THE PROJECT to supply fuel to aircraft at the Tocumen terminal, through underground pipes in the wetland Panama Bay, has suffered a major setback.
The National Environmental Authority (ANAM) announced Tuesday August 6 that reversed the decision approving the environmental impact assessment (EIA) category II for the company Vertikal Corporation Inc., arguing that the terms should be category III.
Anam had approved The EIA May 6, 2014, two days after the electoral defeat of the then ruling party of Ricardo Martinelli.
The project was made possible because the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), also under President Martinelli, gave them a grant of 4.5 acres of riverside land, reports La Prensa
On August 20, Anam-now under the government of Juan Carlos Varela, issued another resolution that revokes the EIA pro-Vertikal, "because the project would produce cumulative impacts on both the flora and fauna of the protected area and possible synergistic aquatic fauna benthic impacts, impacts on migratory birds."
The project is within the protected area of Panama Bay wetland, which "enjoys a high degree of legal protection", so Anam announced that it will send a copy to the Attorney General to determine the "criminal liability that may be incurred by officials they issued the revoked decision."
The project involved the installation of a new fuel supply system Tocumen International Airport by installing a submarine pipeline buried pipelines with a total alignment of ten miles, ten tanks oil storage three centrifugal pumps and other infrastructure in the area of Juan Diaz, which is part of the wetland.

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