Environment Agency

ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING PROGRAMME, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION STATEMENT

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION OF THE “WORKING TOGETHER: YOUR ROLE IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING DECISION MAKING” CONSULTATION DOCUMENT, A STATEMENT OF STEPS AND CONSULTATION MEASURES UNDER THE PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING (ENGLAND AND WALES) REGULATIONS [2008]

The Environment Agency has published a consultation document called “Working together: your role in our environmental permitting decision making”.

Under the proposed Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations [2008] (the Proposed Regulations), the Environment Agency is required to prepare and publish a statement of its policies for complying with its public participation duties.

Public participation duties require us to take appropriate steps to inform public consultees and invite them to make representations to help us with our decision making in certain circumstances.

The statement covers public participation duties that arise when:

• under the Proposed Regulations we prepare or revise standard rules (other than minor amendments, minor corrections or administrative changes) and when we revoke standard rules; and

• when there is an application for the grant of an environmental permit (except in relation to mobile plant or a standard facility unless that facility is a Part A Installation) and, in certain circumstances, an application to vary an environmental permit, and, in certain circumstances, when a regulator initiated variation is made.

“Working together: your role in our environmental permitting decision making” is a draft statement proposing steps and consultation measures to enable us to carry out our public participation duties. It is available on our website www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

The consultation runs until 6 July 2007 and any person may make representations to us regarding the proposed steps and consultation measures by completing the online response form on our website http://www2.environment-agency.gov.uk/epr/?lang=_e

Alternatively, representations can be made via email to epp@environment-agency.go.uk, or in writing to Environmental Permitting Programme, Environment Agency, Rio House, 710-715 Waterside Drive, Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD.

Copies of the “Working together: your role in our environmental permitting decision making” publications are also available on our website or via phone, on 08708 506 506 (Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 6.00 pm).

13 April 2007.