Can you imagine allowing the wind farm within a protected rain forest.  Well the Supreme Court of Panama killed any chances of this happening. Great move Panama!

In Panama, the Supreme Court of Justice has annulled an environmental impact study for a wind farm with 75 wind turbines, which was planned to be built in the Fortuna forest reserve.

Arguing that the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) should have been category III, instead of II, because it is within a protected area, the Third Chamber of the Court for contentious administrative proceedings decided to declare the resolution of 2014, “null for being illegal”, a resolution which had approved the EIA submitted by the company Luz Eólica de Panamá.

Representatives of the company questioned the ruling, “... since, according to them, they fulfilled all of the requirements demanded at that time by the Ministry of Environment, at that time, the ANAM. Who supports or protects investments in this country?, asked Manuel Armijo, representative of Luz Eólica.“

See also “Central America: $1.2 Billion in Energy Projects“

Prensa.com reports that “… in the ruling, which bears the signature of Cecilio Cedalise, as residing judge, it is emphasized that the project will cause “serious” damage to the ecosystem and is “detrimental” to the Fortuna Forest Reserve, since, because it is a protected site, the impact is “adverse”, despite the fact that these are non-polluting renewable energy projects“.

“…Armijo stressed that this project is in the stage of requesting a definitive concession license from the ASEP, and also seeking financing for $530 million. “We are moving into financing and there are interested investors,” he added.”