Ecobreves – CHILE: Conflict Over Petroleum Storage Site

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

SANTIAGO, Feb 9 2009 (IPS) - Residents, fishers and salmon workers, including the indigenous population of Calbuco, in the southern Chilean region of Los Lagos, have announced a mobilization against a fuel storage plant of the Chilean oil company Copec. “We haven't ruled out any type of action” to stop the construction of the site with capacity to hold 67,000 cubic meters of petroleum, Francisco Vega, spokesperson for the indigenous Mapuche Huilleche community of Pepiukelen, told Tierramérica.

The government authorized the project on Jan. 26, despite the rejection in June 2008 by the Los Lagos regional environmental commission.

The people of Calbuco not only consider the process “illegal”, but they believe the project fails to ensure against oil spills in the area, which is already affected by salmon farming, and the roads will not withstand the traffic of heavy trucks.