Response to DITI's Rejection of Greenpeace 17th Licencing Round

["Greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

RESPONSE TO DTI'S REJECTION OF GREENPEACE 17TH LICENSING ROUND 
APPLICATION
     
Greenpeace has today heard that the Department of Trade and
Industry  (DTI) has rejected its application to run the areas
covered in the 17th round of seaward licensing.
     
The rejection is on the grounds that the application does not
fulfil the oil drilling criteria.  
     
Greenpeace has labelled the issuing of these licences illegal
and has complained to the European Commission asking them to
take urgent action over the UK Government's failure to implement
the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.  Nothing in the
letter from the DTI rejecting the Greenpeace application says
when the UK Government will remedy its unlawful position on this
issue.
     
Greenpeace Deputy Executive director Chris Rose said:      

"Developing more oil is not in the national or the global
interest. It is appalling that the Minister has sneaked this
through while Parliament isn't sitting and there is no proper
opportunity for public debate. The DTI should be brought under
control: it is engineering an Atlantic oil rush which threatens
the climate and torpedoes the Government's green claims at the
Climate Convention".      

"According to his own Regulations, the President of the Board of
Trade should act on 'continuing need' for oil exploration and
can reject proposals to drill if it is not in the national
interest.  The DTI has failed to show need for new oil fields. 
In our letter to the DTI on the 2nd April, we quote the
Secretary of State for Environment John Gummer who referred to: 
'a false choice between our children's  interests and our own
shorter term economic interests.  Climate change and the
unsustainable use of fossil fuels threatens us all - 
economically as well as environmentally'".  
     
"Mr Gummer was right and the DTI's action in opening up the
Atlantic for oil development is wrong.  The Government is acting
in the interests of the oil industry and against interests of
our children.  The oil industry should get it's snout out of
Rockall Trough."
     
"The oil industry has learnt nothing about their environmental 
responsibilities and public opinion if they think that a wink
and a nod from a tame Minister gives them permission to ransack
our oceans".
     
     ends
     
     For further information please contact the Greenpeace Press
Office on 
     0171-865 8255/6/7 or 0171-359 4837