Peru declares Amazon oil contamination emergency
Source: Associated Press
Peru declares Amazon oil contamination emergency
AP foreign, Monday March 25 2013
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru's government has declared an environmental state of emergency in an Amazon jungle region due to years of contamination from oil drilling it blames on Pluspetrol, the country's biggest oil and natural gas producer.
Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal deemed inadequate Argentine-owned Pluspetrol's cleanup of oil spills in the Pastaza river region bordering Ecuador.
Local indigenous groups have been complaining for years about the contamination and the government's failure to address it.
Pulgar-Vidal said Pluspetrol would be obliged to clean up contaminated jungle. He did not describe the extent of the contamination.
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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10717588
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Still, I'm sure that one enough economic growth has taken place - i.e., once everyone has enough money - that Peru will get right to work on making this right.
Illegal gold mine established in 2009 in the department of Madre de Dios. This mine encroaches on Tambopata Reserve. All photos by Rhett A. Butler.
http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0812-gold_peru-pod.html
In this photo taken May 21, 2011 miners work at a legal mining concession in Huaypetue, Madre de Dios, Peru. Government efforts to halt illegal mining have mostly been futile. The state of Madre de Dios prides itself on its biodiversity and attracts eco-tourists for its monkeys, macaws and anacondas. But an estimated 35 metric tons of mercury is released annually by miners in this state alone, slowly poisoning people, plants, animals and fish, scientific studies show. Photo: Esteban Felix, AP
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Gold-rush-brings-heavy-cost-to-Peru-s-environment-2366915.php
