Brazil’s prosecutors block zipline construction at Rio’s iconic Sugarloaf Mountain

By CARLA BRIDI and DAVID BILLER
Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Prosecutors in Brazil have blocked a decision to authorize the installment of ziplines at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Sugarloaf Mountain, claiming they will damage the environment around one of the United Nations world’s heritage sites. The zipline’s four steel lines would run 755 meters (almost 2,500 feet) over the forest between Sugarloaf and Urca Hill, and riders would reach speeds of 100 kph (62 mph). Inauguration was scheduled for the second half of this year, and an online petition to halt work was signed by almost 11,000 people.