The Administrative and Fiscal Court of Mirandela accepted the precautionary measure filed to suspend the second administrative easement associated with the Barroso mine, in Boticas, and the ongoing work within the scope of project exploration of lithiumaccording to a document to which the Lusa agency had access.
In the order of May 29th, the court admits the precautionary measure presented by the Assembly of Common Land Shareholders of the Parish of Covas do Barroso, against the Ministry of Environment and Energy, giving 10 days for interested parties to comment.
The second contested administrative easement was attributed to Savannah Resourcespromoter of Barroso mineallowing you to access private and vacant land, totaling 228 hectares in Covas do Barroso and Romaínho, to carry out surveying and geotechnical work for lithium exploration in Boticas, district of Vila Real.
Contacted by Lusa, Savannah Resources indicated that it had not been notified by the court until 4pm this Monday. In a press release, the company refuses “any non-compliance with the law or operation of improper work”on the contrary “than the opposition group intends to make us believe with several statements since last week”.
Like this, “the Geotechnical work necessary for the development of the Barroso Lithium Project continues to occur naturally, in light of the administrative easement granted by the Secretary of State for Energy”he added, justifying the clarification with a “anticipation of the disclosure of the already usual various intimidation movements (on and off the ground) of the opposition group in Covas do Barroso”.
“Forced to stop work”
In a statement released this Monday, the Board of Directors of the Wastelands of the Parish of Covas do Barroso indicates that the company Savannah is “forced to stop work due to precautionary measure”.
“The Administrative and Fiscal Court of Mirandela admitted the precautionary measure (… which) aims to ensure the suspension of the effects of the administrative servitude and the work resulting from it until its legality is assessed”describes.
An administrative easement is a charge or restriction imposed by the State, says the Republic Gazetteon private property with the aim of guaranteeing public utility and the execution of essential services to the community. This is not an expropriation, since the owner maintains possession and title to the property.
According to the wastelands, “the admission of the measure represents an important step in defending the rights of local populations and affected wastelands, demonstrating that the claim presented meets the legal requirements to be assessed by the court”.
“The Baldios Directive Council considers that the imposition of administrative servitude raises serious questions of legality, proportionality and respect for the rights of local communities. It also represents a perversion of the public interest and an environmental attack”they emphasize.
At a time when the community “denounces deforestation interventions by the company that violate the Declaration of Environmental Impactthis decision reinforces the need for independent scrutiny of the administrative acts that have allowed the occupation and allocation of community and private land in Covas do Barroso”they maintain.
Precautionary measure
The Local Community of Wastelands of Covas do Barroso, in Boticas, came forward on Thursday with a precautionary measure to suspend the second administrative easement associated with the Barroso mine, published in Republic Gazetteon May 6, and signed by the Deputy Secretary of State and Energy, Jean Paulo Gil Barroca.
The precautionary measure intends, according to the wasteland community, “prevent the advancement of an easement that is disproportionate, ill-founded and seriously harmful to the rights of the parties, community land, water resources, biodiversity and the agro-silvopastoral way of life of Covas do Barroso”.
This entity also pointed out to the “disproportionate size of the new easement”which envisages the occupation of around 217 hectares of vacant land, almost half of which (102.2 hectares) are outside the project’s concession area, and where Savannah Resources intends to install 51 drilling platforms and 194 geotechnical wells.
The Ministry of the Environment had already authorized a first easement in December 2024, which led to the presentation of a precautionary measure by land owners, leading to the suspension of prospecting work for 15 days in February 2025.
According to a source from the wastelands, the main action related to the first precautionary measure did not continue, because in the meantime work by the company had ended.
The Minas Gerais project was made possible by the Portuguese Environment Agency, with the issuance of a favorable Environmental Impact Statement conditional on 2023. The company intends to start construction in 2027 and achieve first production in 2028.
