Committee of Ministers meets on Monday: will review four projects for US$954 million and would be left pending only one initiative

The Comité de Ministros convened on Monday to review four projects totaling approximately $954 million, leaving just one initiative pending. This marks a key step in the ongoing process managed by the Sistema de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (SEIA), which oversees environmental impact assessments in Chile. The SEIA has processed a total investment of $6.646 billion through eleven projects spanning various economic sectors, some of which have been challenged via legal appeals. Among these, four specific initiatives, valued at $954 million, are set for evaluation by the Comité de Ministros this week. These include the Itahue Hualqui de Mataquito Transmisora ($324 million), the Convento Viejo Etapa II of the Ministry of Public Works ($50 million), the Terminal de Cerros de Valparaíso TCVAL operated by the Port Authority of Valparaíso ($500 million), and a water capture and conveyance project for Aguas Andinas along the Río Maipo ($80 million). All four require assessment under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework, while others fall under the Declaration of Environmental Impact (DIA) category, handled separately by the executive director. The process allows for legal challenges against decisions made by the Coeval or the executive director regarding individual projects, whether they were approved or rejected. The current administration has prioritized expediting such cases, with President José Antonio Kast issuing six decrets shortly after taking office, including one aimed at resolving 51 pending appeals worth $16.3 billion. Over time, the number and value of unresolved claims have decreased significantly. The committee includes representatives from several ministries: Minister of Environment Francisca Toledo, Minister of Health May Chomalí, Minister of Economy and Mining Daniel Mas, Minister of Agriculture Jaime Campos, and Minister of Energy Ximena Rincón. Their combined expertise ensures a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating each project's environmental implications. Currently, there are eleven investment projects with admitted appeals. The largest among them is the Aguas Marítimas de Cramsa desalination plant in the Antofagasta region, valued at $5 billion. This project requires review by the Comité de Ministros, whereas DIA projects would be assessed directly by the executive director. One of the eleven projects involves a request to approve the expansion of the Camarico Wind Farm (New ECOS del MAR wind farm) valued at $119 million. The applicant seeks approval for this previously denied proposal. If all four projects reviewed by the Comité de Ministros are approved, seven other initiatives will remain under consideration, amounting to $5.692 billion. However, excluding the disputed project seeking approval, the total would be $5.573 billion. Without these four, the committee would nearly complete its backlog, aligning with standard processing timelines. Only the Aguas Marítimas project would still be pending. Minister Toledo highlighted the efficiency of the process, noting that the committee has met monthly and evaluated twenty projects over eight sessions, representing almost $11.5 billion in investments. She emphasized that this progress fulfills the mandate given by President Kast, ensuring timely resolution of outstanding projects. Meanwhile, Executive Director Arturo Farías noted that since the start of the current administration, the SEIA has maintained consistent operation, delivering decisions within established legal frameworks.