Welcome to the Environment Agency’s online consultation hub

We asked for your opinions and comments on the potential options to extend the beach netting fishing for sea trout in Yorkshire and the North East.

We received 562 online responses to the consultation. 93% opposed an extension of the current netting season and 7% were in favour.

Having reviewed the evidence and all consultation responses we find it is not appropriate to recommend an extension to the sea trout netting season at this time. 

In October 2018, Sellafield Ltd applied for a number of changes to its Radioactive Substances Activities environmental permit, mainly to reflect the operator's forecast reductions in radioactive discharges and changing focus from reprocessing to decommissioning. We consulted on Sellafield Ltd’s application from 26 October to 21 December 2018. We took those responses into account in our determination of the application. We then consulted on a draft decision and draft permit from 7 October to 1 December 2019.

The consultation responses from professional partners were positive regarding changes to Sellafield Ltd’s radioactive substances permit. Some stakeholders raised issues of concern; these are fully addressed in our final decision document, which can be found under "Files" below.

We have varied Sellafield Ltd’s radioactive substances permit, to implement all of the changes as detailed in our final decision document. The key changes to the permit are:

• Significantly reducing site discharge limits and introducing a 2-tier (upper and lower) site discharge limit structure
• Removing some site discharge limits where discharges have fallen below significant levels and they do not meet our criteria for setting limits
• Replacing plant discharge limits with plant notification levels so that Sellafield Ltd can make most effective use of the available discharge routes and treatment plants
• Removing discharge limits related to the rate of fuel reprocessing (throughput) to reflect the end of reprocessing operations.

UPDATE: Please be aware this permit variation (V009) was due to come into effect on 1 April 2020. As a result of the Covid-19 situation, Sellafield Ltd is not able to make the changes required to implement the variation (V009) on 1 April 2020. Sellafield Ltd has applied for another variation (V010) to change the date in which the permit comes into effect to 1 October 2020. We have accepted this variation application and issued another variation (V010) to the permit on 27 March 2020, which will come into effect on 1 October 2020. The only change is a delay in the effective date. We have withdrawn the variation (V009) that was due to come into effect on 1 April 2020. In the meantime Sellafield Ltd will operate under its existing permit variation (V008).

For further information on how we regulate the Sellafield site please see: www.gov.uk

The proposed local government reorganisations in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, planned from April 2020, will create new unitary authorities. As a result, the existing Composition of the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee will need to be varied to accommodate these changes, as the existing Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) for these areas will no longer exist. 

Do you agree with the proposed changes to the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee composition?

Stakeholders agreed with the proposed changes to the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee composition.

The responses to the Consultation were carefully considered and reviewed by the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee at their Meeting on the 10th July 2019. Details of the Meeting are located here.
The Committee agreed to the Proposals to the Variation to the Composition of the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee that was to be submitted in two parts (Phase 1 and Phase 2) for Ministerial approval.