Por Redaccion 
After the Monitoring Commission took place in Portman on April 10 and after receiving reports prepared by CEDEX from the Ministry, neighborhood groups and environmental organizations carried out a first evaluation of the proposal presented by the Ministry.
First of all, they express their «deep disappointment» with the Ministry’s proposal, which is «to return to the total sealing alternative of the bay again, which was rejected on June 5, 2005 with a historic mobilization of more than 2,000 people.»
And, as they explain, the model presented by the Ministry in this last Monitoring Commission «violates the basis of this Agreement, which is still valid and discards all the public works and investments made in these 19 years.»
Faced with those who announce environmental disasters if a partial dredging of the bay is carried out, as claimed by the neighborhood and environmental groups, they remind that «the environmental disaster has been caused by more than 60 million tons of mining waste for decades.»
They also point out that «it is false that the scientific community opposes any dredging. In recent years, several teams from the University of Barcelona have shown that pollution continues to reach the sea and the exchange of interstitial waters of the beach, warning of the serious risk to the environment in which the bay would be.»
On the other hand, they insist that «it is not acceptable to leave the bay as it is, because pollution continues to reach the sea.» Therefore, they support «a correct and balanced solution for Portman, which minimizes the environmental risks of the sterile bay, but also achieves social justice and allows the recovery of the historical uses of the beach and the port, partially restoring its bay.»
Neighborhood, social, and environmental groups reject the proposal presented by Miteco at the Monitoring Commission on April 10. In addition to the thorough study of the CEDEX reports, they will stimulate and support all initiatives that contribute to the final environment of Portman Bay based on these criteria.
They also emphasize that, in parallel with the recovery of the bay, «it is necessary to address the restoration of the environment in the Gulf of Portman and Sierra Minera, to prevent heavy metal pollution from continuing in the Bay of Portman through the Ramblas and the waters of the population of Portman.»
To achieve this, the regional administration is urged once again to, like Miteco, take action in the Sierra Minera basin in Mar Menor, assume responsibility, and define an action plan in the visual basin of Portman, which includes sterile and pyrite ponds in the urban environment of the core.