“OEFA slams Petroperu over oil spills - fines it US$15 million” - 13 January 2018

The monitoring agency within the Ministry of the Environment (OEFA) has imposed its largest fine yet on the state-owned enterprise Petroperú. The fine, the second imposed on the company, is over two oil spills that occurred between 25 January and 2 February 2016 in Bagua (Amazonas region) and in Morona (Loreto)…The report contains a damning review of the evidence to date on Petroperú's failure to maintain the ageing Northern Peru Pipeline, as well as an analysis of the damage done to communities, both to health and livelihoods. As we have repeatedly reported (see for instance), such oil spills have major effects on flora and fauna and thereby on livelihoods and health, giving rise to cases of nausea, skin and eye irritation, and increased fear over the threat of cancer. OEFA reiterates these effects and risks, and finds Petroperú at fault. It explicitly rejects the company's frequent excuse that the problems with the pipeline have been the result of sabotage…Alicia Abanto, the deputy director in charge of environmental and indigenous affairs at the Defensoría del Pueblo…underlines both the size of the problem and the need for both the government and Petroperú to take action. She has urged an in-depth investigation into poor management at Petroperú…