New amendments for Environment Bill
The Environment Bill has been amended following work with Parliamentarians and wider stakeholders to strengthen commitments to protect the environment for future generations and build back greener.
Amendments tabled on 26 August, among other things, set a legally-binding target to halt species decline by 2030. With 97% of our species-rich grassland lost between 1932 and 1984, action is needed now more than ever.
New amendments to the Environment Bill include:
- strengthening the legal language to accomplish the target to "halt the decline in species abundance by 2030";
- requiring water companies to monitor water quality impact of their sewerage discharges and publish related data. Real time data must also be provided on when storm overflows operate;
- introducing a duty to require the Government to publish a report considering the costs and benefits of eliminating overflows entirely which will inform Government decision-making in this area;
- the Government carrying out a review of legislation in the hope of reducing pressure on the sewerage system, requiring Sustainable Drainage Systems to be constructed to ministerial standards on new developments;
- requiring greater Parliamentary scrutiny of any guidance issued to the Office For Environmental Protection (OEP), to further safeguard independence of the new OEP;
- introducing Statutory guidance for local planning authorities to explain how they should take into account new Local Nature Recovery Strategies, to embed strategies for the environment and nature's recovery into their planning process;
- allowing the Secretary of State to review, and increase if appropriate, the minimum duration for which new biodiversity gain sites must be secured;
- technical amendments with the aim to make the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility measures, which will allow for future schemes to appoint scheme administrators through regulations, faster and more effective;
- ensuring more scrutiny from Parliament by accepting all the recommendations of the House of Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (DPRRC).
Environment Secretary George Eustice said:
"The Environment Bill is at the vanguard of our work to implement the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth.
We have been clear about the need, and our intention, to halt the decline of our natural environment, and so we are strengthening our world-leading target to put this beyond doubt. It will be a challenging task, but halting this decline is a crucial part of our commitment to be the first generation to leave our environment in a better state.
Our new package of measures on storm overflows will help crack down on the pollution in our rivers, waterways and coastlines, to better tackle the harm that they cause."
Work on the Environment Bill began in 2018 and has been halted several times, most recently due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
