Ribbon Cut at Controversial Pulp Mill's Port

Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony at a new shipping terminal in Fray Bentos on the Uruguay River to service the controversial, massive new pulp mill under construction. The terminal will unload wood and ship out cellulose from the pulp mill destined to be made into paper in the U.S., China, and Europe.

Most media was kept away for security reasons, and protestors with banners cruised the river to demonstrate opposition to the mill.

The $1.2 billion pulp mill being built by Oy-Metsa Botnia, with help from loans from the World Bank, is the largest ever foreign investment in Uruguay, and has been vigorously opposed by regional conservationists and the Argentina government. Argentina has said the pollution from the mill will jeopardize farming and tourism in the region and violates a key 1975 river treaty between the two nations.

Today, I found this site created by Botnia to document the construction of the mill, (with rose-colored glasses, of course) that gives some interesting images of the impact as it nears completion of construction.