The State leaves without control waste from drills for oil and gas in the Black Sea

The sweeping curtsy, which Council of Ministers (CM) and National Assembly (NA) make with these amendments to oil and gas companies acting in the Black Sea, may cost the latter’s gradual covert pollution with oil and toxic chemicals from drilling for oil and gas, loss of its natural value, public health impairment, and destruction of tourism and fishery there.

CM’s justification of the proposed amendment to the SRA is drawn from Directive 2006/21/EU, which introduces common European requirements for waste management in the mining industry. This Directive does not cover waste from mining activities at sea, that is, the Directive does not bind member states to apply its norms on management of waste generated from exploration, drilling and primary processing of subsurface resource at sea. EU leaves its member states the freedom to regulate this matter. CM and NA of the Republic of Bulgaria decide that since there are no immediate European requirements for management of this waste, they will leave them without state control and legal regulation, thus neglecting common sense and their constitutional obligations to protect the environment, public’s health and public’s interest.

How is this happening – the Waste Management Act does not incorporate waste from mining industry, because there is a special law which regulates this matter – Subsurface Resources Act. The planned amendment to this law, however, means that the law’s regulations will not cover waste from exploration, drilling and primary processing of resources from the Black Sea. Thus this waste is left without legal regulation, without standards and requirements for its management, without a competent state body to follow this activity, without rules, without control and sanctions.

Why is that dangerous? – Proper management of waste from sea drilling is exceptionally costly. There is no guarantee, that, when there are no state requirements and control, companies will do that in good faith, instead of disposing waste in the sea and thus saving tens of millions leva per year.

Which are these wastes at this moment – these are the wastes from exploration and drilling for oil and gas in the Black Sea – used technological solution, waste waters and ballast, mixed with oil and toxic chemicals.

Who profits, when we all lose – these are the companies, which have licenses for exploration of oil and gas in the Black Sea, and those with licenses for drilling – (at this time) Total, OMV, Repsol, Melrose Resources, Lederbel, Black Sea Energy, and Oil and Gas Exploration and Production.

For several months now, Civil Initiative for a Ban on Shale Gas Exploration and
Production through Hydraulic Fracturing insists the NA to revoke the scandalous amendment. Despite its obvious shortcomings, despite the lack of justification and analysis of its consequences, despite its being introduced in the draft law without previously published, as required by Law On Normative Acts, and though it is discussed and voted in the National Assembly in violation of its own regulations, obviously this amendment is too important for someone and isn’t to be revoked.

We insist the National Assembly to revoke this amendment to SRA on account of its irregular introduction and consideration in the NA, and on account of its incompliance with Bulgarian citizens’ interests and care of their health, the environment and economic interest.

Contact: Mariana Hristova, 0878476040, frackingfreebulgaria@gmail.com,
Civil Initiative for a Ban on Shale Gas Exploration and
Production through Hydraulic Fracturing