Fortnightly Bulletin – 2nd December 2024
3 December 2024
Guidance
Check if you need a licence to impound water
An impoundment is a structure within inland waters that can permanently or temporarily change the water level or flow. This includes:
- dams
- weirs
- fish passes
- hydropower turbines
- sluices
- penstocks
- culverts
- lock gates
- retaining walls
- flumes
- reservoir embankments
- temporary diversions during construction work
You must have an impounding licence before you start work on building a new impoundment structure, even in an emergency.
If an existing structure does not currently have an impounding licence, you must get one before you start work to alter or remove the structure.
There are some exemptions and low risk activities associated with the impounding license.
Source: Gov.UK
For the full article, list of exemptions, low risk activities, click here
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024 will amend legislation implementing the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS): the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020, assimilated Free Allocation Regulation (EU) 2019/331, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Auctioning Regulations 2021.
Carbon dioxide venting from the upstream oil and gas sector, and flights from Northern Ireland to Switzerland will be brought into the scheme. Rules on free allocations will be updated, including to reflect net-zero commitments.
These changes are going to come into effect on 1 January 2025.
Source: Greenspace
For the full article, click here
Managing a Climate Change Agreement (CCA)
This guidance shows how to report your data, deal with changes to your account or organisation, and what happens if you miss or exceed targets or report late.
Those organisations holding or wishing to have an agreement, must ensure their sector association applies for an agreement on their behalf within the digital service on the GOV.uk website. The digital service is also used to manage CCA accounts and report on performance at the end of each target period.
For more detailed guidance on how to apply and manage a CCA see the operations manual.
The Environment Agency will update the manual for the start of the new CCA scheme on 1 January 2026.
Source: GOV.uk
For the full article, click here
Articles of Interest
DRS Confirmed to Go Live in October 2027 After Start-date Confusion
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed to Circular Online that the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will go live in October 2027.
Defra clarified their position after the Circular Economy Minister, Mary Creagh, previously said the government were committed to introducing the DRS sooner.
Defra told Circular Online: “We are committed to delivering the DRS, which will go live in October 2027, and will continue to work with industry as we take this forward.”
Source: Circular (CIWM)
For the full article, click here
Wales Withdraws From UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme for Drinks Packaging
Wales’ Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, has confirmed that the nation will not participate in a UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for beverage packaging, over concerns that the model on the table could ‘detract from’ past progress to improve recycling rates.
Irranca-Davies wrote that “it is vital that the introduction of a DRS will build upon and not detract from the progress everyone has worked so hard to deliver”, elaborating that Wales is strategically looking “beyond recycling” on the “transition to reuse”.
Recycling rates in Wales are the highest in the UK.
Source: edie.net
For the full article, click here
The Earthshot Prize
Prince William announced the fourth cohort of winners of grant funding under the Earthshot Prize, confirming financial support for projects focused on nature restoration, energy access, and clean energy.
The issues covered by the Prize are improving air quality, protecting and restoring nature, restoring oceans, addressing climate change, and building a waste-free world.
Each winner takes a £1m grant but many past winners have unlocked far greater financial support due to the international publicity and networking opportunities which come with the prize.
Source: edie.net
For details on all the winners and the full article, click here
Enforcement Action
Worcestershire Brook Pollution Brings Prosecution of Two Companies
A prosecution by the EA has resulted in the conviction of 2 companies for causing trade effluent to pollute 3km of a Worcestershire brook. The companies have been ordered to pay fines and costs in excess of £90,000.
At Worcester Crown Court on 24 October 2024, a food manufacturer and an engineering company were sentenced for causing the discharge into the Laugherne Brook in September 2017.
The food manufacturer was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £52,000. The engineering company was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £20,000.
The Court was told that the discharge caused the deaths of a significant number of fish and that it followed a series of human and corporate failings.
Source: Gov.UK
For the full article, click here
Company Prosecuted for Failing to Complete Reservoir Safety Works
The EA has prosecuted a Midlands company for failing to complete safety works on a Lancashire reservoir.
At Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on 8 October 2024, the company admitted failing to comply with an enforcement notice. This was issued under the Reservoirs Act 1975.
The enforcement notice required the company to complete essential maintenance and construction works in the interests of public safety. The company was ordered to pay fines and costs of £5,445.
Reservoirs in England and Wales capable of holding more than 25,000m³ of water must be registered with the EA. The owners (‘Undertakers’) must comply fully with the requirements of the Reservoirs Act 1975. The Act is designed to provide a regulatory framework for maintaining reservoir safety to prevent an uncontrolled release of water and risk to life.
Source: Gov.UK
For the full article, click here
Consultations
SEPA The Environmental Regulations (Scotland) Charging Scheme 2018: Technical Changes
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) are consulting on technical changes to the Environmental Regulations (Scotland) Charging Scheme 2018 (the ERS Charging Scheme).
This will enable SEPA to adjust annual charges pro rata, if the charging scheme is amended part way through a charging period (1 April – 31 March). SEPA would also like to make it a condition of an authorisation that charges are paid in accordance with the ERS Charging Scheme.
To take part in the consultation, use the link below.
Source: SEPA.org
To take part in the consultation, click here
Events
IEMA Connect 2024 recordings
Online
The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) have created a Vimeo showcase where you can access IEMA Connect recordings, along with webinars from 2024. To access the recordings use the password ‘IEMA2024’.
Source: IEMA
To view the recordings, click here
Edie 25 Early Bird Tickets
Business Design Centre, London 26 -27 March 2025
You have until Friday 6 December 2024 to secure discounted early-bird tickets to edie 25 – edie’s biggest face-to-face event of the year, which will convene hundreds of professionals in central London with the shared goal of shaping a more sustainable future.
Source: edie.net
