Neoenergia, in partnership with the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), will hold the first virtual public hearing to define the environmental licensing of the company´s transmission lines this Friday (18), from 7 pm. This is an unprecedented hearing format for the electricity sector. To avoid delays in the schedule of hearings, suspended since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Neoenergia has requested the use of digital solutions with environmental agencies in order to keep up with the hearings calendar. The innovative format will allow the meetings to be followed from any device connected to the internet, enabling maximum transparency and engagement.

THE HEARINGS

In total, there will be four hearings, three of which will be of Ibama's competence, for involving transmission lines that pass through more than one state, and one of them under the organization of the State Environmental Protection Foundation Henrique Luis Roessler (Fepam), the environmental agency of Rio Grande do Sul.

 The first Ibama´s Virtual Public Hearing (VPH) is scheduled for today (09/18), at 7 pm, with open participation to the entire population. For those who wish to interact during the meeting, it is necessary to register on the website www.audienciapublicalotes2e3.com.br, in which the option “'Watch" will appear on the scheduled day and time. Messages shall be sent through WhatsApp, by phone (11) 99191-0668, toll free on 0800 777 0733 or directly on the website, selecting the topic, speaker and typing the question. The hearing can also be followed by YouTube, in a link that will be made available on the hearing's website shortly before the beginning of its broadcasting. This first moment will deal with the environmental licensing related to the transmission lines Guanabara and Itabapoana, of Lots 2 and 3 (auction 04/2018), located between Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais. The project includes the construction of 567 kilometers of lines and one substation.

The following week, a virtual public hearing will take place in Rio Grande do Sul, organized in partnership with Fepam. The virtual meeting will be held on September 24 and will have as agenda one of the transmission lines of Lagoa dos Patos, included in Lot 14 (auction 04/2018), which passes through Rio Grande do Sul. In total, there will be 769 kilometers of lines and two substation expansions. The hearing will take place from 7 pm and to follow, just access the link www.audienciapublicalote14a.com.br. 

Another Neoenergia enterprise with Virtual Public Hearing scheduled with Ibama is Lot 1 - Vale do Itajaí (Auction 04/2018). Expected to occur at 6 pm on September 28, presenting the environmental studies conducted for the stretch of transmission line and power substations, called LT 525 kV Areia - Joinville Sul, contemplating the expansion of one power substation (SE Areia), between the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná, crossing 15 municipalities. For more information, just access the website www.ltareiajoinvillesul.com.br.

The second virtual public hearing will also take place for the Lagoa dos Patos project (Lot 14B), scheduled for October 5, which will deal with the transmission lines that pass through Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. In total, there will be 252,2 kilometers of lines and three substation expansions. The hearing will take place from 6 pm and to follow, just access the address www.audienciapublicalote14b.com.br.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Public hearings are essential to the environmental licensing process and are provided for by law. In these forums, the population becomes aware of the details of the enterprises that will be installed in the respective regions, besides knowing the social, environmental and economic initiatives that the company should carry out in the region. The entire population is invited to participate in the public hearings. As the name suggests, they are open and accessible.

​