The government has published its response to the recent consultation on the expansion of the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to cover coastal and estuarine waters. In summary Government expands plan to tackle storm overflows, including all coastal and estuary sites Marine protected areas and shellfish water protected areas made a priority Plan to drive […]

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The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has criticised the Government’s “lack of leadership and deep-rooted complacency” in the conclusion to its follow-up inquiry into Ofwat, the water industry and the role of Government. In a letter to Thérèse Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the cross-party committee has […]

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Research from Pesticide Action Network (PAN) shows that the UK is failing to phase out pesticides that have been found to be harmful to human health and the environment at the same rate as the EU. Thirteen of the 36 chemicals are considered highly hazardous pesticides under UN definitions used to identify the most harmful […]

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The BBC reports that the UK government was defeated in the House of Lords last week, when their bid to weaken rules that protect environmentally vulnerable waters from extra nutrient pollution, a retreat from EU environmental standards, was blocked. The proposed amendment looked to scrap rules that prevent new developments from being approved if there […]

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Defra has published a summary of responses and the government response to the recent consultation on continuous water quality monitoring and event duration monitoring. The consultation sought views on the government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflows and final effluent discharges into watercourses Some key points from the government’s response Urban Pollution Management […]

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The government’s environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), has identified possible failures to comply with environmental law by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency and Ofwat in relation to the regulation of combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The failures relate to a possible misinterpretation of the law, which […]

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Last week, we reported how the government has scrapped nutrient neutrality rules on new developments, under pressure from housebuilders. Whilst the official press release included favourable quotes from developers and housebuilders, reaction from others has been somewhat less enthusiastic. The body set up by the government to hold it to account on protecting and improving […]

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Under pressure from housebuilders, the self-proclaimed ‘greenest government ever’ has scrapped nutrient neutrality rules on new developments. The government states that over 100,000 homes held up due to defective EU laws will be unblocked between now and 2030, delivering an estimated £18 billion boost to the economy. The change will be made through an amendment […]

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