Delimitação das áreas de abrangência nos planos de conservação e uso do entorno de reservatórios artificiais de hidrelétricas no estado de Minas Gerais: critérios atuais e contribuições para sua efetividade

Abstract

The Environmental Plan for the Conservation and Use of the Artificial Reservoir Environment (PACUERA, initials in Portuguese) sets up as one of the environmental management instruments which seeks to discipline the conservation, recovery, use and occupancy of the surrounding areas of artificial reservoirs, as defined by CONAMA Resolution No. 302, of March 20, 2002. However, the delimitation of such area is still ambiguous, revealing gaps in the application of the guidelines established in the plan. Hence, this work aimed to analyze the current criteria regarding the delimitation of the surrounding areas in the PACUERA within the scope of the hydroelectric plants, aiming to characterize the effectiveness and point out obstacles to its implementation. For this purpose, were performed the followed steps: studies of the theoretical and legal bases related to the management of artificial reservoirs; survey of hydroelectric plants on rivers placed in Minas Gerais with active operating license and status of reservoir’s PACUERA; survey of the criteria for delimiting the surrounding areas through the analysis of plans recently approved and / or in the phase of public consultation available on the website of SEMAD / MG and IBAMA; and survey of the conception of specialists on the delimitation of the surrounding areas of the PACUERA, using the Delphi method. In most of the cases, it was noted that the surrounding areas defined in PACUERA are not enough to guarantee the effectiveness of the management of use and conservation, which was also endorsed by the specialists consulted. The results show that the surrounding areas should not necessarily be limited by the Permanent Preservation Area (APP, initials in Portuguese) of the reservoirs. The limit should be guided by an integrated analysis covering the reservoir's area of influence, considering the laws of adjacent municipalities, related to land use and occupation, and the effectiveness promoted through public decrees. Finally, it is suggested to create a thorough regulations of PACUERA, in order to structure of a management committee for the surrounding areas.