The 350,000 acre Candamo Valley is considered one of the most biodiverse areas
 in the Peruvian Amazon. Because of the geography of the valley-it is surrounded
 by steep mountains and penetrated by one swift, narrow rivet-it is also one of 
the Amazon's least spoiled treasures. Whether the Candamo Valley remains this
 way will likely be detetmined in the neat future by a US-based corporation, ExxonMobil.

Four years ago, the Peruvian government granted Mobil and its partners
 Exxon and Elf (Mobil and Exxon have since merged) the right to explore
 for oil and natural gas in Candamo Valley and the surrounding region, an area 
known to the oil industry as Block 78. So far, Mobil has done only preliminary 
work in Candamo Valley, and its impact has been minimal. According to the 
Peruvian government however, the tesults of Mobil's initial exploration indicate
 that the valley may hold large reserves of natural gas.

Earlier this year, as part of its exploration contract, Mobil was required to 
release twenty-live percent of the land it holds within Block 78. Environmentalists
-and, according to a recent poll, the majority of Peruvians-hoped that Mobil
 would give up its claims to the Candamo Valley, which would open the way for the
 valley to be incorporated into the nearby Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. Instead,
Mobil retained its claim to explore for oil and gas in the valley If ExxonMobil decides
 to develop the valley, the risks are numerous. Already, a hill near Mobil's exploratory
 well site collapsed, heightening fears that a chemical spill from the project might enter
 the nearby river and pollute the headwaters of the Amazon basin. According to Lauren
 Sullivan, RAN's Amazon Oil Campaigner, "Even if ExxonMobil uses the best available 
technology, oil and gas projects inevitably pose a threat to the health and long-term 
survival of an ecosystem." 

The threat is particularly troubling given the unique natural riches ofthe Candamo
 Valley. Iris home to a multitude of animal species, including jaguars, pumas, tapirs,
 anaconda, armadillo, and the endangered giant otter. In the span of just two years, 
biologists studying the area have identified 663 vertebrate species, one new species
 of fish, and 426 species of birds. The valley is a complex, healthy, and intact ecosystem
a complete Amazon in miniature,"according to some scientists, capable of existing independent
 of what goes on in the rest of the Amazon.

All of this could change with oil or gas development. "Similar projects have devastated
 ecosystems throughout South America, resulting in the toxic pollution of air, soil, water,
 and massive deforestation," points out RAN's Lauren Sullivan. "Furthermore, top 
climate scientists agree that we cannot afford to burn even one quarter of our existing
 oil and gas reserves withnut risking the worst impacts of climate change. Knowing these risks, 
we have to ask: Is it worth it? Is it worth sacrificing one of the last wild, pristine spots on 
Earth?"

What You can do

The fate of the Candamo Valley is currently in the hands of ExxonMobil.  Mobil's P-R officers 
claim that the comapny understands the importance of Candamo; however, Mobil's decision not
 to releaseits claim to explore for oil and gas in the valley indicates that the
 the comany is still considering 

development of the region.  Please write to ExxonMobil and urge the company not to proceed
with any oil or gas development in the Candamo Valley.  Write to Mr. Lee Raymond, Chief 
Executive Officer, ExxonMobil, 5959 Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving, TX 75039-2298