Inter-institutional Work Group to resolve uncertainties on the La Puente project

April 9, 2019. On April 2, 2019, Cerrejón was notified of the Constitutional Court’s decision on the tutela presented by indigenous communities regarding alleged effects produced by partial modification of the Bruno Creek riverbed. This decision orders the Inter-institutional Work Group created in 2016, made up of 17 national and regional entities, to continue working on a technical study to provide answers to the doubts expressed by the Court, which is fundamental to decide on continuation of the La Puente project.

Modification of the Bruno Creek riverbed has formed part of the Environmental Management Plan since 2005, and its detailed engineering was approved by the National Authority of Environmental Licenses (ANLA) in 2014. The work, which began in 2016, consisted in modifying 3.6 kilometres of the Bruno Creek riverbed, shifting it 700 metres north of its original location.

The work on Bruno Creek has been subject to two prior consultation processes. The first was with the indigenous community in Campo Herrera, which concluded in a series of agreements related to economic strengthening, cultural and environmental projects. [The second, currently in progress, relates to the La Horqueta community, where some preliminary agreements have already been reached.] Finally, in fulfilment of the decision from the Court in La Guajira, we are awaiting agreement on a methodological roadmap to advance with two other consultations with the communities of El Rocío and Tigrepozo. These two communities are, according to official entities, the ones that meet the same conditions as La Horqueta (intercomunis effect) in regard to their relationship with Bruno Creek.

It is important to point out that the work on Bruno Creek was done applying technologies to ensure that the stream’s ecosystem continues to function properly. The work was completed in 2017 and the ecosystem of the new channel is recovering and is monitored on an ongoing basis by the proper authorities.

Cerrejón trusts that the results from the Work Group will provide answers to the points raised. Likewise, Cerrejón respects this decision and will provide full support to fulfil what the Court has ordered. Additionally, the company will continue fulfilling all the requirements of the Constitutional Court, which as of 2017 ordered suspension of operations in the La Puente pit in the area of the work on the riverbed until the Inter-institutional Work Group reached a decision under the terms ordered in the decision.