28-Oct-2011
Soil on roads and dirty water running into
rivers are still an all too familiar sight
during the autumn and winter.
The Environment Agency has undertaken some
work to identify the different sources of
pollution and is working with farmers to
help them prevent soil-runoff.
Recent research has confirmed the problems
associated with maize, which is a popular
and profitable crop providing good quality
feed. The volume of maize grown in the South
West as a fodder crop for the dairy sector
has increased by over 50 per cent over the
past decade, and brings with it a number
of environmental
challenges.
Dr Richard Smith, the Environment Agency’s
Principal Land Quality Officer explains
:’Our recent research showed that in 7 out
of 10 maize fields, that we looked at during
the winter have poor soil condition causing
runoff. Maize stubble is often unable to
absorb rainfall, so valuable nutrients and
sediment wash off into the nearest watercourse.
This can result in gravels silting up making
it impossible for fish to spawn and choking
aquatic life.’
Excessive runoff can also cause localised
flooding.
The Environment Agency’s officers are spending
more time walking along rivers where they
know there are significant improvements
needed to improve water quality to meet
stringent water quality standards under
the Water Framework Directive.
This enables them to
pinpoint sources of pollution and trace
it back to its source. In many courses,
the farmers that Environment Agency officers
have spoken to were unaware that it was
their land or practices which were causing
harm, or that they could face enforcement
action if they didn’t tackle the issue.
‘In many cases farmers
were simply oblivious to the problem, and
once it was pointed out to them, they were
very happy to work with us to tackle it,’
added Richard Smith.
The Environment Agency
wants farmers to manage their maize stubble
to prevent compaction and runoff. The Maize
Growers Association are supportive of the
measures being recommended to prevent runoff.
John Morgan of the Maize
Growers Association, said :’We’ve been examining
the yields provided by earlier varieties
of maize to enable farmers to harvest earlier
when the land is in better condition. We’ve
also encouraged members not to leave compacted
bare stubbles in high risk areas over winter.
Farmers can adopt practical measures such
as chisel ploughing to loosen and roughen
the soil surface to remove compaction and
allow the rain to get into the earth, and
ensure they provide winter crop cover to
help stabilise soils.’
But maize isn’t the only source of sediment
getting into watercourses. The walkover
surveys also showed significant levels of
runoff from tracks and roads.
Again, the Environment Agency want farmers
to think about the practical steps they
can take such as using gateways at the top
of a slope where possible, and where soil
does end up on highways taking remedial
action such as using a tractor mounted brush.
The Highways Act 1980
(as amended) and various other Acts, give
the highway authority the power to deal
with nuisances and dangers in the highway,
which could include recovering the costs
of any cleanup operation required.
Ends
Notes to editors
Two short film clips can be found at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/123418.aspx
and http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/123420.aspx.
The first is just under eight minutes and
looks at the importance of examining, understanding
and improving soil condition to reduce run-off
and diffuse pollution from agriculture .
The second is just over 12 minutes and shows
farmers how to examine soil structure, covering
the soil surface, top soil, subsoil and
different soil types.
Copies of the ThinkSoils practical guide
to examining soil structure can be obtained
from Phil Shere, Principal Agricultural
Officer, Environment Agency South West on
01392 442 082 or phil.shere@environment-agency.gov.uk
Research carried out
by Cranfield University has shown that maize
stubble with loosened soil can absorb high
volumes of rain (50mm per hour) with no
runoff after an hour of heavy rain.
In contrast there was 45 per cent runoff
from maize stubble with compacted soils,
and nearly 90 per cent runoff from grassland
with compacted soil.
Cornwall Council has
published a Farmer and the Highway leaflet
outlining guidelines for farmers regarding
highways, in consultation with the National
Farmers Union (NFU). This is available from
their website and NFU offices.
+More
Views sought on application
for an environmental permit for cooling
water discharges from the proposed new nuclear
power station at Hinkley Point C
31-Oct-2011
The Environment Agency is seeking comments
on an application by NNB Generation Company
Limited for an environmental permit for
cooling water and liquid effluent discharges
into the Severn estuary
The Environment Agency is seeking comments
on an application by NNB Generation Company
Limited for an environmental permit for
cooling water and liquid effluent discharges
into the Severn estuary from the operation
of its proposed new nuclear power station
at Hinkley Point C. NNB Generation Company
Limited is a joint venture between EDF Energy
and Centrica.
The consultation on the application will
run from November 3 to December 15, 2011.
The source of the discharge includes cooling
water from operation of the turbine condensers
of the power station and process effluents
from water treatment.
Comments should be sent
by December 15, 2011 to:
The Environment Agency
Permitting Support Centre
PO Box 4404
Sheffield
S9 4WF
Or people can email NNB@environment-agency.gov.uk
and quote the application number EPR/HP3228XT/A001.
The Agency must decide whether to grant
or refuse the issue of a permit. If it grants
a permit, it must decide what conditions
it should include to ensure proper protection
of people and the environment .
‘We welcome people’s
views on this application and will carefully
consider their comments before we progress
to the next stage of our decision making
process,’ said Brian Payne for the Environment
Agency.
‘This application relates
to the discharge of cooling water and process
effluent during operation of the power station.
Our next stage will be to conduct a further
consultation on our draft decision for this
application when members of the public will
have another opportunity to provide us with
comments.’
‘The Environment Agency is already consulting
on two other applications for environmental
permits that would be required to operate
the proposed station; one relating to discharges
and disposals of radioactive waste, and
the other for standby power supplies. We
will also conduct further consultations
on these two operational applications in
2012.’
The Agency is also consulting on an application
for an environmental permit for waste water
discharges arising during construction of
the proposed power station.
It is also assessing the EPR power station
design in its Generic Design Assessment
work.
The applications for Hinkley Point C can
be viewed at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/hinkleypoint
Copies of the application are also available
to view at the public registers held at
the following locations: Bridgwater, Cardiff,
Williton, Burnham, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare,
and Barry.
Any media queries should be directed to
the Environment Agency press office on 01392
442008.
Ends
NOTE TO EDITORS
A copy of the application for public viewing
is held at the following locations:
Environment Agency Office
Rivers House, East Quay, Bridgwater, Somerset,
TA6 4YS
Environment Agency Office
Rivers House, St. Mellons Business Park,
Fortran Road, St. Mellons, Cardiff, CF3
0EY
West Somerset District Council (Williton
and customer centre in Minehead)
West Somerset Council, West Somerset House,
Killick Way, Williton, Somerset, TA4 4QA.
Sedgemoor District Council
Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater,
TA6 3AR
Burnham-on-Sea Library
Princess Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset,
TA8 1EH
Somerset County Council
Major Energy Projects, Environment Directorate,
Somerset County Council, County Hall, Taunton,
TA1 4DY
North Somerset Council
Corporate Services Unit, Somerset House,
Oxford Street, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1TG
Vale of Glamorgan Council
Pollution Control Team, Civic Offices, Holton
Road, Barry, CF63 4RU
Any responses received must normally be
placed on the public register so people
need to say if they do not want the comment
to appear on the register.
The application can be viewed at the Environment
Agency Office during normal office hours
(9am-5pm, Monday to Friday). Please ring
in advance to arrange an appointment by
calling the National Customer Contact Centre
on 03708 506 506. You can also request a
copy of the application; however, a charge
may be made to cover the cost of copying.
