Changing Rio's Environmental Laws For Golf

Unlike the AP coverage that has focused on a developer's claim to the Olympic golf course land and his plans to build housing on the site, Robbie Blakeley in the Rio Times looks at the less sexy but more important issue facing the construction of the 2016 golf course by Gil Hanse: Rio's environmental laws and mayor Eduardo Paes who will need to reverse a law protecting the current site.

In total, a stretch of 58km², previously considered protected land and part of the Zona de Conservação da Vida Silvestre (ZCVS) will be destroyed, with the mayor promising to protect the Praia da Reserva by means of compensating some incensed Carioca residents.

“The Área de Preservação Ambiental (APA) will lose a small part of its area. But, in compensation, the law is going to guarantee the preservation of a much bigger space,” Paes claimed.

The new proposal is to incorporate the Praia da Reserva into the Parque Marapendi, thus cementing the longevity of both sites. But the news has done little to deter environmental activists from protesting the proposals, particularly since the mayor has failed to inform the public of the size of the new area set to be declared a conservation zone.

Comments

[greg c]

Ay carumba!

[smails]

"...means of compensating some incensed Carioca residents."

Can anyone conjugate "to compansate" in Portugese?

[Press Agent]

These Olympics should be great. Well, ...entertaining, anyway.

[DTF]

From the perspective of a golf course architect what's the drop dead date for getting started on something like this and having it finished and in tip-top shape for summer 2016?

I've been a seller of Brazil Olympics since the announcement and remain squarely in that camp.

[dbh]

Yikes, what a mess.
I can't even follow what level this stuff is being contested at. Local, provincial, federal?
This from the AP link:

'Elmway had a favourable ruling last month when Brazil's Higher Court of Justice said that a Rio tribunal was wrong in denying a company appeal, meaning the lower court will basically have to accept the company's request to send the case to a higher court.
There is no timetable on when a final ruling on the land ownership will be made. It could take months or years. The dispute has been going on for more than three years.'

Not sure what a 'Rio Tribunal' is but it sounds local and things went from there to the highest court in the land?
Also the mayor has the authority to designate protected areas?
It's like there isn't a provincial/state level at work at all.
Anyone here know?

[Tom the left handed golf er]

Nice post