Lama do Rio Doce: R$18 billion for ES in new agreement with companies

With the proposal presented to the Federal Court by Samarco and its controlling companies – Vale and BHP Brasil -, Espírito Santo could receive an estimated value of around R$18 billion. Total that would be allocated to environmental repair, compensation and investments in sanitation in 33 cities. The resource is compensation for the environmental tragedy that occurred in Mariana (MG), with repercussions in dozens of cities in Espírito Santo, after the collapse of a Samarco ore tailings dam, in 2015, which killed 19 people.

In a statement to the market, this Monday (29), Vale informed that the proposal includes R$72 billion to be paid to the Federal Government, and to the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. It also adds R$37 billion in amounts already invested in remediation and compensation and another R$18 billion in obligations to do. Which totals R$127 billion.

The document does not mention how the distribution between the states and the Union would be made. But the column found that Espírito Santo’s share would fluctuate around R$18 billion. And there would also be around R$5 billion to R$6 billion that would be paid directly to those affected, it is not yet known whether through the Renova Foundation or through Union programs.

The State reported that it does not comment on the issue, considering that negotiations on the proposal and analyzes are being carried out under secrecy at the Federal Regional Court of the 6th Region (TRF-6), in Minas Gerais.

With the recognition of the northern coast of Espírito Santo as an area affected by mining waste, one of the communities’ main demands may be met: the payment of emergency financial aid.

The expectation of the population of these regions is that there will be an expansion in the payment of aid, considering that there will be a review of the registrations whose payments were rejected by the Renova Foundation and also the criteria and methodology used by it.

“Renova cannot deny financial assistance on the grounds that the person is not in an affected region. It needs to give the person the right to present the documents that guarantee access to assistance”, explained Rafael Mello Portella Campos, public defender of Espírito Santo and coordinator of the Center for Action in Disasters and Large Enterprises (Nudege).

This does not mean that all residents will have access to assistance, payment of which is not automatic. They will have to present documents and meet some requirements. “People who demonstrate this will have the right. But we will work to carry out this review of the rejected cases, correcting the errors caused by the delay in repair. And the people who are entitled will receive the aid. It’s a matter of urgency”, explains the defender.

He points out that, following the TRF-6 decision, other measures considered urgent can now be adopted by Renova. “It doesn’t depend on any analysis or meeting”, he ponders. Are they:

• O payment to fishermen who are part of the mediated compensation program. “There are fishermen in Conceição da Barra who have not been paid since 2017 because Renova does not recognize the city as an affected area. With the decision to recognize the coast, it has the duty to return with payment”, points out Portella.
• The availability of promotion noticesencouraging entrepreneurship, community projects.
• Implementation of social protection program in all municipalities affected from the coast. “These are measures to strengthen the Unified Social Assistance System (Suas), so that actions reach communities lacking public policies.

With recognition, six cities need to be included in the reparation programs and actions: Serra, Fundão, Aracruz, São Mateus, Conceição da Barra and Linhares, where the mouth of Doce is located, but which had neighborhoods, such as Pontal do Ipiranga, that did not were included in the affected areas.

“These are regions that were being neglected by companies and Renova. They must be given the same treatment as others, or better, considering that nine years of abandonment, without emergency aid, water, compensation for people who lost their activity”, highlights Jasson Hibner Amaral, State Attorney General, in an interview given on the 24th.

These are areas, he also points out, that need the same programs adopted in cities located along the Rio Doce channel, with investment in health, education, economic recovery and compensation.

Another controversy to be managed by public institutions is the return of the registration of those affected. According to prosecutor Elaine Costa de Lima, coordinator of the Rio Doce Recovery Working Group at the Public Ministry of Espírito Santo (MPES), it was a process marked by resistance and great difficulty for the people affected.

“Those who live on the coast have become invisible to Renova. And we have the expectation that it can be resumed”, said the prosecutor, adding that registration was suspended by court decision following a request from the companies.

In a statement, BHP Brasil, one of Samarco’s controlling shareholders, reported that “it has always been and remains committed to repair and compensation actions related to the collapse of Samarco’s Fundão dam in 2015.” And he adds that, as one of the company’s shareholders, he “remains willing to collectively seek solutions that guarantee fair and comprehensive reparation to the affected people and the environment.”

The Renova Foundation, also in a statement, reported: “The repair began shortly after the collapse of the Fundão dam. Until March 2024, R$35.80 billion had been allocated to repair and compensation actions. Of this amount, R$14, 18 billion went to the payment of compensation and R$2.78 billion in Emergency Financial Aid, totaling R$16.96 billion in 442.7 thousand agreements.”

He also added: “534 cases of restitution of the right to housing were resolved with the delivery of the property or payment of compensation, and another 178 already have a defined solution, out of a total of 729 houses, businesses, farms, lots and collective assets. Actions integrated forest restoration, spring recovery and sanitation are taking place throughout the basin and aim to improve water quality.”

In the statement made to the market, Vale informs: “Reparation is a priority for Samarco, Vale and BHP and until March 2024, approximately R$37 billion had been spent on remediation and compensation, including approximately R$17 billion paid to more than 430 In addition, approximately 85% of resettlement cases for communities impacted by the Samarco dam collapse have been completed.”

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