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After an intense discussion between the government, the U´WA indigenous people and Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC), the NOC has agreed to burry a portion of the Coveñas/Calo Limón pipeline due to environmental and tribal concerns. This and other environmental stories in our periodic summary.

The president of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP) Francisco Lloreda lashed out against rising environmental and citizen protests against oil activities, which he says have become a free pass to extort and pressure the industry in Colombia.

In his last interview before resigning as the director of the National Agency of Environmental Licenses (ANLA), Fernando Irequi argued that the controversy around the Caño Cristales River and the revoked license for Hupecol was an isolated case, and also defended agency’s process to approve it.

A municipal ordinance plan (POT) looks to restrict oil activities in order to protect local water sources, and this has led to a series of court actions and accusations. The decision could end up affecting production at Ecopetrol’s CPO-9 block.

The National Agency of Environmental Licenses (ANLA) made a mistake by granting an environmental license to Hupecol for a production block some 68km from the Caño Cristales river, but rectified its error by revoking the license, said President Juan Manuel Santos.

Before the controversy surrounding the environmental license of Hupecol in La Macarena emerged Colombia had already received global attention for being a leader in the number of environmentally related conflicts, second only to India.

The ELN guerrilla has an enormous debt with Colombians due to the damage to the environment from its continued attacks over the years, said the government’s lead negotiator in talks with the group, Frank Pearl.

The Colombian Association of Oil Engineers (ACIPET) issued a statement regarding the reversal of Hupecol’s environmental license in La Macarena, and warned of a growing stigmatism of the oil industry and its activities. The result is heightened legal uncertainty and a lack of respect for the industry’s professionals.

The Regional Autonomous Corporations (CARS) defended their role in the awarding of environmental licenses and expressed concern that national authorities like the National Agency of Environmental Licenses (ANLA) have ignored their opinion and approved projects.

The recent decision to reverse an environmental license issued to Hupecol for exploration in the Serranía block due a public outcry has the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP) concerned for the lack of coherence in applying its policies, which risks lost investment and legal stability.