Everything about The Environment Agency totally explained
The
Environment Agency of
England and Wales was created by the
Environment Act 1995, and came into existence on
April 1,
1996 along with the
Scottish Environment Protection Agency. It took over the roles and responsibilities of the
National Rivers Authority (NRA),
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP) and the waste regulation authorities in England and Wales including the
London Waste Regulation Authority (LWRA). All of the predecessor bodies were disbanded and the local authorities relinquished their
waste regulatory role.
Goals
The stated purpose of the agency is, "to protect or enhance
the environment, taken as a whole"
so as to promote "the objective of achieving sustainable development" (taken from the
Environment Act 1995, section 4).
Responsibilities
Flood risk management
The agency is the main operating authority (a body empowered under the Land Drainage Act 1991 or Water Resources Act 1991 to undertake land drainage or flood protection work in England and Wales, others include Internal Drainage Boards and Local Authorities) responsible for creating and maintaining flood defences,
main rivers and providing flood warning systems. Control of water levels is usually by systems of sluices, weirs and locks. The agency issues flood warnings and maintains maps of areas liable to flooding. Functions in relation to canals are undertaken by the
British Waterways Board.Functions in relation to areas of special drainage need in England and Wales are undertaken by
Internal Drainage Boards. The agency is also responsible for monitoring planning applications within flood risk areas, making sure that any development is carried out in line with legislation (PPS25). The agency checks the
flood risk assessment that must be submitted with most planning applications in flood risk areas.
Waste regulation
The agency is the regulatory authority for all
waste management activities including the licensing of sites such as landfill and incineration facilities. It also regulates the movement of hazardous wastes such as fibrous asbestos, infectious clinical wastes and harmful chemicals. The Agency monitors waste management sites and any individuals or companies found to have caused pollution or have infringed their licence conditions can be prosecuted and potentially have waste handling licences revoked by the Courts.
Pollution control
Under the provisions of a series of Acts of Parliament, the Agency is the main regulator of discharges to the aquatic environment, to air and to land. It does this through the issue of formal consents to discharge or, in the case of large, complex or potentially damaging industries by means of a permit. Failure to comply with such a consent or permit or making a discharge without the benefit of a consent can lead to criminal prosecution.
Magistrates' Court can impose fines of up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment for each offence of causing or knowingly permitting pollution. If prosecuted in the
Crown Court, there's no limit on the amount of the fine and sentences of up to 5 years imprisonment may be imposed on those responsible for the pollution or on Directors of companies causing pollution .
Air quality management
The Agency regulates the release of
air pollutants into the atmosphere from large, complex industrial processes. This will soon include
emissions from some large-scale agricultural activities, but air pollutant releases from many agricultural activities will continue to be unregulated.
Emissions from major sources of pollution, such as transport, are subject to various measures at the European, national and local level. Local authorities control air pollution from smaller industrial processes.
The Agency works with local authorities, the Highways Agency and others to implement the UK government’s air quality strategy in England and Wales as mandated in the
Environment Act 1995.
The Environment Agency has an Air Quality Modelling and Assessment Unit (AQMAU) that aims to ensure that air quality assessments for permit applications, enforcement and air pollution incident investigations are consistent, of a high standard and based on sound science.
Water quality management
The Agency has a duty to maintain and improve the quality of surface and ground waters and as part of the duty it monitors the quality of rivers, lakes, the sea and ground-water on a regular basis.
Water resource management
The Agency manages the use and conservation of water through the issue of water abstraction licences for activities such as drinking water supply, artificial
irrigation and
hydro-electricity generation.
Complex arrangements exist for the management of river regulation
reservoirs, which are used to store winter water in the wetter parts of England and Wales in order to maintain levels in the summer time so that there's sufficient water to supply the drier parts of the country with drinking water.
Navigation
The Environment Agency is the designated
navigation authority for some waterways such as the
River Thames and the estuary of the
River Dee. Vessels travelling or moored in such waters may be required to pay a fee or to possess a valid licence.
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Fisheries
The Agency is the body responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of
fisheries in England and Wales. It does this through pro-active work to improve the
habitat for fisheries and by managing
angling and commercial exploitation of
shell-fish through the issue of licences.
Advice to Government
Until the formation of the Environment Agency, the Government took specialist advice on the management of the environment from civil servants employed in appropriate ministries. This led to considerable duplication of effort and frequent disagreements between Government and the regulatory agencies. The Environment Agency now advises Government directly about those issues within its purview.
Income
The agency is funded in part from the UK government
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the
Welsh Assembly Government. Additional money is raised from the issuing of licences and permits such as abstraction licences, waste handler registrations, navigation rights and rod (fishing) licences and from licensing data for which the Agency is owner.
Money for maintenance and improvement of
flood defences has traditionally come from the local authorities in the areas being defended but
central Government is now playing a larger role in funding this area of work.
Organisational management
The Environment Agency is overseen by the
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (currently
Hilary Benn) in England, and by the Minister for Sustainability and Rural Development in Wales (currently
Jane Davidson), but has its own chairman, chief executive and board of directors.
Chairman:
Chris Smith is to replace Sir John Harman in July 2008.
Chief executives:
Barbara Young, Baroness Young of Old Scone (2000 - 2008)
Professor Ed Gallagher (1995 - 2000)
Barbara Young has been selected to chair the new Quality Care Commission and will be replaced later in 2008.
The professional management of the Environment Agency overseen by the Chief Executive is organised into Directorates each led by a Director. Currently these are:
Operations (Paul Leinster) includes oversight of all the Regional and Area staff.
Water Management (WM) (David King) - includes water resources, hydrology, flood risk management, fisheries, conservation, ecology, recreation, navigation etc.
Environment Protection (EP) (Tricia Henton) includes policy and process for water quality, Integrated pollution control, IPPC, EP planning and reporting etc.
Corporate Affairs (Adrian Long).
Finance (Nigel Reader).
Human Resources (Graham Ledward).
Legal Services (Ric Navarro).
Regions and areas
The Environment Agency consists of seven English 'regions' and Environment Agency Wales. These regions are each subdivided into 'areas'.
Anglian Region
- Central Area
- Eastern Area
- Northern Area
Midlands Region
- East Area
- Central Area
- West Area
North East Region
- Northeast Area
- Yorkshire Area
North West Region
South West Region
- Devon and Cornwall Area
- Wessex Area
Southern Region
- Solent and South Downs Area
- Kent and East Sussex Area
Thames Region
- North East Area
- South East Area
- West Area
Environment Agency Wales
- Northern Area
- South East Area
- South West Area
Further Information
Get more info on 'Environment Agency'.
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