National Press Office
- 23-Nov-2008 - The Environment Agency will
tomorrow (Monday) announce proposals to
generate its own renewable energy – enough
to power a city the size of York – at its
sites across England and Wales.
As part of the plans,
up to 80 wind turbines could be built on
Environment Agency owned land across the
country, developing around 200 megawatts
of renewable energy capacity – enough to
power 90,000 households and save around
200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
In addition the turbines
will generate up to £2.4 million of
revenue every year – money that will be
ploughed back into protecting and improving
the environment, and adapting to climate
change.
Speaking ahead of the
Environmental futures 08: creating the climate
for change conference on Monday, Dr Paul
Leinster, Chief Executive at the Environment
Agency, said: “The development of renewable
energy will play a major part in the UK’s
response to climate change and a key role
in meeting our future energy needs.
“By developing these
renewable energy projects we are helping
to limit and adapt to the effects of climate
change, reduce our dependency on fossil
fuels and help develop a low-carbon economy.
We are identifying the main contributors
to our own carbon footprint – such as major
pumping stations – and looking at how we
can generate renewable energy to power them.
“We will also be reviewing
possibilities of using land we own to develop
opportunities to generate renewable energy
for the national grid. It is fitting that
the Environment Agency is taking a leading
role in the public sector development of
renewables.“
Welcoming the announcement
Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State
at the new Department of Energy and Climate
Change, said: “By installing their own renewable
projects the Environment Agency, working
with Partnerships for Renewables, will boost
the amount of renewable energy generated
in this country, helping to cut carbon emissions
and secure more home grown energy. The move
also makes financial sense for the Environment
Agency.
“We want even more homes,
communities, businesses and public sector
organisations to join in this national effort
to play their part in defeating climate
change. That’s why we’re putting in place
a feed in tariff to make smaller scale generation
more financially attractive to more people.”
The Environment Agency
will be working with Partnerships for Renewables,
a company created by the Carbon Trust to
develop and operate renewable energy projects
for the public sector. Partnerships for
Renewables will cover the costs of the development
process and use its expertise to ensure
that only environmentally appropriate sites
are developed.
Stephen Ainger, Chief
Executive of Partnerships for Renewables,
said: “This initiative is about tackling
climate change head on. I believe that the
leadership shown by the Environment Agency
to proactively fight climate change, rather
than purely concentrate on the many challenges
resulting from it, sets an important example
for other environmental protection agencies
around the world to follow.
“The Environment Agency
has taken a bold step and we are delighted
to be working in partnership with them on
such a positive initiative.”
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Environmental futures
08: creating the climate for change is the
Environment Agency’s annual conference and
will bring leaders in government, business,
investment and environment together to discuss
their roles in adapting to climate change
and working towards a low carbon economy.
The event takes place
on 24/25 November at the Queen Elizabeth
II Conference Centre, London SW1. To see
the full line up of speakers, seminars and
workshops visit the conference website at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/conference.
+ More
Salmon poachers beware
– the Environment Agency is patrolling a
river near you
Lucy Harding - 24-Nov-2008
- The Environment Agency is warning salmon
poachers operating along the Test and Itchen
rivers that they are risking prosecution
as fisheries enforcement officers patrol
rivers all year round.
Anyone convicted of
illegally taking, handling or selling the
salmon or sea trout faces a fine of up to
£5,000, three months in prison (or
both) on summary conviction ; or, an unlimited
fine, up to two years in prison (or both)
as well as confiscation of boats and other
equipment used.
Adrian Saunders, Environment
Agency’s Technical Specialist said salmon
numbers in the Test and Itchen rivers are
below conservation limits this year for
a number of reasons including poaching.
“We are working hard
with our partners to build salmon stocks
back up. This includes pressure-washing
gravel spawning beds to remove silt which
can smother eggs; running a small incubator
box scheme to help eggs survive and encourage
future spawners upstream of Winchester;
and also work to address the obstructions
that migrating fish face. But illegal poaching
of these fish undermines our conservation
efforts at the very point when the fish
are completing their life cycle by producing
the next generation.
“All salmon fisheries
on the Test and Itchen operate a voluntary
catch and release scheme so that all fish
caught are returned to allow them to spawn.
We are patrolling rivers in the area and
will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who
is found poaching salmon. ”
Poachers should also
be aware of the serious health risks associated
with fish taken from the rivers as the salmon
may contain harmful parasites.
Anyone who witnesses
salmon being taken or disturbed should call
the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.
Calls are free and will be treated in the
strictest confidence.
