POLITICAL BENEFITS AS BARRIERS TO ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS IN BRAZIL AMAZONIAN DEVELOPMENT-PLANNING - THE EXAMPLE OF THE JATAPU DAM IN RORAIMA

Development projects are rapidly changing the landscape in Brazilian A mazonia. Environmental impact assessments have been required since 198 6, acid the regulatory system is evolving as precedents are set by eac h new development project. The Jatapu Dam in Roraima provides an illus tration of underlying impediments to assessment of environmental costs and to due consideration being given to these assessments when decisi ons are made. The high priority placed on the dam by the Roraima stale government is unexplainable in terms of economic returns. The place o f the dam in a long-term political strategy provides the best of sever al possible explanations, any one of which is incompatible with a ''ra tional'' weighing of economic and environmental costs and benefits. A number of lessons can be drawn from the experience of Jatapu, but some of the problems have no solution. The barriers to rational decision m aking illustrated by Jatapu apply to development projects in many part s of the world.