BRASILIA, (Reuters) – A Brazilian court yesterday lifted an order that suspended construction of the massive Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in the Amazon rain forest, a project expected to face barrage of lawsuits by environmental critics. Belo Monte, which would be the world’s third-largest hydroelectric dam, has sparked protests in Brazil and abroad over its impact on the environment and native Indian tribes in the region.
A federal judge last week ordered construction to be suspended on the grounds that the necessary environmental provisions had not been met. he Norte Energia consortium building the dam is led by Brazilian state-controlled power utility Eletrobras.
