Forestry Ministry still withholds Freeport ?s permit
Monday, August 27 2012 - 01:49 AM WIB
The Forestry Ministry has decided to withhold a forestry lease permit for PT Freeport Indonesia because the intended area is included in a the new forestry moratorium map where no clearing can take place as part of the government?s program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Freeport has applied for a forestry lease permit for about 2,738.30 hectares in Mimika regency, Papua. The company?s total concession area in the regency reaches about 10,000 hectares.
Director for forestry utilization at the Forestry Ministry Hudoyo said that his office had asked Freeport to take out its working areas from the new forestry moratorium map. ?We sent a letter on May 7, 2012 asking Freeport to revise its working program,? he added.
The Forestry Ministry released recently a new forestry moratorium map covering an area of 65,282,006 hectares of natural forests and peatland where no clearing activities are allowed.
Editing by Adianto P. Simamora