The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has approved six applications of Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programs (EPEP) and Final Mine Rehabilitation and/or Decommissioning Plans (FMR/DP) of several contractors.
These two regulatory requirements are deemed to be the most important for companies in the extractive industries.
The Contingent Liability and Rehabilitation Fund Steering Committee recently approved the EPEP and FMR/DP of several firms applied from July to September this year.
The contractors that were approved are the following: Silangan Mindanao Mining Company, Inc., TMC-Tribal Mining Corporation, JLR Construction and Aggregates, Inc., and Atro Mining Vitali, Inc., according to a statement.
Adding to the list is Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc.
As mandated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2010-21, mining and construction companies are required to submit EPEP and FMR/DP.
The EPEP describes the expected impacts of mine and sets out the life-of-mine environmental protection and enhancement strategies based on best environmental management practice in mining operations.
Meanwhile, FMR/DP is a plan to rehabilitate the mine sites and affected areas to viable and, whenever practicable, self-sustaining ecosystems.
However, there are conditions that should be met with the issuance of the Certificate of Approval (COA), MGB noted.
One of these conditions is to make an initial cash provision of its Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Fund (FMRDF) within 60 days from the date of the FMR/DP’s approval to ensure that the needed funds are received before the end of the operating life of the mine.
Companies with approved EPEP and FMR/DP were invited to sign the conforme portion of the COA.
According to MGB’s data, mining firms have committed to spend a total of ₱39.74 billion for their sustainable development and environmental rehabilitation efforts, as of September last year.
