06 Dec 2017

Giving evidence last week to a Parliamentary Inquiry, Environment Agency chief James Bevan admitted that England will miss its already deferred water quality targets out to 2027. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee took evidence on Wednesday 21 November on the work of the Environment Agency. The EA is the main public body for […]

06 Dec 2017

Defra, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Rural Payments Agency are developing a scheme under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) called the Water Environment Grant (WEG) to fund improvements to the water environment. The proposed scheme is being designed to support delivery of projects that are currently funded through the Water Environment […]

21 Nov 2017

Last week saw a number of new announcements from Defra. These included: UK and Welsh governments sign water powers agreement. UK Government introduces measure to safeguard water supply for England & Wales; Protocol to safeguard water resources, water supply and water quality for consumers in England and Wales. This “will safeguard water resources, water supply […]

08 Mar 2017

Updated documentation of the current programme from the Environment Agency Between April 2015 and March 2021, government will invest £2.5 billion to reduce the risks of flooding and coastal erosion. Local authorities, internal drainage boards and the Environment Agency are working together with local communities to develop 1,500 schemes. These schemes will reduce flood risk […]

14 Dec 2016

Environment Agency Annual fisheries reports Fisheries activity and expenditure in England for the financial year 2015 to 2016, including partnership working and delivery projects. Reports for England and Regions. Environment Agency publishes annual report on flood and coastal erosion risk The Environment Agency has published its annual report on flood and coastal erosion risk management work […]

10 Nov 2016

Four reactions to EFRA Committee report    Bob Earll  The scale of the events: In the face of three major winter storm – flood events in 2012, 2013-14 and 2015-16 – billion pound storms – MPs clearly felt the need to speak out. These events are becoming almost normal and they are characterised not by just […]

18 Oct 2016

Bob Earll  ‘The Chairmen of the Environment Agency have had a chequered history. Whilst perhaps not setting the world alight this blog (below) begins to set out that the new Environment Agency Chairmen, Emma Howard Boyd, does get the big picture. She has a strong investment background (see Her profile and details ) in the […]

05 Oct 2016

Environment Agency issues metaldehyde advice for autumn crop growers The Environment Agency is calling on growers to think ‘slope, soil and stream’ when they apply metaldehyde based slug pellets to crops this autumn. Metaldehyde is the pesticide that most often causes risks to drinking water sources, especially in the autumn – if metaldehyde enters watercourses it […]