Environment Agency

The environment is of central importance to the South West. The coastline and the rich and varied landscape dominate the region. There are hundreds of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Areas of Outstanding Beauty and Environmentally Sensitive Areas, and around 40 per cent of the country’s designated heritage coastline.

The Environment Agency has a wide range of duties and powers relating to different aspects of environmental management. It is required and guided by Government to use these duties and powers in order to help achieve the objective of sustainable development. This is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.

The Environment Agency is committed to taking action, in partnership with others, to protect and improve the special environment of the South West.

The Agency’s principal environmental concerns relate to:

Addressing the causes and effects of climate change;

Regulating major industries effectively – Although the South West is not heavily industrialised the Agency does regulate some complex processes, in particular the chemical processes concentrated at Avonmouth near Bristol, and the region’s nuclear sites.

Dartmoor gravel cleaning

Enhancing biodiversity.

River Avon/Newquay

Conserving the land;

Managing freshwater fisheries – some of the country’s top fisheries are in the South West, but these are under intense pressure. Fish stocks are regularly monitored and maintained in various ways including the installation of fish passes, the removal of obstructions and the improvement of fish habitats, including spawning gravels.

Avonmouth

Improving air quality;

Managing waste;

Managing water resources;

Delivering integrated river-basin management – With such an extensive coastline the region has 181 designated bathing waters, nearly half the national total. Along the coastline the Agency aims to prevent pollution from land-based sources up to three miles out to sea and tidal waters.

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The public, in an emergency can get in touch with the Agency 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

For further information and general enquiries phone 0645 333111 during office hours only.