The Federal Court of Appeals of Mar del Plata resolved to annul a precautionary measure and authorized operations more than 300 kilometers from the coast of Mar del Plata for oil exploration, considering that the Government and the Equinor company complied with the requirements that were set out for them. required.
The Ministry of Energy disseminated the judicial decision on Twitter and remarked that “offshore production presents a great opportunity for the economic development of our country.”
The exploration of the offshore project 300km from the Buenos Aires coast was enabled.
This morning the Federal Court of Appeals of Mar del Plata lifted the precautionary measure and authorized the continuation of seismic exploration activities. pic.twitter.com/wynsFPjmB8
– Secretary of Energy (@Energia_Ar) December 5, 2022
They also highlighted: “From the National Government we will control and demand that the activity be carried out in compliance with the highest safety standards with the aim of caring for our environment.“.
The Chamber of Mar del Plata, with the signature of judges Alejandro Taza and Eduardo Jiménez, revoked the decision of the head of Federal Court No. 2, Santiago Martín, issued last October, “since all the requirements established by this Chamber must be considered fulfilled in a timely manner “, says the ruling.
It also states that “The execution of the project must contemplate “permanent observers, members of the ‘Pampa Azul’ team, in the number of members that the administrative authority deems appropriate.eitherwho must ensure the care of the Right Whale Natural Monument, by the guardianship of the Blue Hole”.
The ruling also states that “seismic prospecting activities should not be carried out at a distance of less than fifty (50) km from the sector that includes the area called ‘Blue Hole’, which covers an area of 148,000 km2 considered as the first link in the food chains of the sea and for being home to ‘vulnerable species’ such as corals, sponges and starfish, including rays, sharks, hake and squid”.
Any event that significantly affects and/or damages the environment may be reported “before the acting administrative and judicial authorities, to promote the immediate suspension of activities,” the ruling states.
Any event that significantly affects and/or damages the environment may be denounced “before the administrative and judicial authorities in force, to promote the immediate suspension of activities,” the ruling states.
The Chamber urged that the authorities “encourage and permanently maintain a maximum level of control over the activities of the project, to comply with the mandates that the law imposes on the matter regarding the protection of the environment, and to ensure compliance with any of the previously established conditions”.
