Changes to environmental permitting regulations since 2010 are to be consolidated into one document by the environment department (Defra) and the Welsh government.

In a letter outlining the launch of a consultation on the draft Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, Defra and the Welsh government said that the proposed legislation also takes account of amendments made by other legislation so that it is fully up-to-date legally.

The consultation aims to identify factual errors made in drafting of the document, rather than the policy, which will not change, the letter states.

It also notes that there are further amendments to be included before the consolidated regulation is laid in parliament. These include proposals to incorporate flood defence consenting into the environmental permitting regime and strengthening the enforcement powers of the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales to tackle waste crime and poor performance in the waste industry.

The consolidated regulations are expected to be laid before parliament and the national assembly for Wales during the second half of next year, and to come into force on 1 January 2017.

Defra is to postpone its review of English environmental permitting regulations, which was due to take place in 2017, according to the letter. The review will move to 2019, so that it can be incorporated into work to consider the inclusion of flood defence consenting and fish pass approvals into the environmental permitting regime.

Source: http://www.environmentalistonline.com/article/environmental-permitting-regulations-be-consolidated