June 25, 2019

It will be multi-party and supported by the Treinta y Tres Board.

In the departments where the new UPM plant could be located, political actors are striving to attract investment that could boost the economy of sparsely populated areas in need of jobs.

In Cerro Largo, at the initiative of the Departmental Board’s Livestock Commission, a multi-party commission was formed to meet with UPM executives. The Treinta y Tres Departmental Board also unanimously approved a document in a recent meeting regarding the location of UPM’s second pulp mill in the country. Councilman Javier Suárez, from the Treinta y Tres Departmental Board and a resident of Santa Clara de Olimar, stated that the document prepared by the council members aims to «offer the company concrete arguments and advantages to consider when deciding on a location for the mill.»

“We requested a meeting with authorities from the Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mining, and we will be received in the first days of August. At that meeting, we will present the position of the entire legislative body to both the company and the Executive Branch,” he stated. “Cerro Largo, and specifically Paso de Pereira, has the largest forested area in this region. There is ample water in the Negro River, a UTE (Uruguayan state-owned electricity company) pressure reducing station, and the train station and tracks in Santa Clara,” he explained. “Since Treinta y Tres has no chance, we support Cerro Largo because if our objective is achieved, our population will benefit from the jobs due to its geographical proximity,” Suárez indicated.

Today in Cerro Largo, a multi-sectoral commission «pro-UPM in the region» will be formed. There is reportedly unanimous agreement to draft a document similar to the one prepared by Treinta y Tres. The commission will be composed of Mayor Sergio Botana, and Representatives Luis Fratti (Broad Front) and José Yurrumendi (National Party). It will also include two councilors from each party and the mayors of the ninth electoral section of Cerro Largo, which encompasses the town of Arévalo and the Paso de Pereira area.

Studies conducted by the municipality indicate that both the government and the company itself would achieve savings in freight and infrastructure costs if they chose Cerro Largo. «We want this department to benefit from this because the Paso de Pereira area is impoverished and faces enormous challenges in generating employment, lacking infrastructure such as roads, energy, knowledge, and communication. This will be beneficial for them,» he added.

Paso de Pereira is located on the Negro River. It has a ferry that allows the population to cross from one side of the river to the other.

Susana Montaner, a Colorado Party representative for Tacuarembó, issued a statement highlighting her party’s role in approving regulations that promoted reforestation and called for environmental protection if the plant is ultimately installed in the area.

Fountain: http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/cerro-crea-comision-pro-upm.html