Minister bans coal mining at Bukit Soeharto

Minister bans coal mining at Bukit Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro
Mangkusubroto said on Tuesday the government had reviewed its
policy to allow coal mining at the Bukit Soeharto conservation
area in East Kalimantan.

He said the government would not allow any company to mine the
allegedly abundant coal deposit of the conservation area as part
of environmental protection measures.

"Bukit Soeharto will remain a conservation area and won't be
troubled by any mining activities," Kuntoro said on the sidelines
of the hearing with the House of Representatives's Commission V
for mines and energy, industry and trade, investment,
cooperative, manpower and environment.

The government issued mining licenses to some companies in the
area out of concern over the frequent forest fires in the area.
The forest fires were believed to be sparked by burning coal.

The government believed the mining of the coal deposit would
prevent further forest fires.

But, Kuntoro said, the government changed its mind after
finding a method of putting out burning coal with the help of the
United States's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement.

The agency has been active in putting out coal fires -- which
are also called hot spots -- in the province for several months.

"We have found a cheap method of putting out burning coal. As
such, we can put aside the idea of putting out burning coal by
mining the coal deposit," Kuntoro said.

The East Kalimantan-based daily Kaltim Post earlier said two
coal mining companies PT Mitra Investamaraya and Mitra Andrew
Labaikka had completed exploration activities in Bukit Soeharto
and prepared to stage exploitation on 30,000 hectares of the
79,000 hectare conservation area.

The paper said some local village heads have tried to make
money by selling plots in the conservation area to mining
companies.

The companies' mining plan has drawn criticism from local
environmentalists who demand that Bukit Soeharto be maintained as
a conservation area.

Kuntoro said the government would not award the companies the
final permits to extract coal from the area.

"The licenses they are currently holding are only valid for
exploration activities. As long as they want to extract coal,
under the existing regulation, they are required to obtain an
exploitation license from the Ministry of Forestry and
Plantation.

"But, I, as Minister of Mines and Energy, now call (on the
Ministry of Forestry and Plantation) to maintain Bukit Soeharto
as a conservation area," Kuntoro said.(jsk)