Organ says that Renato José Vieira de Almeida, known as Renatinho Medeiros, changed the stream protection strip when he was in charge of the Dois Rios Regional Superintendency. More than 100 licenses issued in the region were canceled after review.
By André Trigueiro
Inea demolished an irregular 150 square meter house in Nova Friburgo. The property belonged to the organization's former superintendent, Renato José Vieira de Almeida.
According to Inea, the former superintendent reduced the preservation strip of the Curuzu Stream from 30 to 5 meters without having the authority. The change allowed the work to take place.
An administrative process investigates Renatinho Medeiros for license fraud, bribery and other irregularities. He did not attend the 3 summons made by the institute.
Inea reviews licenses granted from 2019 to 2024 and has already canceled more than 100. The Public Ministry investigated the case 2 years ago.
A two-story house, with around 150 square meters of built area and an underground garage, was demolished by the State Environmental Institute (Inea) in Nova Friburgo, in the Serrana region of Rio. According to the agency, the property was built irregularly in a Permanent Preservation Area (APP), on the banks of the Curuzu Stream.
The owner had already been warned two years earlier. At the time, Inea inspectors blocked the work and pointed out the occurrence of environmental degradation that was considered difficult to repair.
Properties of a similar standard in the region are advertised for values close to R$900,000.
The investigation gained a new chapter when Inea identified that the person responsible for the construction was Renato José Vieira de Almeida, known as Renatinho Medeiros, former regional superintendent of the institute in the region.
Renatinho Medeiros — Photo: Reproduction
According to Inea, when he was in charge of the Dois Rios Regional Superintendence, Renatinho Medeiros changed the environmental protection strip of the Curuzu Stream.
The protection area, which should have been 30 meters wide on each side of the watercourse, would have been reduced to five meters. According to the institute, the change made the construction of the property possible.
Inea claims that the then superintendent did not have the authority to make this change. According to the agency, a change of this type could only be authorized by the Environmental Licensing Board.
The institute opened administrative disciplinary proceedings against Renatinho Medeiros and members of his team.
Among the accusations investigated are issuing licenses considered fraudulent, receiving bribes in cash and real estate, appropriation and misuse of an Inea vehicle and attribution of State functions to outsourced employees.
Former superintendent was called to present defense
According to Inea, Renatinho Medeiros was summoned three times through publications in the Official State Gazette to present his defense in the administrative process.
According to the institute, he did not attend the convocations nor did he send a representative.
Inea technicians also tried to locate him at Companhia Docas do Rio de Janeiro, where he holds the position of land access manager. According to the institute, employees reported that they did not know him and that he did not have access to the location.
The salary reported for the role is approximately R$14,000.
More than 100 licenses were canceled
A working group created by Inea to review the performance of the Dois Rios Regional Superintendence is reevaluating all environmental licenses granted in the region between 2019 and 2024.
According to the institute, more than 100 licenses have already been canceled due to signs of irregularities.
Another approximately 900 licenses are still under analysis.
Public Ministry operation investigated sale of licenses
The activities of the former Regional Superintendency of Dois Rios were also the target of an operation by the Public Ministry about two years ago.
The investigation found the suspected sale of approximately 500 environmental licenses in four municipalities in the region served by the Inea unit.
According to investigations, payments of undue advantages could reach R$20 million.
The suspicions surrounding the licenses and the administrative process against the former superintendent are still the subject of investigation by the competent authorities.
RJ2 contacted Renatinho Medeiros and former secretary Thiago Pampolha, but we did not receive a response until the publication of this report. Former governor Cláudio Castro said he will not speak.
