Environment Minister Walter Roban said Government would soon release the White Paper which details how the Island should reduce its dependency on oil.However, Kathy Michelmore, of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA), criticised the Government for a lack of emphasis on environmental issues in the budget. The Ministry of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy suffered cuts in a number of areas, but the Ministry was one of few not to experience an overall cut in its 201½012 budget.While the Planning Department, Energy Department and the Department of Environmental Protection all saw their budgets fall, the Ministry was given $515,000 for Sustainable Development and $1.8 million for Land, Surveys and Registration in 2011/12.Speaking after the budget was released, Mr Roban said the Ministry would play a large part in working with other nations to protect the Sargasso Sea, and promised to find ways to do more with the Island’s agricultural land by developing an Agriculture Policy.The Telecommunications budget was reduced by 30 percent, falling from an estimated $2.12 million this year to $1.53 million next year, but Mr Roban said the Department would conclude its reform of telecommunications legislation and take advantage of Bermuda’s satellite slots in space to draw more income in 2011/12.“This has the potential to generate long-term revenues for Bermuda,” Mr Roban said.“In addition, the Ministry is looking to market itself and Bermuda to provide assistance to operators who need the support of a government to operate in space.”Dr Michelmore, environmental spokeswoman for the BDA, said that the budget made very little reference to the environment.“There is no mention in the budget of any investment in projects to reduce waste production, increase recycling, or to stimulate the use of alternative energy,” Dr Michelmore said.“While the Premier was keen to mention Government co-operation with developers of the proposed Park Hyatt and Morgan’s Point, she did not mention the environmental concerns associated with the clean-up required at Morgan’s Point or the current, hugely controversial, SDO proposed for the development of Tuckers Point.“I fear that environmental concerns are often low on this Government’s agenda, as is indicated by their absence from the Budget speech.”