On June 18, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) approved the “Rehabilitation Plan for Impacted Site S0109” through Directoral Resolution No. 149-2021-MINEM/DGAAH, as it meets the technical and legal requirements stipulated by environmental regulations. Impacted Site S0109 covers an area of 336.58 m².2; It is located adjacent to the territory of the José Olaya Native Community – Corrientes River basin –, Trompeteros district, Loreto province and department, and the volume of soil to be remediated is 302.92 m³3.
At Impacted Site S0109, there is surface evidence of hydrocarbons, an outcrop in a nearby stream, and evidence of soil contamination from a ruptured pipeline. Approval of the S0109 Rehabilitation Plan is important because the affected site is located near a natural waterway system. Remediation would prevent potential contamination of water sources and improve the quality of ecosystems and the health of communities living in the surrounding area.
The remediation technique to be used will be a combination of geomembrane isolation (removal of the affected material and placement in a geomembrane cell) and the stabilization/solidification technique (removal of the affected material and placement in an impermeable cell with the addition of cement). In both cases, slopes will be formed and the area will be revegetated.
To date, the Rehabilitation Plans for sites S0115 and S0109 have been approved. S0115 was the first plan to be approved in February of this year and is located in the territory of the Nueva Jerusalén Native Community in the Corrientes basin.
The approval of the S0109 Rehabilitation Plan represents another step forward in the environmental remediation of sites impacted by hydrocarbon activities. This outcome is the result of a joint effort between government entities and Federations of Native Communities, which comprise the Contingency Fund's Board of Directors.
In 2015, the Peruvian government approved the creation of the Environmental Remediation Contingency Fund to allocate resources for conducting studies and rehabilitating areas impacted by hydrocarbons in the Marañón, Corrientes, Tigre, and Pastaza river basins. Currently, the Fund has over 400 million soles and, through its Board of Directors, has submitted 30 Rehabilitation Plans to the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) for evaluation. Of these, 2 plans have been approved and 28 are under review.
Profonanpe has held the role of Technical, Administrative and Financial Secretariat of the Contingency Fund since January 2020.
