Section 73 – Stop notices
108.This section enables the Scottish Ministers by order to allow SEPA to issue a stop notice to a reservoir manager. Subsection (3) defines a stop notice as a notice which contains instructions to a reservoir manager to stop an activity which SEPA believes could cause damage to the structure, or could cause any other kind of infringement. Subsection (4) lists the circumstances in which a stop notice can be issued. Before SEPA can issue a stop notice to someone carrying out an activity which SEPA believes presents a significant risk of causing an uncontrolled release of water from the reservoir but which is not an offence, subsection (5) requires SEPA to appoint an engineer from a panel established under section 27 at its own expense and take into account any recommendations made by the engineer appointed. It also requires SEPA to specify only steps to remove or reduce the risk of an uncontrolled release of water in any such stop notice and to notify the Scottish Ministers as soon as reasonably practicable of each occasion on which such a notice is given.