Programs to reduce the impacts

Public Health program
This program aims to confront the effects to human health related to the impact caused by the project. It defines actions to promote, prevent and recover health by providing assistance and monitoring illnesses.

Committee for Accompanying and Managing the Public Health Program - The Committee is formed by representatives of: the Municipal and State Health Secretariats; Ministry of Health; Santo Antônio Energia; State Health Council; Sustainable Energy of Brazil and invited institutions, Ibama-RO, State Public Prosecutor; and the Health Commission of the Municipal Chamber.

Santo Antônio Energia has begun the Action Plan to Control Malaria, which involves an early diagnosis of the cases of malaria and proper treatment; distribution of long-lasting mosquito nets and the use of house spraying equipment to reduce the transmission of the malaria, as well as providing education on Health and Social Mobility actions.

The company has built, supplied and loaned personnel for a year for operations in the Santo Antônio Family Health Operation unit and restored 11 Health Units in Porto Velho, as well as made other investments in improving the public health equipment. Santo Antônio Energia also carried out an awareness and prevention campaign and has  carried out actions against dengue and Aids to date.

Combating Aids and child prostitution
In partnership with the National Movement of Street Boys and Girls, Santo Antônio Energia held a campaign to combat child prostitution and Aids during the 2009 carnival. During the event 10,000 condoms, were distributed along with leaflets providing information on how to avoid contracting the disease and how to use condoms correctly. Fans were distributed containing the phones of the Guardianship Council and SOS Criança, to encourage accusations which help end child prostitution in the region.

Program to Accompany the Wood Cutting Activity and Rescue of Fauna
The construction of the plant leads to loss of habitats and animals to flee. To reduce possible losses, the program accompanies the rescue of threatened fauna. The general rule is to avoid capturing the animals as far as possible. However, those which are unable to move themselves are collected and taken to safe location.

This work is being done in areas where the work site of the Santo Antônio HEP has been built.

Program to Accompany the Mining Rights and Prospecting Activities
This program is being carried out in partnership with the National Department of Mineral production (DNPM) and workers organizations to share the prospecting activities with the implementation of the project as far as possible.

Program to Cut Down the Areas which have been directly Interfered with
This foresees the removal of woodland vegetation from the area which will be flooded to form the reservoir with the aim of reducing environmental impacts

Program to Resettle the Affected Population
The aim is to help reestablish the activities and the quality of life of the people who have been moved involuntary due to the project. Each settlement is negotiated individually, with the wishes of the families respected. Some prefer to move to the urban area of Porto Velho and others to remain in the rural area, in houses built by the Santo Antônio Energia on land which has not been affected by the works. In the specific case of 40 families in the area of the work site who wanted to remain in the neighborhood, the company created a collective settlement of 20 hectares with a complete infrastructure. The same procedure for negotiating alternative settlements is being applied to around 1,000 families from the area of the reservoir.

Social Communication Program
This program has created and implemented as a continuous channel of communication between Santo Antônio Energia and society, particularly the population directly affected by the project. It involves Traveling Communication Centers, spaces of interaction with the community where questions on the project and associated environmental programs are answered. They also serve as a channel for needs, suggestions and demands and allow the community to participate in the process.

The concession holder produces a number of publications for the population presenting information on the project, its impacts and other initiatives by the company in the region. The monthly Santo Antônio Energia Information publication is written in an easily understood didactic language and is distributed to river dwellers located around the project. The company’s employees and other public groups with which it has relationship (such as Ibama, BNDES and the consortium companies, amongst others) are the target of an electronic bulletin called Expresso Santo Antônio, which contains the main news related to the project and the company’s operations in Porto Velho.  See all the Santo Antônio Energia Publications.

The company also carries out a number of communication and awareness initiatives with the inhabitants of the communities affected. These have included the Children´s Day, Women’s Day, Environmental Day e Santo Antônio Energia and Cinema.

Program to Support the Indigenous Communities
This program is directed at a safety and protection plan for the boundaries of the indigenous land of the Karitiana and Karipuna peoples. It also involves health, education and cultural appreciation initiatives, production and economic sustainability. An pemergency health plan, is to be set up for the two indigenous tribes in 2009.

Program to Recover the Affected Infrastructure
This program aims to preserve the free movement of vehicles in the BR-364 highway and prevent any interruption in services provided by the Eletronorte Transmission Line which will be affected by the creation of the reservoir. To do so, a stretch of the highway will be altered and the energy line relocated. The program also ensures the construction of neighboring roads, allowing normal access to the rural proprieties affected.