Five Algarve business associations have condemned the government's decision to authorise the Galp-ENI test well drilling without a proper environmental study.
It is with disbelief and outrage that we heard on Tuesday (May 15th 2018) about the decision of the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not necessary regarding the Offshore oil drilling Project near Aljezur on the southwestern coast of Portugal.
On behalf of 'Plataforma Algarve Livre de Petróleo' (PALP) and four other entities involved in the Fossil Free Movement in the Algarve and Portugal, we would like to share the press release prepared this week, writes the environmental group.
"We express disbelief and outrage at the decision of the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) to not subject the offshore drilling project near Aljezur to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
The Algarve mayors’ group, AMAL, met on Friday to discuss the Portuguese Environmental Agency’s decision that an environmental impact assessment is not needed for the planned test well off Aljezur.
Oil drilling in the Santola exploration area, off Aljezur, is to go ahead in September after the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) yesterday announced its decision on environmental impact. 
After the Environment Agency gave the green light for the controversal test well in the Alentejo basin, (HERE) the Government announced, at a press conference this evening, that it is to refuse any new applications for oil exploration and production until the end of its mandate in 2019.In a shocking example of the government’s continuing refusal to listen to its electorate, while supporting its cherished energy companies, the Portuguese Environmental Agency announced this afternoon that the highly controversial Aljezur test-well, in an area already licenced to oil consortium Galp-ENI, will not be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment and hence drilling can go ahead later this year or early next.
Mysteriously, the Portuguese Environment Agency failed to identify "significant negative environmental impacts" in the test well project in the Alentejo basin, 46 kms off Aljezur in protected waters, and therefore has decided that no environmental impact analysis is necessary - the drilling can go ahead anytime between September 15th and January 15th, 2019.
The Algarve Free of Oil Movement (MALP) is staging another protest against drilling for oil off the Alentejo coast.
