The Regional Secretary for Agriculture stated in Ponta Delgada that the participation of industry partners, namely the Azores Building Industry and Public Works Association (AICOPA), in the public consultation process and, consequently, in the consensus reached on the preparation of the Sectoral Land Management Plan for Extractive Activities (PAE); the latter will regulate the operation of quarries and gravel pits in the Azores.

"This is an area that lacked planning. The plan complies with the provisions of PROTA (Regional Land Management of the Azores) and defines, on each island, the areas where it is possible to license these activities," said Luís Neto Viveiros to journalists.

The Regional Secretary spoke at the end of a hearing at the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Environment and Labour on the legal document that aims to reconcile the exploitation of geological resources with environmental quality and landscape conservation. In this regard, the government official stressed that the legal document provides conditioning licensing areas.

"Today, there are areas where these industries operate. However, after the end of the license period, these companies will not be able to operate for environmental reasons," the Regional Secretary said, adding that operators will be responsible for the rehabilitation of the landscape.

On the other hand, Luís Neto Viveiros stated that the legal document establishes the forbidden areas to extractive activities, mainly those within the Natura 2000 Network and protected areas.

The regulation on the management of quarries and gravel pits in the Azores is the result of a work developed over the last two years. The proposal for Sectoral Land Management Plan for Extractive Activities has been subject to public discussions, with the organisation of open meetings.

Given the need to strengthen the participation of agents and entities, the Government established the creation of a Monitoring Committee that brings together the representatives of the governmental departments overseeing the following areas: environment, licensing of prospecting activities and exploitation of mineral masses, tourism, forest resources, infrastructures and land transport, organisation and public administration. It also includes the Regional Institute of Agrarian Planning (IROA), the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory, Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores and non-governmental environmental organisation.