Northumbrian Water to pay 拢1.179 million for environment offences
Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay 拢1,179,500 after having been found by the Environment Agency to have committed several environmental offences.
Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay an Enforcement Undertaking totalling 拢1,179,500
Five separate Enforcement Undertakings (EU) have been agreed with Northumbrian Water after the company accepted responsibility for environmental offences in County Durham (West Cornforth, Crook Beck and Chilton) and Marske-by-the-Sea (Longbeck 鈥� two offences).
The acceptance of an EU offer is often a direct alternative to prosecution, in cases where the environmental impact was localised, and where the Environment Agency is satisfied that the offending by Northumbrian Water Limited wasn鈥檛 intentional.
The Environment Agency expects financial contributions to go towards environmentally focussed work located in and around the geographical area where the offences occurred.
The local North East projects to receive donated sums include (in alphabetical order):
- Chilton Primary Friends: 拢5,000
- Durham Wildlife Trust: 拢145,000
- Groundwork North East: 拢50,000
- Industry Nature Conservation Association: 拢50,500
- Marine Conservation Society: 拢188,000
- North East Environment Network: 拢80,000
- Tees Rivers Trust: 拢253,000
- Tees Valley Wildlife Trust: 拢308,000
- The Tweed Forum: 拢15,000
- Wear Rivers Trust: 拢85,000
Fiona Morris, Environment Planning and Engagement Manager with the Environment Agency in the North East, said:
We feel Enforcement Undertakings are a more balanced response to dealing with these environmental offences. The outcome is beneficial to the environment relevant to where the offence took place. It will also help to change the behaviour of the company and focus on their activities. This approach achieves more than if the company in question had been convicted and fined.
In these cases Northumbrian Water Limited have taken action to rectify the situation and the environment will now benefit from some great work by local charities.
We work hard to protect people and the environment, and a clear regulatory framework with agreed standards and targets has helped to drive major environmental improvements throughout the region.
For all of the national and regional Enforcement Undertakings information including the Northumbrian Water Limited environmental offences click here
If anyone needs to report an environmental issue in their local community they can contact the Environment Agency鈥檚 incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.