Environment

Anam imposes fine for oil spill in Bocas del Toro

The company responsible for an oil spill in the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos must clean up the area and pay a large fine.

LA PRENSA

CRUDE: The islands of Cayo Zapatilla 1 and Cayo Zapatilla 2 were particularly affected by the oil spill. 955845

The Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (Anam) has fined Petroterminal de Panamá (PTP) more than $2 million for the oil spill that occurred last February in the bay of Chiriquí Grande in the province of Bocas del Toro.

The oil spill contaminated a considerable area within the Parque Marino Nacional Isla Bastimentos, which was declared a protected area in 1988.

The islands of Cayo Zapatilla 1 and Cayo Zapatilla 2 were particular affected by the crude. The contaminated areas encompass 15.8 hectares of mangrove and 2.79 hectares of vegetation bordering the spill. One hectar of the latter was made up of forest in which 103 trees of different species were affected.

Soils and beaches in the area around the spill were also damaged. As reported by Anam and verified by the Ministerio de Salud, air quality along the shoreline and on higher ground also suffered from the petroleum’s foul odors. Various marine species consumed by people were affected as well.

Luis Roquebert, general manager of PTP, said that he was unaware of Anam’s sanction and fine and would contact his lawyers to find out about the matter.

In addition to sanctioning and fining the oil company, Anam has ordered PTP to present a final remediation or treatment plan and to report on the final disposition of the residual oil in the course of its cleanup operations. The report must be delivered within two months after the company receives official notification of Anam’s actions.