Morales
to investigate Repsol for environmental damage in Bolivia
Spain Herald
MADRID
Petroleumworld.com 02 15 06
The
Bolivian government has created a special commission in order
to investigate charges of environmental damage against Spanish-Argentinian
oil company Repsol-YPF, which supposedly occurred at a natural
gas field in the Chaco region. The Guarani People's Assembly complained
to president Evo Morales that "there is soil erosion, the
forests are affected, and hunting is impossible."
The assembly's president, Andres Segundo, said that in the area
of the Margarita gas field, shared by Repsol and British Gas,
the natural environment has been seriously damaged. The Chaco
contains the country's largest natural gas reserves, estimated
at 13.4 trillion cubic feet, of which Repsol exports 0.62 million
cubic feet a day to Brazil.
Morales ordered that a special commission be created in order
to investigate the claims, whose members will travel to the Chaco.
It will be composed of Jorge Alvarado, the president of Bolivian
Fiscal Petroleum Reserves, viceminister of Land, and Juan Carlos
Iporre, viceminister of Natural Resources and Environment.
They are to set a value on the damage allegedly caused at the
Margarita field in order to demand compensation for indigenous
communities. However, viceminister of Coordination with Social
Movements and Civil Society Alfredo Rada said that the decision
will not affect the guarantee given to Repsol that it will be
allowed to do business in Bolivia.
Spain Herald 02/14/06
Copyright
© 2006Spain Herald. All rights reserved
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