Trinidad & Tobago: Environmental body slaps PETROTRIN with $3.2 million fine for oil spills

Cleaning crews working to clear up pollution resulting from oil spill, Dec. 23, 2013. PHOTO/Trinidad Express

Trinidad & Tobago’s Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has slapped a TT$20 million (US$ 3.2 million) fine on the state-owned oil company, PETROTRIN, over 11 spills that have seriously affected residents and the environment in the south of the twin-island republic.

In a statement, the EMA said that the oil company had failed to submit for approval the required methods for the disposal and treatment of waste generated from the oil spills as well as failing to report all accidents, emergencies and spills within the stipulated time frame.

PETROTRIN was also accused of failing to comply with health and air-monitoring requirements as well as to submit a complete written report of the incident that began on December 17 and which the company has sought to blame saboteurs for at least 2 of the spills.

According to Allan Bachan – the CEO of the EMA, the fine would go towards rehabilitation of areas affected by the spills and also towards consistent testing of various aspects of the environment, including air and water quality.

Bachan said it was not the concern of the EMA to ascertain whether the spills were as a result of sabotage and that the company failed to monitor its assets, which could under the circumstances include adequate security presence that could have prevented the spills.

Last weekend the EMA served two notices of violations on PETROTRIN for 4 breaches of the EMA Act and Bachan said while his organization had been criticized for its apparent failure to become involved following the spills, it must be guided by the legislation available.

The EMA said that the fine on the oil company would also be used to determine the sources of the oil spills into the Gulf of Paria as well as establish a “Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment” team to undertake reconnaissance surveys of damaged resources and select study sites for damage assessment.

The EMA is also promising the development of a long term “Remediation and Rehabilitation Action Plan to address the environmental impacts and initiate monitoring and studies of the effects of the oil spill on the environment” and the development of an environmental impact mitigation and assessment response framework.

In an immediate response, PETROTRIN described the EMA’s action as “harsh”.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary representatives for the areas affected by the oil spills say they want the matter discussed at the next sitting of the Trinidad & Tobago parliament on Friday.

The legislators in their statement said the parliament should discuss, “the recent large oil spills in the coastal region of the south western peninsula of Trinidad and the government’s failure to adequately address the very serious resultant effects.” They said they would also raise “PETROTRIN’s incapacity and unpreparedness in their response to the very damaging oil spills and the effect on the people, fishing and tourism industries and the environment”. -(CMC)