April Fools!

April Fools!

And the prize for the most ridiculous April Fools prank goes to...Furnas President Luis Paulo Conde and Brazilian Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobão. On Friday, Conde and Lobão said they expected the construction license for Santo Antonio Dam on the Madeira River to be awarded by environmental protection agency Ibama on Monday, April 1st. Technical experts who have analyzed the Basic Environmental Project for Santo Antonio, released only a few weeks ago, say they are stunned by the poor quality, lack of detail, and broad omissions in the mitigation plan, and environmentalists plan formal protests to environmental authorities. Ibama now says it plans to make a decision on the construction license by July. April Fools, Amazonia!