The Supreme Court (TS) has confirmed the prior authorization for its uranium concentrate plant in Retortillo (Salamanca), after rejecting the appeal filed by Foro de Izquierdas-Los Verdes and Adeco-Ecologistas en Acción. In this way, the shares of the mining company have reacted with increases of 34.47% to 0.43 euros per share.
In an order, to which Efe has had access, the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the high court rejects the brief of the ecologists against the sentence handed down in the previous instance by the National Court, considering, among other aspects, that it does not it was justified enough.
In September 2019, the National Court dismissed the claims of both groups, who claimed that it was granted by the Junta de Castilla y León when the State itself should have done so.
In addition, they accused Berkeley of disguising the creation of a uranium enrichment plant with leaching ponds, which are radioactive facilities.
However, for the magistrates, the appellants limited themselves to questioning the suitability of the location “through mere value judgments”, but without providing a minimal technical justification.
Accuses Left Forum-Los Verders
The Supreme Court is now expressing itself along the same lines, which criticizes the fact that Foro de Izquierdas-Los Verdes and Adeco-Ecologistas en Acción limit themselves to reproducing the arguments of the sentence “in relation to the need to classify the matter as environmental” to annul the environmental impact statement, supposedly, “because it was issued by the incompetent body”.
The room also does not appreciate “sufficient justification” for the appeal, which is why it rules out entering to assess it.
In a statement, Berkeley recalls that last July the Nuclear Safety Council already issued a report in favor of renewing said authorization, and insists that all permits have been granted “in accordance with current regulations.”
“What has been contributed by the environmental groups has been manifestly insufficient to distort the accumulation of reports from bodies and institutions that have intervened in the authorization procedure, and now it is firmly ratified by the Supreme Court”, points out the president of Berkeley Minera España, Francisco Bellon.
The company, which has more than 120 permits and favorable reports, continues to collaborate with the competent authorities to advance in the approval process for the Retortillo mine, and is confident that the file for the only authorization that remains pending will be resolved “in near future”.
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