The Environment Agency has launched a consultation on changes to variable monetary penalties – financial penalties that can be imposed for certain environmental offences. The changes will scrap the £250,000 cap on civil penalties and significantly broaden their scope to target a wider range of environmental offences. New enforcement powers will allow the Environment Agency to apply penalties […]
A coalition of 15 leading environmental groups has written to the Government urging it not to delay or cut back on environmental spend at PR24 to improve water quality. The organisations include the Wildlife Trusts, Rivers Trust, Surfers against Sewage, RSPB England, Friends of the Earth and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. They were responding to […]
The Environment Agency (EA) has published its strategy for safe and sustainable sludge use. The strategy sets out the purpose, principles and priorities for how the EA will enable safe and sustainable sludge use on land. It sets out how the EA will: enable safe and sustainable sludge use on land modernise and clarify the […]
Information from the Environment Agency shows that the majority of designated bathing waters across Devon and Cornwall have a good or excellent rating for water quality. However, the Environment Agency’s Swimfo bathing water website advises against bathing at several locations. It is officially the summer holidays, and as millions of people flock to the coast, the Environment […]
Following the ReMeMaRe (Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef) 2023 conference which took place in Scarborough last week, Dr Rob Bradburne, the Environment Agency Chief Scientist, sets out his views and vision for marine restoration. Taking a holistic approach to coastal habitat restoration Fresh approaches Restoring saltmarshes, seagrass meadows and native oyster beds is of importance […]
A summary of the environmental performance of the 9 water and sewerage companies operating in England. Environment Agency Chair calls the performance “very disappointing”, with “minimal improvement in star ratings compared to 2021”. The Environment Agency says that, for 2022, the main performance messages for the sector are: 5 water companies are rated as requiring […]
The multi-stakeholder National Drought Group met last week to discuss the impact of the hottest June on record on reservoir and groundwater levels and river flows. As of 20 June, total reservoir stocks for England were at 83% of their total capacity. Devon, Cornwall and parts of East Anglia remain in drought. In the Lake […]
The Environment Agency has published a summary of England’s draft regional and water resources management plans. It considers whether the proposed plans will secure resilient and sustainable water supplies up to 2050. Key issues highlighted in the summary include The Agency argues that “following recent droughts that some water companies are less resilient than expected”, […]