On Friday, December 24, the same day that President Alberto Fernández empowered the National Energy Secretariat to review the Aranguren and Macri Offshore oil tender , the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation , in charge of Juan Cabandié , resolved to “conclude the suspension of deadlines for the environmental impact evaluation procedure of the Project called “ARGENTINA OFFSHORE SEISMIC ACQUISITION CAMPAIGN; NORTH ARGENTINE BASIN (CAN 108, CAN 100 AND CAN 114 AREAS)”, and approving the presentation made by the oil company EQUINOR ARGENTINA .

The process began in October 2018 when the government of Mauricio Macri put up for sale the specifications for 38 hydrocarbon areas within a maritime surface of 200,800 km2, which not only allowed the participation of companies associated with those that operate in the Malvinas with an illegal license. British - as is the case of EQUINOR - but also removed jurisdiction from the Argentine Justice and handed over the exercise of any controversy to international courts.

The Ministerial Decree of 14 articles appeared published today in the Official Gazette of the Argentine Republic . It says that it will take into account “ the presentations ” for the refusal of oil exploitation off the coast of Mar del Plata, “made by the different Chambers and Associations related to fishing activity dated August 31, 2021; (…) already expressed in a timely manner in Public Hearing No. 1/21 by the majority of its signatories.” Last September, an investigation by a Buenos Aires Engineering Faculty concluded that there is a 99% probability of spills as a result of the exploration and exploitation of oil in the Argentine sea. The study forced the national government to stop a tender, in which involving the Norwegian EQUINOR , the Anglo-Dutch Shell and the Argentine YPF.

The studies presented by NGOs, the opposition of the fishing and tourism chambers, the warnings issued by Greenpeace and academic research, suggested that today's ruling party would move forward with the reversal of the offshore bidding process launched by the Macri Government, which harshly they questioned being opposition just 4 years ago.

  RESOLUTION 436/2021 THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RESOLVES: ARTICLE 1: The suspension of deadlines for the environmental impact evaluation procedure of the Project called “ARGENTINA OFFSHORE SEISMIC ACQUISITION CAMPAIGN is declared concluded; NORTHERN ARGENTINE BASIN (CAN 108, CAN 100 AND CAN 114 AREAS)” established by Article 1 of SCCDSEI Resolution No. 16/21. ARTICLE 2: Approve the implementation of the project “SEISMIC ACQUISITION 2D-3D-4D OFF- SHORE IN BLOCK CAN 108 -CAN 114” presented by EQUINOR ARGENTINA AS SUCURSAL ARGENTINA (CUIT 33-71659420-9) processed by EX-2020-11258246-APN-DNEP#MHA, with the scope that arises from these evaluation actions of environmental impact, in the terms of article 12 of the General Environmental Law No. 25,675 and article 8 of Annex I of Joint Resolution SE-SAYDS No. 3/19.ARTICLE 3: Keep in mind the presentations made by the different Chambers and Associations related to fishing activity dated August 31, 2021; the presentation recorded in the IF-2021-122858819-APN-MAD dated December 16, 2021 in the terms of article 19 of 25,675", already expressed timely in Public Hearing No. 1/21 by the majority of its signatories.ARTICLE 4: Let it be established that EQUINOR ARGENTINA AS SUCURSAL ARGENTINA (CUIT 33-71659420-9) must strictly comply with the terms of the Environmental Management Plan (chapter 8 embedded in IF-2021-28213006-APN-DEIAYARA#MAD of order 365; and extensions of orders in order 413 to 416) that is part of the Environmental Impact Study presented, as well as any other requirement that this authority considers carrying out. ARTICLE 5: Let it be known that the Final Report of Monitoring of Marine Fauna and Mitigation, before the NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION of the SECRETARIAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION, in accordance with the provisions of MAYDS Resolution N°201/2021. ARTICLE 6: Any update of the Environmental Management Plan ( PGA) mentioned in article 4 of this document, regarding the organization, permits and those responsible, prior to the start of activities and that as of the date of this resolution it is not possible to specify, including the proof of approval of the respective National Plan of Contingencies (PLANACON), must be informed to the NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION with due advance notice. ARTICLE 7: Any modification related to the scope and characteristics of the Project or its EMP, to which article 2 and 4 of the present and at any of its stages, it must be previously informed and with due notice to this authority, in order to verify the corresponding evaluation. This article includes, in reference to the project and in a non-exhaustive manner, the modifications referring to the window time of work, the extension of the area of operations, the seismic vessel and its route, and the technology, arrangement or acoustic characteristics of the seismic sources, among others. ARTICLE 8: Any change in the figure of the proposer must be reported to the MANAGEMENT NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION, in the terms of article 17, Annex I of Joint Resolution SE-SAYDS No. 3/19. ARTICLE 9: Control and supervision of compliance with this Environmental Impact Statement and its corresponding Management Plan Environmental will be carried out by the SECRETARIAT OF ENERGY of the MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, in accordance with articles 15, Annex I and 5 of the Joint Resolution SE-SAYDS No. 3/19. ARTICLE 10: Non-compliance with the provisions of this Environmental Impact Statement will be subject to application of the disciplinary regime established in Title VII of Law No. 17,319 and Law No. 25,675. ARTICLE 11: Let it be known that compliance must be given, if applicable, to Article 22 of the General Environmental Law No. 25,675. and MAYDS Resolution No. 206/16. ARTICLE 12: The appeal for reconsideration with hierarchical subsidy filed by the company EQUINOR ARGENTINA AS.SUCURSAL ARGENTINA (CUIT 33-71659420-9) against SCCDSEI Resolution No. 16/21 is declared abstract. , by virtue of the provisions of articles 1 and 2.ARTICLE 13: Notify the EQUINOR firm, contact the SECRETARIAT OF ENERGY dependent on the MINISTRY OF ECONOMY and the MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND FISHERIES.