Whisky, the Barajas de Melo mining operation, goes out for public consultation.

The Provincial Delegation of Sustainable Development of Cuenca has submitted to public information the environmental impact study, the restoration plan and the exploitation project of the direct concession of resources of section C) called Whisky (No. 1507), located in the municipality of Barajas de Melo (Cuenca) and promoted by Áridos Técnicos, S.A. The announcement, signed on August 5, 2026 by the provincial delegate José Ignacio Benito Culebras, is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM) No. 155, of August 14, 2026 (reference 2026/6005), and opens a period of 30 business days for submitting comments.

The concession, dedicated to the extraction of sand and gravel, falls within the scope of application of Law 2/2020, of February 7, on Environmental Assessment of Castilla-La Mancha, and Law 21/2013, of December 9, on Environmental Assessment, so its authorization requires previously passing the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure. The procedure is completed with the regime for the management of waste from extractive industries and for the protection and rehabilitation of the area affected by mining activities, hence the public exhibition also includes the restoration plan and the exploitation project.

Thirty business days for comments

In accordance with articles 6.1 and 6.3 of Royal Decree 975/2009, of June 12, article 36 of Law 21/2013, as amended by Law 9/2018, of December 5, and article 40 of Law 2/2020, the public information period is 30 business days, counted from the day following the publication of the announcement. During this period, those who deem it appropriate may appear as interested parties, consult the documentation and submit their comments in writing.

Comments shall be addressed to the Mining Service of the Provincial Delegation of Sustainable Development, at Parque San Julián, 13 (16071 Cuenca), or may be submitted electronically through the Electronic Office of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, in application of article 14 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations.

Where to consult the documentation

The complete file —exploitation project, restoration plan and environmental impact study— may be consulted in the electronic registry of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha (www.jccm.es) and through the remote access link enabled by the regional administration for this announcement.

Key data of the file

• Number: 1507.
• Name: direct exploitation concession Whisky.
• Holder: Áridos Técnicos, S.A.
• Geological resources: section C), sand and gravel.
• Location: municipal district of Barajas de Melo (Cuenca).
• Processing body: Provincial Delegation of Sustainable Development of Cuenca.
• Procedure: public information on the environmental impact study, the restoration plan and the exploitation project.

The opening of this procedure makes residents, town councils and entities an active part of the process: the objections submitted may condition the environmental impact declaration and, with it, the viability of an extractive activity that will affect land use and the surroundings of Barajas de Melo. With the deadline running from the publication on 14 August, citizen participation and the technical analysis of the regional administration will decide the future of the Whisky concession.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM), No. 155, 14 August 2026, section V (Announcements), p. 30310 (official reference: 2026/6005).