By an OGJ correspondent
LIMA, Aug. 13 -- Environmental opposition to the Camisea natural gas transmission pipeline has forced a series of joint public hearings on all three aspects of Peru's Camisea gas megaproject.
The operators of the three consortiums of the upstream, transmission, and distribution portions of the project are holding joint public hearings on the three environmental impact assessments (EIAs) conducted separately for each aspect of the megaproject.
The operators and their respective consortiums' concessions are Argentina's Pluspetrol Peru Corp., upstream; Argentina's Tecgas SA for Transportadora de Gas del Peru (TGP), transmission pipeline; and Belgium's Tractebel SA for the distribution and marketing of gas in Lima and Callao.
Although all three EIAs had previously been approved, the Inter-American Development Bank, developing the main financing for the project, asked for joint hearings. Concerns include environmental issues where—although the EIA for the project was approved and clearing for rights-of-way for the pipeline has already begun—there are objections in some indigenous communities and criticism from some environmental pressure groups.
TGP is holding meetings in towns and communities for comments and solutions on objections along the pipeline route during Aug. 6-27. The area is particularly sensitive because of the proximity of Manu National Park and its biological diversity.