BRASILIA, (Reuters) – A Brazilian judge has suspended plans for construction of the massive Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in the Amazon rain forest, citing environmental concerns, a federal court said yesterday.
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.
Federal judge Ronaldo Desterro in the northern Para state said environmental requirements to build the dam had not been met. Those measures include contingency plans to assure transportation along rivers, where the dam is expected to reduce the water level sharply.
The court also prohibited the national development bank, BNDES, from financing the project.
If upheld, the ruling could spell a serious setback to President Dilma Rousseff’s plans for large investment in infrastructure projects.
Public works projects in Brazil often face legal challenges, but many court injunctions are overturned quickly.
