regulation.

The accusation was based on findings made by the office?s team which includes Jakarta-based Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and local non-governmental agency LSM.

In a recent survey, the team found that seven points of environmental violations in the company?s mining area and jetty. Among of the findings included the company?s failure to build a barrier to separate its coal receiving terminal with the Sungai Mahakam river. The violation was also found in the company?s reclamation system.

Site Manager of the company, Eko Prayito, said that the company agreed to improve the reclamation in the mining location and to build a barrier to ensure that the coal would not flow into the river as required by Bapedalda.

He said that 90 percent of the weakness found during the team?s survey had been addressed. (*)