Banyuwangi Environmental Agency Alerts Province to Land Damage from Gold Mining

The Banyuwangi Environmental Agency has officially notified the East Java Provincial Environmental Agency regarding the environmental damage stemming from illegal gold mining operations in Dusun Pancer, Pesanggaran District. The agency's acting head, Bayu Hadiyanto, confirmed that a letter detailing the situation was sent to the provincial authorities.

Hadiyanto explained that the letter, sent via postal service on Friday, July 17, 2026, references Presidential Regulation No. 55 of 2022 concerning the delegation of business licensing in mining. It requests provincial intervention and control over the mining activities based on existing authority.

Previously, the provincial Environmental Agency's head, Nurkholis, had stated that gold mining is under the jurisdiction of the central government. This response came after Tempo inquired about the Banyuwangi agency's planned letter concerning the illegal mining that has allegedly damaged social forestry land.

Local farmers in Dusun Pancer have expressed concern over hundreds of hectares of crops being threatened by the illegal mining in the Gunung Lompongan area. The "shoot and dissolve" method, where water is injected into the ground and then filtered, results in mud sedimentation in rivers. This sediment causes flooding during the rainy season, damaging the farmers' land and crops. Despite their unease, residents have been hesitant to intervene, citing the miners' need to earn a living.