DEFRA consultation on water pollution (From Gazette & Herald)

DEFRA consultation on water pollution

A RANGE of proposed measures to curb pollution of water by agriculture has been put forward by environment minister Elliot Morley.

In launching a public consultation of the proposals, Mr Morley said that farming is not the sole cause of the problem, but it is the most significant cause. The consultation document called 'Developing Measures to Promote Catchment-Sensitive Farming' includes the following measures:

Improving land management practices, investing in farm infrastructures and reducing the usage of potentially-harmful pollutants through the gradual introduction of cost-effective voluntary and regulatory initiatives.

Changing land use in areas with an extremely high risk of pollution.

Introducing 'catchment officers' to identify and prioritise local water pollution problems and to help farmers implement solutions.

Providing grant aid to help improve environmental conditions not addressed by current farm planning practices.

Using economic instruments such as trading schemes and environmental levies.

Details can be found on website www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/dwpa/. The consultation will last until September.

Updated: 11:13 Wednesday, June 23, 2004