National
press office - 28-Oct-2008 - The Environment
Agency has today (Tuesday 28th October)
named Mathew Crocker as its new Head of
Fisheries.
Mathew, a keen angler
who has worked for the Environment Agency
since it was formed in 1996, takes over
from current Head of Fisheries Dafydd Evans.
He will begin his new role on 1st November
2008, for one year.
Dafydd, who has been
Head of Fisheries for over four years, has
taken up a year’s assignment in the Anglian
region of the Environment Agency.
Speaking on his priorities
in his new role Mat commented: “Dafydd has
made huge strides as head of fisheries,
including persuading government to modernise
freshwater fisheries legislation through
the Marine Bill. I look forward to building
on Dafydd’s work by making the most of the
forthcoming legislation changes which will
help us better tackle illegal fishing and
practices which could damage the environment.I
also look forward to taking the opportunities
presented by the Water Framework Directive
to create a better quality environment where
fish will thrive.”
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Major flood recovery
exercise in West Wales
Martin Watkins - 28-Oct-2008
- If a major flood devastated a county what
would the local authority, emergency services
and utilities do? More specifically, how
would Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire
and Powys react? This was the question asked
at Exercise FEAR, which was a Flood Evacuation
and Recovery desk top exercise held recently
in Carmarthen. The aim of the exercise was
to test the resilience of the Dyfed Powys
Local Resilience Forum in the aftermath
of a major flood.
Some 90 representatives
from local authorities, emergency services
and utility companies, known as Category
1 and 2 responders, took part in the exercise
at the Ivy Bush Hotel last Thursday. The
Exercise incorporated a multi-agency response
to a serious flooding incident impacting
on locations within the four counties of
Dyfed Powys.
Organised by Environment
Agency Wales, the Exercise planning group
included all four local authorities, Dyfed
Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and
Rescue Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Graham Hillier, the
Agency’s Area Manager for South West Wales
said:
“Environment Agency
Wales has the lead responsibility to ensure
that we are prepared do deal with flooding
when it happens. The exercise simulated
a major flood event to test how well all
the organisations involved can work together.
It was a challenging scenario of a severe
flood affecting a number of different locations.
Just like a real event, the circumstances
and challenges faced were continually changing
as in a real event and tested our capabilities
and capacity to work together.”
Andy Edwards, Deputy
Chief Constable with Dyfed Powys Police
said:
“The purpose of this
exercise was to test strategic and tactical
decision making during a major incident
as well as raising awareness of flooding
within the Dyfed Powys Local Resilience
Forum. The summer 2007 floods highlighted
the damaging effect a county wide flood
can have on our infrastructure and services.
“Major flood incidents
may not be frequent, but their effects can
be devastating and we need to prepare for
them. Dealing effectively with such incidents
requires the co-operation of the emergency
services and other partner organisations.
The shared knowledge and resources brought
to bear in a joint approach will bring such
an incident to a successful conclusion.
Exercise Fear highlighted
the mutual benefits of working together
and the valuable lessons learned will further
enhance our joint working arrangements and
individual emergency response plans.”
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Environment Agency leads
blitz on riverside rubbish dump
Mike Dunning - 24-Oct-2008
- The ancient port of Bideford boasts many
attractions, but also has its eyesores.
Best known is an unsightly riverside rubbish
dump opposite the main town quay close to
North Devon’s popular Tarka Trail.
There have been so many
complaints about fly-tipping at Clarence
Wharf car park, the Environment Agency has
agreed to carry out a clean-up of the quayside
in partnership with the local harbourmaster
and Heritage Coast and Countryside Service
staff.
The ‘blitz’ will take
place next Wednesday (October 29) when a
joint team will descend on the East the
Water side of the River Torridge and set
to work removing assorted items of bulky
rubbish including an old solid-fuel oven,
bicycles, shopping trolleys, scrap metal
and abandoned boats.
‘What people have been
doing is reversing their vehicles up to
the quayside and tipping rubbish over the
edge into the river which is illegal. Its
surprising what people dump. Among the items
we’ll be taking out is an old Rayburn-style
oven,’ said Chris Pedlar for the Environment
Agency.
Local hire company Eagle
Plant have kindly offered to provide a site
hut for workers on the day. The Agency is
supplying heavy plant and equipment including
a crane to ensure the rubbish is removed
safely.
Several abandoned old
boats in various stages of decay may also
be removed as part of the clean-up if time
allows.
The unofficial dump
is only a short distance from Brunswick
Wharf where the historic sail ship, the
Kathleen & May, is moored. The ship
is the last remaining wooden three-masted
topsail schooner in the country and is a
popular tourist attraction. The Tarka Trail
footpath and cycle route is also nearby.
The Agency working party
will include North Devon Operations Delivery
staff and members of local Environmental
Management teams who will be giving up a
day’s environmental leave to carry out the
clean-up.
‘The harbourmaster at
Bideford has received a lot of complaints
about the state of the quay on the East
the Water side of the Torridge. When he
asked the Agency if it could help we were
only too pleased to oblige and are looking
forward to working with Heritage Coast and
Countryside staff and other partners next
Wednesday tidying up this local eyesore,’
said Chris Pedlar.
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Check your oil tank
to protect the environment
Catherine Burbage -
29-Oct-2008 - As part of the Environment
Agency’s six week campaign, oil tank owners
are being reminded of the importance of
protecting the environment by ensuring oil
tanks are well maintained and secured.
Richard Bowen, environment
manger, said: “Oil is one of the most common
causes of water pollution and even the smallest
oil leak can have a massive impact on the
surrounding wildlife, including birds, fish
and plants.
“Just two litres of
oil could seriously pollute the volume of
fresh water needed to fill an Olympic-size
swimming pool.”
There are a number of
ways you can protect the environment by
ensuring your oil tank is not positioned
within 10 metres of a stream or river, or
50 metres of a borehole, well or spring.
Also, where possible, position your oil
tank away from areas prone to flooding.
You should also ensure
your tank is placed on a surface resistant
to the oil being stored and is isolated
from any surface water drainage systems.
This will reduce the risk of spilt oil contaminating
the soil and groundwater directly below
the tank and beyond.
Richard added: “We hope
that everyone with an oil tank has a plan
in place to minimise the risk of oil pollution.
“We would encourage
anyone who has any concerns over their own
oil tank to email the Environment Agency
at ac-oilcampaign@environment-agency.gov.uk
or if you have an oil spill, call the 24
hour emergency hotline on 0800 807 060.”
+ More
Environmental issues
under scrutiny
Rita Penman - 27-Oct-2008
- The Environment Agency is working in partnership
with Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services for
a ‘Faith in Nature’ debate which will address
multi-faith approaches to the environment.
The debate will be held
in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral,
on Thursday 6 November, and will be by ticket
only.
The event focuses on
the Environment Agency’s ‘Right for Everyone’
Diversity Campaign. The campaign examines
all six strands of diversity including faith
and religion.
There will be panellists
from various parts of the United Kingdom,
with representatives from the Christian,
Islamic, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Buddhist and
Pagan faiths participating in the discussions,
as well as a representative for Atheist
views. The Right Rev Doctor John Saxbee,
Bishop of Lincoln, will be chairing the
event.
The event aims to bring
together representatives from different
faiths to debate environmental issues.
Terry Miller from the
Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services said: ‘Climate
change is the biggest threat to our environment
and its impact on people of all faiths could
be catastrophic, particularly in less developed
countries. We hope that this debate will
encourage people of all faiths to work together
in a wide partnership for action on this
issue.’
One-hundred and twenty
people are expected to attend the event,
posing topics and questions for the panellists
to discuss.
Andy Baxendale, Area
Manager for the Environment Agency said:
‘Environmental issues affect everyone, irrespective
of background and religion. This event is
one of the innovative ways that we are seeking
to engage with different sectors of society
to raise awareness of environmental issues.
The Environment Agency
wants to involve all sections of the community
in the environmental issues that affect
them’.
The Environment Agency
aims to provide a great service to all their
customers regardless of their ethnic origin,
religion and beliefs.
