Sea Pollution (Amendment) Act, 1999

Giving of directions by Minister.

6.—(1) The Minister may—

(a) give a direction in writing to a harbour authority requiring it to make such modifications or alterations to an oil pollution emergency plan approved by him or her in respect of a harbour under its control as he or she deems appropriate, or

(b) in relation to a harbour, give a direction (in writing or otherwise) to the harbour authority concerned to do or refrain from doing anything, the doing or refraining from doing of which is, in the opinion of the Minister, necessary or expedient for the purposes of responding to an oil pollution incident in that harbour.

(2) The Minister may—

(a) give a direction in writing to the operator of an offshore unit or oil handling facility requiring the operator concerned to make such modifications or alterations to an oil pollution emergency plan approved by the Minister in respect of an offshore unit or oil handling facility, as the case may be, under his or her control, as he or she deems appropriate, or

(b) in relation to an offshore unit or oil handling facility, give a direction (in writing or otherwise) to the operator concerned to do or refrain from doing anything, the doing or refraining from doing of which is, in the opinion of the Minister, necessary or expedient for the purposes of responding to an oil pollution incident in or on the offshore unit or oil handling facility concerned.

(3) The Minister may—

(a) give a direction in writing to a local authority requiring it to make such modifications or alterations to an oil pollution emergency plan approved by him or her in respect of an area of seashore within or contiguous to the functional area of the local authority concerned, or

(b) in relation to such area of seashore as he or she deems appropriate, give a direction (in writing or otherwise) to a local authority to do or refrain from doing anything, the doing or refraining from doing of which is, in the opinion of the Minister, necessary or expedient for the purposes of responding to an oil pollution incident.

(4) A person who fails to comply with a direction under this section shall be guilty of an offence.