Brazil Advances Dam Safety with National Seminar and State Policy Updates

Brazil is making significant strides in enhancing dam safety and regulating the populations affected by these infrastructures. The Secretaria-Geral da Presidência da República is organizing the National Seminar for the Regulation of the National Policy on Populations Affected by Dams (PNAB) on April 16 and 17, 2026, at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília. This seminar aims to gather contributions from civil society, ministries, experts, control agencies, and parliamentarians to develop a final decree proposal that will be sent to the Civil House, facilitating a participatory regulatory process in accordance with Law No. 14.755/2023.

Concurrently, Minas Gerais is advancing its dam safety framework at the state level. On April 14, 2026, the Constitution and Justice Commission of the Minas Gerais Legislative Assembly approved the legality of Project Law 126/23. This proposal, authored by Deputy Doutor Jean Freire (PT), seeks to incorporate emergency containment structures into the state's dam safety policy, subjecting them to environmental licensing and regulatory oversight. This legislative move responds directly to the Brumadinho disaster, which exposed the risks posed by dams in Minas Gerais. Freire highlighted the issue of hastily constructed downstream dams by the mining company Vale without proper environmental licenses, raising concerns over state control and compensation mechanisms.

The state’s environmental agency, Sisema, has previously denied classifying these containment structures as dams, complicating their regulation. However, the proposed law requires such structures to comply with environmental licensing based on size and pollution potential. The project now advances to the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development for further review.

These coordinated efforts at both national and state levels demonstrate Brazil's commitment to improving dam safety regulations and protecting vulnerable communities. By engaging multiple stakeholders and updating legislative frameworks, Brazil aims to prevent future tragedies akin to Brumadinho and ensure accountable oversight of dam-related infrastructure.