|
|
|
|
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
|
| |
|
| |
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is a non-departmental public body in Scotland sponsored by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. SEPA was established by the Environment Act 1995 and is responsible for the protection of the natural environment in Scotland. Its area of competence includes air, land, freshwater and marine environments (see Scottish waters).
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Scottish Environment Protection Agency' Start a new discussion about 'Scottish Environment Protection Agency' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is a non-departmental public body in Scotland sponsored by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. SEPA was established by the Environment Act 1995 and is responsible for the protection of the natural environment in Scotland. Its area of competence includes air, land, freshwater and marine environments (see Scottish waters).
Activities
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator. Its main role is to protect and improve the environment. SEPA does this by being an excellent environmental regulator, helping business and industry to understand their environmental responsibilities, enabling customers to comply with legislation and good practice and to realise the many economic benefits of good environmental practice. It protects communities by regulating activities that can cause harmful pollution and by monitoring the quality of Scotland's air, land and water. The regulations it implements also cover the storage, transport and disposal of radioactive materials.
SEPA is a non-departmental public body, part of the family of public services in Scotland, operating at arm's length but accountable through Scottish Ministers to the Scottish Parliament. SEPA has been advising Scottish ministers, regulated businesses, industry and the public on environmental best practice since 1996.
SEPA employs around 1,300 staff who work across a range of specialist areas including chemistry, ecology, environmental regulation, hydrology, engineering, quality control, planning, communications, business support and management functions.
SEPA monitors and reports on the state of Scotland's environment and use that sound scientific understanding to inform independent regulation of activities that may affect its quality. SEPA also produces publications and environmental reports.
SEPA delivers Scotland's flood warning system, helps to implement Scotland's National Waste Strategy and controls, with the Health and Safety Executive, the risk of major accidents at industrial sites.
It operates from 22 offices around the country; itscorporate office is based in Stirling.
It also operates a 24 hour Pollution Report Line (0800 80 70 60) and the 24 hour Floodline (0845 988 1188), with .
SEPA is currently (2009) developing a national, active, integrated flood warning dissemination (FWD) service for Scotland.
This will send flood event information to registered customers via a range of communication channels including voice (landlines & mobile) SMS texts, fax and email. It hopes to have the new service fully operational in 2011.
Enforcement
SEPA believes that in most cases, working with operators and raising their awareness of environmental requirements will achieve the desired outcomes of improved compliance and a reduction of environmental crime.
Breaches of environmental legislation may arise for a variety of reasons and the type and severity of offence will vary considerably. SEPA’s response will take into account why the breach has arisen for example due to negligence or a deliberate act.
This policy encourages an approach to enforcement which fits the particular circumstances, level of seriousness of the offence, the attitude of the offender and previous compliance history.
SEPA believes in selecting the most effective means by which to secure compliance, in line with SEPA’s Vision for Regulation. This means reserving criminal prosecution for the most serious, persistent or deliberate cases.
In carrying out its enforcement duties, SEPA will use two types of approach:
Compliance – in which the principal objective is securing compliance with the law through methods such as building relationships, informal and formal warnings, and awareness raising.
Deterrence - securing compliance with the law by detecting breaches, identifying the responsible party and instigating the prosecution of offenders, to avoid a recurrence and to act as a deterrent to others.
See also
External links
- , including Scottish environmental information, advice and contacts
-
|
| |
|
|
