South West makes splash as first marine energy park

Posted on: January 23, 2012

The South West has today been named as the UK’s first Marine Energy Park, firmly placing the region on the international map for leadership in marine renewable energy.
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker made the announcement on a visit to Bristol where he met with key members of the new initiative.
The South West Marine Energy Park will stretch from Bristol through to Cornwall and as far as the Isles of Scilly. It will create a collaborative partnership in the region between national and local government, Local Enterprise Partnerships, the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter and industry including Cornwall’s famous Wave Hub. The aim of the partnership will be to speed up the progress of marine power development.
Energy from the waves or tides has the potential to generate up to 27GW of power in the UK alone by 2050, equivalent to the power generated from 8 coal-fired power stations, as well as helping to reduce emissions to fight climate change.

Read the full press release and Notes to editors on the DECC Website.

Electricity from Renewables

Posted on: January 12, 2012

HM Revenue & Customs has updated its guidance explaining when supplies of electricity generated from qualifying renewable sources are exempt from the climate change levy (CCL), and the procedures involved in applying the exemption. The new notice (CCL1/4 (November 2011) replaces the previous version, which was published in July 2010.

Health and safety prosecutions to go ahead before inquest

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More health and safety prosecutions will take place before inquest as changes to a key agreement between those who investigate and prosecute work-related deaths seek to speed up justice in England and Wales.
Only in exceptional circumstances are cases currently taken before an inquest by regulators other than the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Health and safety offences are only usually brought at this stage if they are being tried in conjunction with manslaughter-related charges.
The revised protocol will allow prosecution before inquest where manslaughter or homicide charges are not relevant – if it is considered appropriate and in the interest of justice.
The changes to the Work-Related Deaths Protocol or WRDP which took effect on 1 October 2011, aim to see that bereaved families see a swifter resolution to some prosecutions.

Latest Consultation - Pollution Prevention

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The Environment Agency is consulting on an updated pollution prevention guidance note, currently known as General Guide to the prevention of pollution : PPG 1, but which will in future be known as Introducing pollution prevention PPG 1.
The aim of the revised guidance is to help businesses understand their environmental responsibilities and improve performance. It includes updated legal references, more good-practice advice and directs people to further information.

For further information, please visit the Environment Agency website.

Latest Consultation - Environmental Protection

Posted on: January 11, 2012

The future role of the Environment Agency’s statutory Environment Protection Advisory Committees (EPACs) in England is the subject of a Defra consultation. Established in the Environment Act 1995, the EPACs - and Regional and Local Fisheries Advisory Committees, which are part of the same consultation - face abolition. The consultation asks whether stakeholders agree with the replacement of EPACs by flexible non-statutory arrangements.

For further information, click here.

Latest Consultation : Environmental Permitting

Posted on: January 10, 2012

The Welsh Assembly Government Government is consulting on the level of fees and charges to be levied under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 for the Local Air Pollution Prevention and Control (LAPPC) and Local Air-Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (LA-IPPC) oermits in 2012/13.

These fees and charges in Wales are applied to 1,350 or so businesses that hold LAPPC and LA-IPPC permits.

For more information please click here.

Air Pollution from Ships Changes in Ireland

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New legislation: Sea Pollution (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011
Amended legislation: Sea Pollution (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2010
Who does this affect: Republic of Ireland
When does this change take place: 1st February 2012

These Regulations amend the Sea Pollution (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2010 on the prevention of air pollution from ships and provide for an amendment to paragraph 2.3 of the form of Supplement to the International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate.

The full text of the Regulations can be found here.

Published: 06 January 2012

Waste Management Licensing Exemption for Landspreading of Sludges in Northern Ireland

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New legislation: Waste Management Licensing Exemption for Landspreading of Sludges in Northern Ireland
Amended legislation: The Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003
Who does this affect: Northern Ireland
When does this change take place: 31st December 2011

These Regulations amend the Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 to provide for an exemption for the landspreading of sludges from on-site effluent treatment of waste from abattoirs and meat and fish processing plants following “conventional treatment” or “enhanced treatment”.

The full text of the Regulations can be found here.

Published: 06 January 2012

Commencement Dates Set for Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act Requirements

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New legislation:
The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2011
The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Amendment Order 2011
Who does this affect: Scotland
When does this change take place: 31st December 2011

These Orders set dates for the commencement of several provisions of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

The full text of the Commencement Order can be found here.

The full text of the Amendment Order can be found here.

Published: 06 January 2012

Scottish Emissions Account Limits Set

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New legislation: The Climate Change (Limit on Carbon Units) (Scotland) Order 2011
Who does this affect: Scotland
When does this change take place: 31st December 2011

This Regulation sets limits on the net amount of carbon units (also known as carbon credits or offsets) that may be credited to net Scottish emissions accounts during the period 2013-2017. It excludes any carbon units which are surrendered by participants in the European Union Emissions Trading System and those acquired by other trading schemes from counting towards the net Scottish emissions account.

The full text of the Order can be found here.