Izmir-The project for the construction of a natural stone (tuff) quarry in the Kocamehmetler village of Izmir’s Foça district has been cancelled. For the project, the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change initiated the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process in July 2022. However, the project has been cancelled upon the objection of the Foça Platform against Plunder of History and Nature (Turkish: Foça Tarih ve Doğa Talanına Hayır Platformu).

It was planned to be built near the Persian tomb and olive groves

The quarry was planned to be built near the 2,500-year old Persian tomb and olive groves, 850 meters away from the village of Kocamehmetler. The project aimed to process 502,000 tons of decorative stone annually.

According to the received information, Izmir Directorate of Provincial Agriculture and Forestry, Foça Municipality and the State Hydraulic Works (Turkish: Devlet Su İşleri-DSİ) expressed negative opinions for the EIA process.

Struggle against two quarries in region continues

There are red pine forests, endemic plants and clean water resources in the region where olive groves are located. The Foça Platform against Plunder of History and Nature has requested that the historical monuments in the region must be registered and protected. The struggle of the platform members against the destruction caused by the two quarries in the village of Kocamehmetler continues.