Overview
- Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies approved the reform on Thursday with a 137–111 vote and 3 abstentions, completing final passage after earlier Senate backing.
- The law tightens the definition of periglacial areas and lets provinces decide protections, while keeping an explicit ban on mining on visible glaciers.
- Environmental groups, including Greenpeace and FARN, said they will sue, warning the shift could threaten mountain water reserves that supply downstream communities.
- Governors from mining provinces such as San Juan, Catamarca, Mendoza, and Jujuy pushed the change as companies target projects like Josemaría, Los Azules, El Pachón, and MARA.
- The vote followed reports of targeted federal transfers to provinces and came as the government sought a legislative win during the Adorni corruption probe.