CPI suspends bioremediation program

By Bernard Loebs

PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) has suspended its bioremediation project in Riau in response to the imprisonment of its officials and contractors involved in the project.

?No one is interested to participate in the tender for the bioremediation project since they are not assured of its legal certainty,? CPI Corporate Communication Manager Dony Indrawan said.

Dony said CPI is still committed to ensure its oil and gas operation is secure and environmentally healthy. CPI will make sure its program of rehabilitating contaminated soil through bioremediation program will continue according to the mandates stipulated in the environmental law.

?We are still convinced that our bioremediation program has complied with the existing regulation and we have received permits from the ministry of environment,? he said.

The Jakarta court has handed down prison sentences to several CPI officials responsible for the firm?s bioremediation project and several of executives of the companies hired to carry out the project on the grounds the project has caused losses on the government.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon