Help prevent oil spills in UK seas - Take 10 mins to email your MP

[Lisa Chilton]

Help prevent oil spills at sea - Take 10 minutes to email your MP
Deadline: 24 January 2008

What’s this about?
The Wildlife Trusts are supporting a Private Member's Bill introduced by Edinburgh MP Mark Lazarowicz. The Environmental Protection (Transfers at Sea) Bill would improve the regulation of ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other hazardous cargos throughout UK seas. This would allow strict controls on ship-to-ship transfers, helping to protect the UK's marine habitats and wildlife.

Why is the Bill needed?
Ship-to-ship (STS) transfer is a process by which cargo is transferred between ships at anchor. Transfers of oil already take place at Scapa Flow (Orkney) and Sullum Voe (Shetland). Other places around the UK proposed as STS sites include Falmouth Harbour (Cornwall), Lyme Bay (Devon/Dorset), Southwold (Suffolk), the Firth of Forth (SE Scotland) and Nigg Bay (NE Scotland). Currently, STS operations are insufficiently regulated. The UK Department of Transport (which is responsible for shipping matters) has failed to fulfill repeated promises to introduce stronger measures. Mark Lazarowicz's Bill would require the Secretary of State for Transport to bring in new regulations controlling STS transfer of cargos, including strict safeguards to protect our seas and sea life. STS transfer is not addressed by the forthcoming Marine Bill, so separate legislation is necessary and important.

Why now?
The Bill's Second Reading in the House of Commons will take place on 25 January. This a make-or-break time for the Bill. Unless plenty of MPs support the Bill, it could be dropped. Please email your MP asking him/her to support the Bill and to attend the debate on 25 January.

4 quick steps to email your MP
1. Visit www.theyworkforyou.com and type in your postcode to locate your MP.
2. Click on ‘Send a message to…’.
3. Write a short message in your own words, using the following notes to help you:

- The Environmental Protection (Transfers at Sea) Bill, introduced by Mark Lazarowicz MP, would improve the regulation of ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other hazardous cargos throughout UK seas.
- This would allow strict controls on ship-to-ship transfers, helping to protect the UK's marine and coastal habitats and wildlife from potentially catastrophics spills.
- The Bill's Second Hearing is on 25 January.
- More information about the Bill can be found on Mark Lazarowicz's website: www.marklazarowicz.org.uk

4. Please mail me to let me know that you have done it. Use marine@wildlifetrusts.org, put ‘STS’ in the subject header, and include your MP's name.

Thank you for your support.
Lisa Chilton, The Wildlife Trusts.