National
press office - 4-Nov-2008 - The Environment
Agency has today (Tuesday 4 November) welcomed
the high environmental standards proposed
in the draft planning guidance for eco town
developments.
The draft Planning Policy
Statement (PPS), published today for public
consultation by Department for Communities
and Local Government (DCLG), includes environmental
standards to ensure a variety of water management,
flood risk and environmental protection
measures are met.
Environment Agency Chief
Executive, Dr Paul Leinster, said: "We
welcome the high environmental standards
contained in the Government’s draft planning
policy for eco-towns. It sets out clear
standards for reducing flood risk, encouraging
water efficiency and minimising waste. I
believe the planning statement should be
a benchmark for all other forms of housing
development to help create sustainable communities."
Measures included in
the draft PPS:
• Prohibiting development
in high flood risk areas
• Meeting high water efficiency standards
• Achieving water neutrality in water stressed
areas
• Ambitious targets for waste minimisation
Dr Leinster added: "We
have worked closely with our partners in
developing these standards and will continue
to comment to ensure that eco towns meet
the required environmental and sustainable
standards. Significant challenges still
remain and we expect these to be addressed
in the planning and design of the eco towns
and their associated infrastructure. For
example we expect:
• Water cycle studies
to be undertaken - that provide a plan for
any necessary water services infrastructure
improvements
• The master plans to
account for climate change adaptation, resource
use and environmental protection
• Developers to refer
to the guidance on sustainable water management
and green infrastructure we have developed
with the Town and Country Planning Association."
+ More
Environment Agency boosts
fish numbers on River Yeo
Mike Dunning - 4-Nov-2008
- More than 30,000 young fish will be released
into the River Yeo in Somerset this week
in a major re-stocking exercise.
The fish, including
roach, bream, chub and dace, will help replace
stocks lost earlier this year when abnormal
weather conditions caused a deterioration
in water quality on the River Yeo near Langport.
The Agency’s Fisheries,
Recreation and Biodiversity team are due
to take delivery of the fish on Thursday
(November 6). Measuring 4 – 5 inches in
length, the year-old fish are being transported
to Somerset from Calverton Fish Farm, an
Agency hatchery and fish rearing centre
near Nottingham.
With cooler water temperatures,
now is an ideal time for re-stocking. Agency
staff will release the fish at two locations
upstream of Langport – Long Load and Huish
Episcopi.
The fish deaths at the
end of May, 2008 co-incided with high rainfall
and warmer than average weather that resulted
in a drop in dissolved oxygen levels in
the River Yeo. A number of dead fish were
seen close to the confluence of Yeo and
the River Parrett at Langport. The Agency
received several calls from concerned members
of the public.
Sampling and checks
carried out at the time suggest the deaths
were caused by low oxygen levels and increased
algal growth indicating higher than average
levels of nutrients in the water. Where
possible, Agency officers retrieved dead
fish for analysis and safe disposal.
‘The loss of fish in
the early part of the summer was unfortunate,
but the Yeo is a productive river capable
of supporting a healthy fish population.
It will soon recover. On Thursday we’ll
be giving it a helping hand by stocking
young fish to boost numbers and speed up
the recovery process,’ said Steve Thomas
for the Environment Agency.
For further details
including times and re-stocking locations
call the Agency’s regional press office
on 01392 442008.
+ More
'DIARY NOTICE: Ed Miliband
to give keynote speech at Environment Agency
climate change conference'
National press office
- 5-Nov-2008 - Queen Elizabeth II Conference
Centre, London SW1 - The UK’s lead policy-maker
on climate change, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP,
Secretary of State at the new Department
of Energy and Climate Change, has joined
the impressive line-up of speakers at the
Environment Agency’s annual conference.
He will make the keynote address on the
second morning of the conference on 25 November.
Environmental futures
08: creating the climate for change will
bring leaders in government, business, investment
and environment together to discuss their
roles in adapting to climate change and
working towards a low carbon economy.
Other speakers and panellists
include:
• Stavros Dimas, European
Commissioner for the Environment
• Dr James Hansen, Director
of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space
Studies
• Rt Hon Hilary Benn
MP, Secretary of State for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs
• Boris Johnson, Mayor
of London
• Sir Michael Pitt,
Independent Chair of The Pitt Review: Lessons
learned from the 2007 floods
• Jane Davidson AM,
Minister for Environment, Sustainability
and Housing, Welsh Assembly Government
• Dr Chris West, Director
of the UK Climate Impacts Programme
• Nick Robins, Head
of Climate Change Centre of Excellence,
HSBC
• Richard Gillies, Director
of Plan A, Marks and Spencer
To see the full line
up of speakers, seminars and workshops and
to register as a delegate visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/conference
+ More
Environment Agency offers
advice to Walsall businesses
Emily Poyser - 4-Nov-2008
- The Environment Agency will be joining
other regulatory and advisory organisations
at the HM Revenue and Customs Free Business
Advice Open Day, to be held at Walsall Football
Club, Banks’s Stadium, Bescot Crescent,
Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 4SA on Thursday
13 November 2008.
HM Revenue and Customs
has invited representatives from a number
of non-commercial organisations to provide
seminars and advice to businesses at the
Open Day. People are welcome to drop in
to talk to some of the experts, including
the Environment Agency team, who will provide
free information and support to help them
meet their environmental obligations.
Martin Everett, the
Environment Agency’s Principal Officer (Waste),
says “We want to meet businesses informally
and talk openly, not simply about legal
compliance, but about protecting the environment
effectively, managing business risks and
also adapting to change".
Further details of the
Open Day, and how to attend, can be found
at www.businessadviceday.gov.uk.
For those who cannot
attend the Open Day the NetRegs website
at www.netregs.gov.uk provides another invaluable
source of advice and support on environmental
matters affecting businesses. It will help
businesses to understand what they need
to do to comply with environmental law and
protect the environment. It may even help
them to save money by showing them ways
to use their resources more efficiently.
In England and Wales,
this website is provided by the Environment
Agency in conjunction with Business Link,
Envirowise and The National Industrial Symbiosis
Programme (NISP).
