After two oil spills, in late January and early February, Peruvian government oversight agencies ordered the state-run company Petroperú to replace deteriorated sections of its leaky northern oil pipeline and pay a US$3.6 million fine. But residents living along oil-stained riverbanks are demanding compensation for damages, along with safe drinking water and food assistance. They also worry about health problems, especially among people—including children—who scooped oily goo out of the river, without using protective gear, so they could sell it back to the company. The leaks brought to 20 the number of spills reported on the pipeline since 2011 and were the result of corrosion, says the national environmental oversight agency (OEFA). On Feb. 15, OEFA ordered the state-run... [Log in to read more]