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Consultation on the implementation of the Nitrates Directive in England

This consultation closed on 13 December 2007. Over 600 responses were received to the consultation and a report summarising the comments made was published on 19 March 2008.

The Government Response to the consultation, which will include a summary of what the Department plans to do as a result of the consultation responses (e.g. refine / uphold the proposals and the reasons why), is likely be announced and published before Parliament breaks for summer recess.

The consultation invited views on:

• proposals for revised Action Programme measures to control pollution caused by nitrogen from agricultural sources.
• whether to apply these measures within discrete Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (as revised) or throughout the whole of England

The Department conducted reviews of both the extent of current Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and the effectiveness of the current Action Programme.  The outcomes of these reviews were discussed in the consultation paper and formed the basis of the above proposals.

The proposals are specifically aimed at meeting the requirements of the Nitrates Directive and are firmly in line with the Government’s aim of improving the environment as a whole to enable all to benefit from it.

• Letter to consultees
• Consultee list
• Consultation document (PDF 400 KB)
• Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (PDF 500 KB)
• Draft Regulations: The Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Regulations 2008 (PDF 190 KB)
• Summary of Responses (PDF 240 KB)

The following supporting documents are also available:

D – Evidence in support of the review of the Action Programme

• D1 – Nitrates in water: the current status in England (PDF 400 KB)
• D2 – Nitrates in water: impact of the 2002 Action Programme (PDF 350 KB)
• D3 – Diffuse nitrate pollution from agriculture: strategies for reducing nitrate leaching PDF 400 KB)
• D4 – Rationale for the proposed Action Programme measures (PDF 250 KB)
• D5 – Impact of proposed Action Programme measures (PDF 300 KB)

E – Standard calculation processes (guidance)

• E1 – Storage capacity (PDF 140 KB)
• E2 – Whole farm limit for organic manure (PDF 80 KB)
• E3 – Crop requirement limitation (PDF 140 KB)

F – Evidence to support mandatory reference figures

• F1 – Nitrogen standards (Nmax), and exemptions from the closed spreading period for manufactured nitrogen fertilisers (PDF 170 KB)
• F2 – Nitrogen output of livestock excreta (PDF 800 KB)
• F3 – Manure nitrogen efficiency (PDF 90 KB)

G – Other

• G1– Summary of methodology for identifying NVZs 2006 (PDF 90 KB)
• G2 – Nitrate Vulnerable Zones: 2003 Resurvey report (PDF 1 MB)
• G3 – Investigating the effectiveness of NVZ Action Programme measures: Development of a strategy for England (PDF 1.6 MB)
• G4 – Assistance on the Partial RIA including Extended Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in England (PDF 1.5 MB)

Paper copies of the above documents can be requested from Defra by telephone (020 7238 5494) or email (nitratesconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk)

Further information

• Information on nitrates
• Two related consultations on diffuse water pollution from agriculture were also launched on 21 August 2007:
  
  
  • Revised Code of Good Agricultural Practice to protect water, soil and air quality
  • Protection against water pollution from agriculture, diffuse sources
  • Explanatory leaflet of all three consultations on diffuse water pollution from agriculture (PDF 400 KB)
  • Summary leaflet (PDF 90 KB) of the nitrates consultation.

Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat PDF documents.

Page last modified: 20 March 2008
;Page published: 21 August 2007

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