Two no's in a row. After the rejection arrived yesterday from the judicial guardians, also the Taranto Public Prosecutor gave a negative opinion on the 400 million investment plan presented by the Riva Group – owner of Ilva of Taranto – for the environmental requalification of the iron and steel plant.
This was reported by judicial sources, specifying that the last word will be up next Monday to the judge for preliminary investigations Patrizia Todisco, the same magistrate who authorized the seizure of Ilva at the end of July and house arrest for some of its executives.
If another negative evaluation were to arrive from the magistrate, the shutdown procedure for a large part of the plant would continue as indicated by the judicial custodians. At that point, the company should present a new plan according to the indications of the experts appointed by the prosecutor's office.
The same sources explain that the Taranto magistrates believe the interventions presented by the president of the Riva Group, Bruno Ferrante, were insufficient. The judicial guardians - the engineers Barbara Valenzano, Emanuela Laterza and Claudio Lofrumento - followed the same line, who asked for the shutdown of a series of plants including steel mills, blast furnaces, coke ovens and towers. Instead, the company would like to shut down just one blast furnace.
As for the mineral park, according to the prosecutor's office, an immediately effective solution is needed to avoid the dispersion of dust, while the company's plan provides for coverage.
In 2011 Ilva produced 8,5 million tons of steel, almost 30% of total Italian production. The plant employs approximately 12.000 people, with an additional 8.000 seats.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Environment, Corrado Clini, said "by the end of the month" the document of the procedure will be completed and at that point "the prescriptions will be dictated to the company".
