A judge Wednesday temporarily halted bidding on a controversial hydroelectric dam in the Amazon, a move hailed as a “small victory” by movie director James Cameron, who has taken up the fight against the project. A Brazilian federal judge in the Amazon state of Para delayed the bidding process for construction on the dam, which would be the world's third-largest hydroelectric project. The bidding was set for Tuesday. Judge Antonio Carlos Almeida Campelo said more time was needed to examine claims from Brazil's attorney general that there were not enough environmental protections in place during the planning of the project. The decision can be appealed by the administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who strongly supports construction of the dam, arguing it will help Brazil meet ever-growing energy needs. The decision came after Cameron visited Indian villages the past two days in the jungle near the small Amazon city of Altamira near the proposed site of the dam on the Xingu River.
