Environmental permitting at Baia Mare

Transgold SA initiated the environmental impact assessment procedure for obtaining the integrated environmental permit in January 2006. Upon takeover of Transgold assets, Romaltyn Mining SRL also took over the obligations to continue the procedures indicated by environmental authorities.

According to the notification communicated by the Maramureş Environmental Protection Agency, according to law 544/2001, as response to the request sent by the Independent Centre for the Development of Environmental Resources in July 2013, the competent authority was the Regional Environmental Protection Agency Cluj. The latter proceeded to analyse the documentation submitted and to organise the public consultation stages. In May 2010 the Regional Environmental Protection Agency in Cluj Napoca requested the project owner to prepare a new updated version of the application for an environmental agreement and to translate the documentation in English for the transboundary consultation with Hungary. Romaltyn Mining submitted the documentation requested, which was then forwarded by Cluj Regional EPA to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMSC). Based on the documentation analysis, the MMSC asked for additional documentation.

According to Governmental Decision HG 1000/2012 on the reorganisation of the National EPA, the competent authority for the project proposed by Romaltyn is EPA Maramureş. The latter communicated to Romaltyn on 7 June 2013 the requirement to revise the whole documentation, as per the MMSC requirements.

As regards the proof for the creation of the financial bond for environmental restoration associated with the project proposed by Romaltyn Mining SRL, the environmental restoration plan or the proof for insurance against environmental accidents, the insured value and the name of the insurance company, EPA Maramureş stated that these information should be updated by the project owner.

The mining project proposed in Baia Mare.

Environmental permitting and local authorities’ reaction.