Environment Agency
 |
The standard of the Environment Agency |
The
Environment Agency (
Welsh:
Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd) 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,
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP) and the waste regulation authorities in England and Wales including the
London Waste Regulation Authority. All of the predecessor bodies were disbanded and the local authorities relinquished their waste regulatory role.
The stated mission of the newly created agency was
"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).
Flood risk management
The agency is the main body responsible for creating and maintaining flood defences and providing flood warning systems. Control of water levels is usually by systems of sluices, weirs and locks. The agency issues regular flood warnings and maintains maps of areas liable to flooding. Functions in relations to canals are undertaken by the
British Waterways BoardWaste 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 grants licenses for handling special waste such as radioactive, chemical or medical materials. 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 licenses 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. Under recent legislation changes enforcement action regarding a pollution event can, through the Magistrates courts system, result in a fine of up to £50,000 or 5 years imprisonment, or unlimited fines and up to 5 years imprisonment through the Crown courts.
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 is sufficient water to supply the drier parts of the country with drinking water.
Navigation
|
The Environment Agency runs canal locks. |
Licenses for boats travelling on some inland waterways (notably
River Thames) are issued by the Agency as is permission to take (abstract) and discharge water.
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.
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 handling licences, navigation rights and 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.
The Environment Agency is overseen by the
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (currently
David Miliband), but has its own chairman, chief executive and board of directors.
Chairmen:
*
Sir John Harman (2000- )
* Lord de Ramsey (1995-2000)
Chief executives:
*
Baroness Young (2000- )
*
Professor Ed Gallagher (1995-2000)
The Environment Agency consists of seven
English regions and
Environment Agency Wales. These are sub-divided in areas.
*Anglian Region
**Central Area
**Eastern Area
**Northern Area
*Midlands Region
**Lower Severn Area
**Lower Trent Area
**Upper Severn Area
**Upper Trent Area
*North East Region
**Dales Area
**Northumbria Area
**Ridings Area
*North West Region
**Central Area
**North Area
**South Area
*South West Region
**Cornwall Area
**Devon Area
**North Wessex Area
**South Wessex Area
*Southern Region
**Hampshire and Isle of Wight Area
**Kent Area
**Sussex Area
*Thames Region
**North East Area
**South East Area
**West Area
*
Environment Agency Wales**Northern Area
**South East Area
**South West Area
*
List of environmental organizations* http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk - official agency homepage
* http://www.sepa.org.uk - Scottish agency homepage
Related acts of parliament
* http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950025_en_1.htm - Environment Act 1995
* http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1991/Ukpga_19910057_en_1.htm - Water Resources Act 1991
* http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1991/Ukpga_19910059_en_1.htm - Land Drainage Act 1991
* http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/Ukpga_19900043_en_1.htm - Environmental Protection Act 1990
* http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890014_en_1.htm - Control of Pollution (amendment) Act 1989
* http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890015_en_1.htm - Water Act 1989
*
(Link not available yet) - Control of Pollution Act 1974
