Head Office Press Office
- 28-Jun-2007 - Barbara Young, Chief Executive
of the Environment Agency said:
"We reject the charge that the Environment
Agency has massively failed, as alleged
in the Commons Public Accounts Committee
hearing today.
"In the last seven years, we have
created defences that protect 100,000 homes
in floodplains, as well as dramatically
increased those receiving flood warnings
and greatly improved flood mapping and forecasting.
"The current floods result from extreme
weather events with flooding mostly from
surface water drainage and defences being
overtopped by the sheer amount of water
- which has been more than a 1 in 150 year
events in many places.
"Our flooding warnings were out on
time. We would urge the community to go
onto our website, or phone Floodline, to
check their flood status and what they can
do to protect themselves.
"We continue to make hard choices,
with limited funds between building new
defences for unprotected communities and
maintaining existing defences. However,
in many situations in the current floods
no amount of defences would have protected
communities against the overwhelming weight
of water that fell in an incredibly short
period on already saturated catchments.
"We have done a lot and made significant
achievements over the last five years, as
the National Audit Report states. More people
and property are protected and forecasting,
mapping and warnings are much more effective.
"I am proud of what we have achieved.
If there is one major problem, it’s that
there is much more that we could do if we
had adequate funding."
Visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk for
the latest flood warnings or call Floodline
on 0845 988 1188 for information and advice.
If you are in affected areas listen to local
news reports for updates and be prepared.
+ More
Pollution Prevention Campaign In Highbridge
Paul Gainey - 25-Jun-2007 - The Environment
Agency is going on the road to help businesses
at Walrow industrial estate in Highbridge
to reduce the risk of polluting the countryside.
One of the aims of the pollution prevention
campaign is to prevent a repeat of the recent
oil spillage from a tank on the industrial
estate into the River Brue, reduce the risk
of polluting the river and the nearby bathing
beaches at Burnham-on-Sea.
Environment Agency officers are urging
traders on the estate at Highbridge to help
the environment by taking extra care with
oil or other hazardous materials.
Between Wednesday and Thursday (27-28 June)
three teams of Agency officers from the
Bridgwater office will be visiting premises
on the estate to give free expert advice
on pollution prevention measures.
'During the two day campaign our officers
will visit around 30 premises, talking to
the occupiers, offering advice on environmental
legislation and on what they can do to prevent
pollution,' said Brian Payne for the Environment
Agency.
'We will work with any businesses identified
as posing a risk to the environment and
produce a step by step plan in order to
reduce the pollution risk. Businesses have
been contacted in advance to advise them
of these visits.'
According to official statistics, oil and
fuels are the most frequent type of pollutant
of inland waters in England and Wales and
over 5000 incidents are reported each year.
Not only are birds and mammals at risk if
they come into contact with oil, but it
can also remove vital oxygen from the water
itself.
The Environment Agency advises traders
to report any pollution to the Environment
Agency 24 hour hotline on 0800 80 70 60
and dispose of waste oil and other hazardous
waste.
