The public hearings of Nova Ferroeste begin next Monday (16) in Dorados, Mato Grosso do Sul, and on the 18th they arrive in Guerra to begin a dialogue with the residents of Paraná. To increase social participation, the state government has a website created specifically for public hearings, as well as social networks and a telephone center for reporting and answering questions related to the Nova Ferroeste project.
Through the website it is possible to send messages and schedule participation in mixed public hearings, especially for people who do not live in the cities that will host the events (in addition to Dorados and Guerra, they will be in Cascavel, Paranagua, São José dos Pinhais, Guarapuava and Irati). Anyone interested will be able to follow the performance live on the website www.audienciasnovaferroeste.com.br or in person.
The hearings are one of the steps in obtaining the prior environmental license (LP) required from the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). At these meetings, the result of the environmental impact study, which was conducted by the Foundation for Economic Research (FIPE) last year, will be presented to the residents of the municipalities along the way.
Nova Frost will connect Paranagua to Maracaju, in Mato Grosso do Sul, by rail, on a 1,300-kilometer route, thus sharing the neighboring country. There are expectations for the construction of a branch line between Cascavel and Foz do Iguaçu that will allow the pickup of goods from Paraguay and Argentina.
Each audience will have a coverage area, determined by Ibama, according to the proximity of the municipality selected as its headquarters. The Government of Paraná will provide transportation for residents of neighboring cities, included in the planning of the project, who wish to attend the hearing in person. Buses and vans will transport groups to and from the meeting points listed on the official website. Scheduling is done directly on the platform.
The portal also contains the schedule, locations, times and addresses for all audiences. At the time of the hearing, the virtual room will have access to the live broadcast of the meeting. Those who choose to participate remotely will have the option to submit questions in real time, which will be answered during the hearing or later, depending on the total volume and complexity of the questions.
Comments, criticisms and suggestions can now be recorded in any communication channel. The Environmental Impact Study (EIA), which contains more than 3,000 pages and the Environmental Impact Report, is also on the platform and can be downloaded completely.
The construction and operation of Nova Ferroeste will change the lifestyle of thousands of people in eight municipalities in Mato Grosso do Sul and 41 in Parana. A team of dozens of professionals from the governments of Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul, biologists, engineers and technicians from Ibama will detail the effects of the railway installation.
For Luiz Henrique Fagundes, State Rail Plan Coordinator, this is a key moment for the community to make its contributions. “We are providing broad access to civil society, who will be able to participate physically or in person in the public hearings. All studies and reports are available on the site. There are several ways in which people can actually remove doubts about the topic. It is essential that the community study,” he said. And he stays and thinks about the matter at this moment.
Accessibility
Audience sites are also designed to be easy to access. They have ramps and restrooms that cater to participants. At the time of the event, there will also be a version of the informational materials in Braille, as well as an assistance service for people with disabilities. During the event, simultaneous interpretation into Brazilian Sign Language will be performed.
The site also provides translation of content into Libras. Free software helps blind or visually impaired people navigate content with the help of artificial voice. Another device that converts written text into sound.
Municipalities with free transportation for hearings:
05/16 – Dorados
Maracaju, Itapura, Carabu and Amambay
05/18 – Guerra
Iguatemi, El Dorado, Mundo Novo, Nova Santa Rita and Terra Roxa
05/19 – Cascavel
Mareba, Toledo, Assis Chateaubriand, Topasi, Vera Cruz do Oeste, Santa Teresa de Oeste, Medianera, Matilandia, Sio Azul, Santa Teresinha de Itapu, São Miguel de Iguaçu, Catandovas, Campo Bonito, Ibima, Nova Guanji
05/23 – Paranagua
mortar
05/24 – Sao Jose dos Pinhais
Balsa Nova, Contenda, Lapa, Araucaria, Mandritoba and Fazenda Rio Grande
05/26 – Guarapuava
Laranjeiras do Sul, Cantagalo, Marquinho, Goioxim, Candói, Inácio Martins
05/27 – Irati
Sao Joao do Triunfo, Fernandez Pinheiro and Puerto Amazonas
List of municipalities and dates and places of public hearings:
05/16 – Dorados
Location: Dorados Village Association
Address: Rua Valério Fabiano, 100, Jardim Alhambra
Time: 19 hours
05/18 – Guerra
Venue: Navigators’ Hall
Address: Avenida Coronel Otavio Tosta, s/n, Centro
Time: 19 hours
05/19 – Cascavel
Location: Unioeste
Address: Rua Universitária, n° 2069, Bairro Universitário
Time: 19 hours
05/23 – Paranagua
Location: Mega Rossio Tourist Complex
Address: Praça Thomas Shehan, s/n, Bairro Rocio
Time: 19 hours
05/24 – Sao Jose dos Pinhais
Venue: Max Rosenmann Sports Club
Address: Avenida Rui Barbosa, No. 4.997, Bairro Afonso Pena
Time: 19 hours
05/26 – Guarapuava
Location: Lagos City Event Center
Address: Avenida dos Lagos, nº 2.750, Bairro Cidade dos Lagos
Time: 19 hours
05/27 – Irati
Venue: Pavilion Aquatic Park
Address: Rua Adão Panka, nº 250, Bairro Rio Bonito
Time: 19 hours
Source: AEN Paraná