Ecuador: Permit Issued for Drilling in Amazon Reserve

Ecuador’s government has issued an environmental permit for oil drilling in a pristine Amazon reserve that President Rafael Correa initially offered to exempt from exploration if rich countries would pay his government.  Mr. Correa abandoned that effort last year because of insufficient interest and has spurned pleas by environmentalists to spare the Yasuni reserve.  This month, Ecuador’s electoral council declared invalid a petition seeking to prevent drilling in the 6,500-square-mile Amazon reserve.  The environment minister, Lorena Tapia, said Thursday on state television that with the signing of the permit, camps and access roads could now be built.  Production could begin as early as 2016.

Ecuador: Permit Issued for Drilling in Amazon Reserve