Environmental permit reforms to empower regulators to slash business red tape

UK and Welsh Governments launch joint consultation to reform environmental permitting regulations, supporting UK Government’s Plan for Change

Streamlined environmental permitting will drive economic growth and help tackle crime while continuing to safeguard the environment, under reforms unveiled by Environment Minister Emma Hardy today (Tuesday 8 April).

The UK and Welsh Governments have today launched an eight-week consultation on reforming environmental permitting for England and Wales to speed up the work of regulators and the industries they support, demonstrating rapid delivery of a commitment in the UK Government’s Regulatory Action Plan to consult on reforms to permitting legislation before Easter.

Reforming the process for exemptions could empower regulators, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales, to use the proposed powers in the following ways, among others:

The proposals cover a wide variety of activities undertaken by businesses or individuals operating within guardrails that protect the environment, such as managing flood risk, handling waste, and the discharging of water, ensuring that exempt activities relating to the latter do not pollute inland freshwaters, coastal waters, or relevant territorial waters.

Making environmental permitting more agile and responsive through the UK Government’s Plan for Change will empower regulators to slash red tape for businesses, putting an end to delays that can slow down the decisions needed to get spades in the ground.

The proposed changes would also allow a quicker and more flexible response to new technologies and emerging risks, benefitting businesses while protecting the environment.

The consultation has been recommended by economist and former charity leader Dan Corry in his landmark review into the regulators and regulation at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

This Government is committed to delivering streamlined, hassle-free regulation that protects the environment while also driving economic growth.

Liberty Lux News