Cabinet approves environmental reform bill targeting at-sea ship refueling

The government has introduced modifications to the Natural Heritage and Biodiversity law, which will enable authorities to penalize the refueling of vessels outside of ports via permanently anchored ships, a practice known as at-sea bunkering.

Agriculture, Food and Environment Minister Miguel Arias Cañete on Friday explained that the aim is to fill a legal loophole regarding special conservation zones, where certain practices are prohibited but not punished.

Authorities will be able to penalize illegal practices, with those causing damage in excess of 100,000 euros being classed as "very serious," and the rest as "serious."

The minister stressed that the move will affect all special conservation zones in Spain, and not only the area around the Strait of Gibraltar.

At-sea bunkering is an important source of revenue for Gibraltar, which has been the focus of a renewed diplomatic row between Spain and Britain this summer. The practice is controversial because of the danger of oil leaks.

The changes announced on Friday will be included in a new draft Environmental Evaluation Law, which will now go to Congress following its approval at the regular Friday Cabinet meeting. The government says that the new law will improve environmental evaluation procedures and avoid unjustified delays in taking appropriate action. It expects the initiative will create some 80,000 jobs.

The measures will also include for the first time environmental impact evaluation for projects which involve the use of hydraulic fracturing techniques, otherwise known as fracking. The move opens the way for scores of shale gas prospections to be approved. Last year alone, the Industry Ministry received 70 such requests.