Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay £1,179,500 after having been found by the Environment Agency to have committed several environmental offences.
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 – 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 was not 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:
- Tees Valley Wildlife Trust: £308,000
- Tees Rivers Trust: £253,000
- Marine Conservation Society: £188,000
- Durham Wildlife Trust: £145,000
- North East Environment Network: £80,000
- Wear Rivers Trust: £85,000
- Groundwork North East: £50,000
- Industry Nature Conservation Association: £50,500
- The Tweed Forum: £15,000
Fiona Morris, Environment Planning and Engagement Manager with the Environment Agency in the North East, said the Agency feels that Enforcement Undertakings are a more balanced response to dealing with the environmental offences. She explained:
“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.”
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