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Tighter regulation for ship to ship oil transfers
by Richard Hardy
29/01/2008:// The UK government is finally committing itself to better regulate potentially damaging ship to ship oil transfers (STS) around the UK.
Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick told the House of Commons on January 25th, that the government will begin a consultation in the spring on regulating ship to ship transfers of hazardous substances in UK waters.
The move came as a response to a Private Member's Bill, proposed by Mark Lazarowicz MP and supported by SAS, alongside lead ngo’s the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts. The proposed Bill was inspired by the threat to the Firth of Forth from a proposal to allow oil transfers last year. Ship to ship oil transfers have also been proposed at Nigg Bay in the Moray Firth, as well as Falmouth in Cornwall and Southwold in Suffolk – all popular areas for recreational water activity.
In summer this year the Scottish Parliament approved a mechanism whereby all sites in Scotland such as the Forth that are specially protected under European law for wildlife gained extra protection. The Scottish Government now has the opportunity to examine and reject the Environmental Assessment for any proposed development in these areas. However, what's needed to secure full protection for the whole marine environment is Westminster legislation that introduces a full regulatory regime to this aspect of shipping law.
Mark Lazarowicz's Environmental Protection (Transfers at Sea) Bill was debated in the House of Commons in last week and, following a commitment by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick) that the Department for Transport would consult on draft regulations in the spring, with a view to them coming into force within the timescale set out in the Bill, the Bill was withdrawn.
SAS Campaigns Director Richard Hardy said: ”SAS and many of our Scottish supporters were active last year on this issue, with surfer led actions taking place on Portobello and North Berwick beaches. We now look forward to the consultation in the Spring and ultimately new regulations by the end of 2008 that seek to prevent pollution spills to the marine environment from such activities”.
Thanks to everyone who took part in the e-action and the RSPB for taking the lead on this proposed legislation.
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