A move in the right directionMachine translation below
https://wp.presidencia.gov.co/Noticias/2014/Septiembre/Paginas/20140917_02-Presidente-Santos-anuncia-paquete-de-medidas-para-agilizar-licencias-ambientales.aspx
The President of the Republic, Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, announced Wednesday a set of measures to streamline and transform environmental licenses granted.
During the X Discussion of Constitutional Jurisdiction 'Constitutional Meeting for the Earth', carried out in the Convention Center 'Alfonso Lopez' Ibague.
The Head of State noted that some companies felt that there were too many delays in licensing, while on the other communities and sectors of civil society expressed concerns about the negative impacts on the environment.
"The government is ready with a package that will give you a very positive change to this issue of licenses," said the president and said that reassure employers and the country through concrete measures is urgent but it is also possible .
He explained that an ideal relationship between development and the preservation of resources in a sustainable development is achieved through a balance between environmental, social and economic dimensions pursued.
He stressed that "first, the entire government team is committed to reduce the time of the environmental assessment of projects" and will consider the oral procedure, leaving government paperwork written procedure.
He said that any information requested by the environmental authority may be made in a single hearing in the presence of interested and no license terms for the evaluation of a license will be suspended.
"These changes necessarily impact on the times set for decision making is reduced by about five months, without disturbing the surrounding environment and complying with the principles of sustainable development. Personally I'll take care of this a reality, "he said.
President Santos said that in addition, the definition of the area of influence of the projects will be done by following a more stringent criteria and shaped so that management measures are developed and implemented only on the defined area.
"This preventive actions to identify the impacts from the decision making development of a project to establish mitigation or correction consistent with the impacts that arise he added," he added.
This will be accompanied by compensatory to ensure compatibility of the project with the environment that exists in their area of influence environmental measures.
The Head of State noted that similar measures have performed worldwide projects in areas of high environmental sensitivity.
He cited as examples the successful transport of hydrocarbons in the Arctic, the exploitation of hydrocarbons in Dorset (England) and sustainable mining in New Afton in British Columbia (Canada).
"In Colombia is our commitment to quality and sustainability. We're not improvising and we'll improvise, "he said.