Summary statement of Nicaragua canal environmental impact assessment review panel
On March 9th and 10th, 2015, an independent panel met for two days at Florida International University’s College of Law to discuss the likely environmental impacts associated with the proposed inter-oceanic canal through Nicaragua. The goal was to review some sections of the draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) conducted by the company Environmental Resources Management (ERM). Two representatives from the Hong Kong Nicaraguan Canal Development Group (HKND) were present but did not make presentations. This panel was organized by FIU’s Southeastern Environmental Research Center and College of Law and focused on the ecological and hydrological assessments conducted by ERM. No sections of the Social Impact Assessment were presented or discussed. Objective analyses are urgently needed to review the final, completed report, especially the social and economic impacts of the entire project.