Environmental Permitting Programme - what is happening
Phase 2 (2008 - 2011)
EPP2 will provide industry, regulators and others with a single permitting and compliance system and could include those systems for
- discharge consenting
- groundwater authorisations
- water abstraction and impoundment
- radioactive substances regulation
- licensing of some waste carriers and brokers
Go-live date: we anticipate the EPP2 Regulations for RSR, Discharge Consenting and Groundwater to go live in Autumn 2009 if our consultation proposals are supported.
EPP2 could also provide a tool for delivering the permitting and compliance requirements of pipeline EU directives such as those relating to
- mining waste
- batteries
Scheduled consultations
- October 2008 - January 2009: EPP2 Consultation (Policy and Regulations)
- April 2009 - July 2009: EPP2 Consultation (Guidance)
- Summer 2008: Launch of Batteries Directive Consultation
- Summer 2008: Carriers & Brokers consultation on Duty of Care launched
- Summer 2008: Launch of Waste Exemptions review consultation
- March 2008: Mining Waste Directive Consultation now closed
Stakeholder events
An EPP2 Stakeholder Forum was held in April 2008, followed by two sector-specific events for Water and RSR in July. Please contact us if you like to see a summary of issues raised at the events. A second EPP2 Stakeholder Forum is planned for November 2008 this year.
Phase 1 (2005 - ongoing)
EPP1 created one single regulatory system by streamlining and integrating Waste Management Licensing and Pollution Prevention and Control. The new EP system replaces over 40 statutory instruments with a single set of Regulations: the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 which are one third of the length of the previous legislation.
We are currently working on draft policy and regulation proposals and are in the process of producing an Impact Assessment for EPP2. For this purpose we are contacting stakeholders to draw on their expertise of the current separate candidate systems. Please let us know if you like to be involved
Further information about Devolved Administrations
Scotland: the Scottish Executive recognises the need for modernising permitting systems in England and Wales, and is involved in analogous work in Scotland. The Scottish Executive wishes to keep in close touch with the developments in EPP.
Northern Ireland: the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland (DOENI) is committed to ensuring that its permitting systems in Northern Ireland are operating to best practise. DOENI will follow the progress of the Programme and shall be interested in reviewing any opportunities for improvement that may emerge.
Page last modified: 17 July 2008
Page published: 2 October 2005