Oil transfer petition handed in to Highland Council and Scottish Parliament - Cromarty Rising attend committee hearing prior to debate in Parliament

19 March 2017

A petition with nearly 100,000 signatures protesting against the Port of Cromarty Firth's plans for ship-to-ship oil transfers off the mouth of the Cromarty Firth was handed in to Highland Council last Thursday.  Cromarty Rising described it as
 
"A good natured event – we thank Council leader Margaret Davidson for having the good grace to accept our petition"


"This will send a peaceful visible message showing the strength of feeling of communities and businesses against ship to ship crude oil transfer operations."


The petition can be signed at:

https://you38degrees.org.uk/petitions/danger-to-sea-life-from-oil-spills?bucket=blast

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Cromarty Rising attend committee and hand in petition at the Scottish Parliament, prior to a debate in Parliament this week.

Representatives of Cromarty Rising were in Edinburgh last week (16 March) at the invitation of the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee to give evidence as witnesses in relation to the Scottish Parliament petition.

"We felt it was well received with the committee giving us a fair hearing and asking some well considered questions. The outcome is that the committee will write to the Scottish Government but also a number of agencies involved in STS such SEPA, SNH and the MCA etc".

Also last week, the Oil Transfer petition to the Scottish Parliament was handed in and accepted by John Finnie MSP, who also, with Kate Forbes MSP, supported the cause by attending the Petitions Committee and commenting  "The petitioners should be commended for the articulate case they made before the committee".

For more news and comment on events in Edinburgh and the campaign generally, see this page on the community news site Inside Moray.

The Scottish Parliament's business programme for next week includes a debate called by John Finnie, on Ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Cromarty and Moray Firths on Wednesday 22 March at 5.00, under the heading of Members' business.

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For more information on this important topic, go to our  Environment / CFPA Oil Transfer page and to the Cromarty Rising website.