Dear Friends | Caros Amigos (Português segue em baixo) Events of past week has taken me right back to the days in which I got involved in the fight against oil exploration. It was night, in the middle of winter in January 2010, that in a council meeting open to the public, I asked about the “offshore oil exploration” and what was the position of the council … I was laughed at, that it was just talk, that had been going on for years and it was an “old men’s tale” … Eight years later, and I’m still on the same subject, and the OIL DRILLING is here, right around the corner … yes, 9 contracts been cancelled in Portugal, and only 5 remain (3 offshore, and 2 onshore) … but … We’ve also been told that there’s a moratorium on new contracts UNTIL after elections in 2019, because political leaders DO NOT want to upset the upcoming election parody … but … (another but) … the concession areas remain … and as we all know contracts come and contracts go. In the midst of all the fog thrown at the population one factor came through … THERE WILL BE NEW INTERNATIONAL TENDERS FOR ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE DRILLING … UNLESS WE CAN PUT A STOP TO IT ONCE AND FOR ALL! In the meanwhile with our principal case we are challenging the law that underpins current “oil exploration” contracts, if we succeed … current contracts will be nullified … and we would have bought a lot of time until a new law is passed … and hopefully deter any new bids in the future. But to challenge the current status quo requires a mix of legal actions … on 6 April this year we launched our main case (Phase I), and shortly we’ll be launching Phase II where we will be contesting the latest curved ball given to the people by government: the decision to do away with a requirement for an EIA so that ENI can drill from September. We going to challenge that decision … will we win? We know we have a good chance that yes, we will force an EIA be conducted. This will extend the time line to 2019 at least … while we wait for the outcome of our main case. HELP US ensure that we can continue with our legal battle … donate today. We need by Wednesday to raise another 5,000€ urgently to help with raising costs. We have now raised 510€ - so 4, 490€ to go. (Thank you to these that donated, we are deeply grateful). This is not a cheap fight … and we fighting organisations with very deep pockets. This is the last chance we have at moment to STOP the drilling from going ahead in September. That’s just 3 months away. Please be generous and DONATE NOW. 1. Via PayPal (incl. credit card payments) : info@asmaa-algarve.org ou through the donate button on our website: http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/donate 2. Via Bank Transfer (EFT) - BANK: SANTANDER TOTTA (LAGOS ALGARVE) ASMAA Algarve Surf and Marine Activities Association IBAN: PT50 0018 0008 02686698020 51 **************************************************************************** Informação em Portugês Perfuração recebe GREEN LIGHT do gov | Segunda phase da ação legal a ser lançada pela ASMAA Depois de uma semana atribulada, em consequência do sinal verde que a APA acendeu à ENI autorizando-a perfurar a partir de setembro, a ASMAA está agora a finalizar o segundo repto legal contra o governo. Nesta segunda contestação, a ASMAA pede ao tribunal uma proclamação que declare inválido o resultado da consulta pública anunciado pela APA, ao mesmo tempo que decrete uma AIA como condição sine qua non antes que qualquer perfuração seja realizada pela ENI / Galp. Esperamos apresentar, já na próxima semana, no tribunal a Segunda phase da nossa ação judicial. Estamos, portanto, a trabalhar contra o relógio. Os vossos donativos permitiram-nos manter a cabeça fora de água. Mas face à urgência da apresentação da segundoa fase da ação juridica, em tão curto espaço de tempo, ou seja, antes da próxima quarta-feira, necessitamos urgentemente de, pelo menos, outros 5.000 € para conseguirmos enfrentar os custos iniciais do processo. (Já temos 510€, por isso só falta 4, 490.00) Esta é a última oportunidade que temos de travar a perfuração em setembro. Ou seja, estamos a três meses dessa catástrofe. Enquanto isso, temos debaixo de olho o navio de perfuração Saipem 12000 e o navio de apoio Vos Prime (a Saipem ainda está nas Canárias e Vos Prime em Gibraltar). AGORA, Por favor, sejam generos@s. Sem os vossos donativos estamos todos presos Insistimos: precisamos dos vossos donativos, por mais pequenos que sejam, para podermos continuar. Podem usar o Paypal ou fazer uma transferência bancária direta. Aqui ficam os detalhes: 1. Via PayPal (incl. Pagamentos com cartão de crédito): info@asmaa-algarve.org ou através do botão de doação no nosso site: http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/donate 2. Via Transferência Bancária (EFT) - BANCO: SANTANDER TOTTA (LAGOS ALGARVE) ASMAA Associação de Surf e Atividades Marinhas do Algarve IBAN: PT50 0018 0008 02686698020 51 Obrigada / Thank you ASMAA Team | A Equipa da ASMAA *************************************************************************** VIDEO Ministra do mar – conferencia USA (2016) in English with Portuguese subtitles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p9YaOvrVa8 ********************************************************************** ARTIGOS EM PORTUGUES (Se ainda não os leu) A Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA) decidiu que não irá submeter a Avaliação de Impacte Ambiental a realização do furo de prospeção de petróleo do consórcio Eni/Galp, ao largo de Aljezur. http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/furo-de-prospecao-de-petroleo-em-aljezur-dispensado-de-estudo-de-impacto-ambiental-apa Novas licenças para prospeção de petróleo na costa portuguesa embargadas até 2019? http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/novas-licencas-para-prospecao-de-petroleo-na-costa-portuguesa-embargadas-ate-2019 A teia do petróleo http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/a-teia-do-petroleo-em-portugal PM António Costa responde aos Verdes e diz que decisão da APA "deve ser respeitada" http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/pm-antonio-costa-responde-aos-verdes-e-diz-que-decisao-da-apa-deve-ser-respeitada *********************************************************************** ENGLISH ARTICLES (If you haven't read them yet) Oil & Gas Exploration Contracts in Portugal: The Lies Continue http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/what-s-new/oil-gas-exploration-contracts-in-portugal-the-lies-continue Portuguese government defends lack of environmental impact study for oil project amid criticism http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/19/c_137191270.htm Environment minister accuses anti-oil activists of “technical hypocrisy” http://portugalresident.com/environment-minister-accuses-anti-oil-activists-of-%E2%80%9Ctechnical-hypocrisy%E2%80%9D Ready for battle - Algarve mobilises against oil - http://portugalresident.com/ready-for-battle-algarve-mobilises-against-oil BP’s “interest” shows government “hell bent on opening concessions post-elections” http://portugalresident.com/bp%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cinterest%E2%80%9D-shows-government-%E2%80%9Chell-bent-on-opening-concessions-post-elections%E2%80%9D