The aim is to make the guidance clearer and more comprehensive for designers of new schemes, whilst ensuring that the environment is well protected.
The Hydropower Good Practice Guidelines, originally published in 2009, provide advice for developers on how to ensure that the environment is protected when building a new hydropower scheme. They also help to ensure that proposals satisfy a range of environmental permitting requirements, including those covering abstraction, fish movement and flood defence.
The Environment Agency has worked with its Hydropower Working Group, which includes industry and representatives from environmental and angling groups, as well as Government Departments and other Statutory Agencies, to review these guidelines. A wide range of stakeholders are now being asked to comment on this review.
This review follows a six-fold increase in the number of hydropower schemes planned in England and Wales over the last two years. It also forms part of a number of improvements the Environment Agency is making to help communities, developers and individuals looking to produce sustainable renewable energy.
“The Environment Agency is committed to ensuring that hydropower schemes include appropriate measures to protect the local environment, whilst making the application process clearer and more efficient,” commented Pam Gilder, Programme Director for Environment & Business at the Environment Agency. “We’re always looking for ways to improve the way we work with developers and others with an interest in the management of rivers. This review of our good practice guidelines aims to assist developers by further improving the guidance that they need to follow for a successful application. We are asking anyone with experience or expertise of hydropower, or an interest in rivers and their habitats, to send us their views on the proposals in the consultation”
The consultation on the review of the Hydropower Good Practice Guidelines runs for 12 weeks from 1st July 2011 until 23rd September 2011. Responses will be considered at the Hydropower Working Group and revised Hydropower Good Practice Guidelines are due to be published in December 2011.
For further information and to take part in this consultation visit: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal
