Costa Rica: the Sarapiquí, Guacimo,  and Pacuare votes

The Sarapiquí  and Guacimo dam votes

The Sarapiqui is one of the best known of Costa Rica's rivers. It flows through lush rainforest with abundant birdlife, and poison arrow frogs are frequently spotted along its banks. The Sarapiqui river system is one of several watersheds in the country undergoing rapid hydropower development, with eight plants in operation, and additional dams under consideration.

Some years ago, people living in the river basin noticed that the local waters had lost much of their natural flow due to the dams. Communities that depended on the river as a means of transportation had been severely impacted, as were those that depended on fishing for part of their livelihoods.

When the government announced plans for additional dams on the Sarapiquí, the affected communities decided to take advantage of recently enacted Costa Rican laws that allowed votes on matters of local concern. In September 2000, the communities held a vote seeking to declare the Sarapiquí basin a Historic National Monument. According to the municipality of Sarapiquí, the vote was 2,036 in favor to 218 opposed.

A year later in nearby Guácimo, community members held a local vote in which they registered their disapproval of construction of the proposed Hidroverde Dam. The total number of people who voted was 4,639, of whom 93.3% voted "no." The Supreme Tribunal of Elections supervised the event, which took place in the fourteen districts of the county.

The Pacuare dam vote

The wild Pacuare River in Costa River flows from the Talamanca mountain range to the Caribbean. Only a few hours from the capital city of San Jose, the Pacuare is surrounded by exceptional flora and fauna, and has been described by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Whitewater rafting trips down the river are also very popular with foreign tourists.

Costa Rica's electricity agency announced in 2005 that it was moving forward with plans to build a dam on the Pacuare. The Cabecar, Bri Bri and Talamanca indigenous peoples live in areas that would be impacted by the dam. Non-indigenous communities as well fear that dam would destroy the habitat of many species, and damage the river's scenic and tourist appeal.

Defenders of the river quickly organized in opposition to the proposed dam. Community members, environmentalists, and church leaders alerted the public to the government's plans, and a group called Friends of the Pacuare launched a signature drive to enable the holding of a local vote.

The effort to hold a vote was successful, and in August 2005, residents of Turrialba County voted "No" to the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Pacuare. Of the 10,000 thousand people who voted, 97% opposed dams on the Pacuare. Another 10,000 of the 47,000 eligible voters were indigenous peoples who live in very remote areas, making it virtually impossible for them to participate in the vote. The electricity agency ultimately agreed to discontinue the plans for projects on the Pacuare, and it looked like the issue had been resolved.

But in February of 2008, the agency announced renewed plans to build a dam on the river. Opponents are again rallying to oppose the project, challenging the government's plans and preparing a draft law to present to the nation's Legislative Assembly to give the Pacuare protected status due to its unique environmental assets, and to protect the river from dam projects. Legal challenges are also being considered, focused on the government's failure to honor the results of the earlier local vote.

Of the 10,000 thousand people who voted, 97% opposed dams on the Pacuare river.