Since the Chief Environmental Officer was available for comment today, the press asked him to comment on the DOE's assessment of this development.
He said that the developers were obliged to install a number of safety features, in anticipation of public health and public safety:
Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer
"For example explosions, that's the major issue that people are concerned about. Spills, leakage, if you built a wall, that's another safeguard that you have where you minimize the distance requirement as per the guideline. thirdly, if you vaulted, so you have distance from another lot that you built underground instead of above ground - that you vaulted and another requirement that we could impose is that build explosion prevention walls where these blast walls are built such as if there is any eventual explosion, that that contains the outward spread. In the case of what you are mentioning all those assessments were done, criterias were put in where properties were bought, it was forced to go underground, it was forced to be vaulted within the underground, reduce the minimum distance required from the nearest residence. To the extent that my officers and the fire department were convinced that the guidelines were being met with all these additional safeguards that were being imposed on the investor which implies more economic input or financial input by the investor, but these are the minimum requirements that you would have as per the environmental guidelines for service stations."
The press also asked him about that muddy effluent that was discharged into the sea yesterday. He said that he has instructed officers to investigate:
Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer
"I saw it yesterday and I ask my staff to please see if it is something that is coming from the investment or the development or construction we have to deal with it. We have received similar ones on other situations on another gas station in Belmopan, we received a video that was published, we looked into it and we are resolving the issue as we speak right now."
