Brazil’s public ministry, a body of public prosecutors in the state of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ), has filed a lawsuit to void the operations of ThyssenKrupp-owned steelmaker Companhia Siderurgica do Atlantico (TKCSA or CSA).
MPRJ has demanded new analysis about the impacts of the mill’s activities to the environment, claiming CSA hasn’t obtained a license to operate since its launch in 2010. The mill, which had Vale as a former partner in a JV with ThyssenKrupp, has been subject to environment-related lawsuits.
The prosecutors said CSA has been operating under a license that allows the company’s installation. It also added it has a pre-operation license.
“The goal is to prevent that an operating license is granted to CSA’s steelmaking activities before the preparation of a new environmental evaluation about the negative impacts [of the company’s activities] over the health, security and welfare of the Santa Cruz and neighboring populations,” the prosecutors said.
MPRJ added the lawsuit also aims to prevent local environment authority, Inea, to allow CSA to operate under a TAC agreement, in which the steelmaker is expected to meet a series of obligations.