Chile's dam complex faces green fury

[Judi Lynn]

Source: UPI

Chile's dam complex faces green fury
Published: Nov. 9, 2010 at 6:41 AM

SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Chile's planned Patagonian dam complex has run into fierce environmentalist opposition in a turn of events seen likely to wash away good will created over the October rescue of 33 miners from a gold and copper mine.

Chilean planners say the five-dam HidroAysen electricity generation complex is crucial to the country meeting its future energy needs but green groups argue the potential damage to Patagonian ecology will far outweigh advantages of the project.

Environmental scientists warn Patagonia's ecology will suffer irreversible damage if the dams are built as planned.

Patagonia spans Chile and Argentina and covers most of southernmost Latin America. Human habitation in the area dates to the 13th millennium B.C. but the dams are most likely to affect fauna and flora not seen elsewhere.



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2010/11/09/Chiles-dam-complex-faces-green-fury/UPI-41741289302878/