Brazilian Mega-Dam Faces Environmental License Renewal Battle After 10 Years...

Brazil's Belo Monte dam, a massive hydroelectric plant built on the Amazon's Xingu River, is now fighting to renew its environmental license after a decade of operation. The facility restricts up to 70 percent of the river's natural flow, leaving fishing communities in the Volta Grande region struggling to adapt to chronically low water levels. As the dam faces its licensing review, pressure is mounting to fundamentally change how it manages water discharge, with scientists and locals pointing to ecosystem collapse—including fish deformities and declining catches—as evidence the current system is failing the river and the people who depend on it.