Newsroom | Releases/Statements | Archive | 1997 | 'Public Notice - CoPA 1974 Scheme Of Annual Charges In Respect Of Discharges To Controlled Waters'

Public Notice

Control of Pollution Act 1974
Scheme of Annual Charges in Respect of Discharges to Controlled Waters
Issued on 15 August 1997

This notice is published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under section 42 of the Environment Act 1995 (the 1995 Act) to bring to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the Control of Pollution Act 1974 Scheme of Annual Charges in respect of Discharges to Controlled Waters (the Scheme) the proposed provisions of the Scheme.

SEPA intends to use its power under section 41 of the 1995 Act to make the Scheme which is intended to come into effect on 1 April 1998.

The Scheme applies to consents given or instruments served for the discharge of effluent or other matter to controlled waters under Part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (as amended) (the 1974 Act). The Scheme will revoke the existing charging schemes made under section 53 of the 1974 Act. The Scheme has been prepared with a view to cost recovery for functions carried out by SEPA under the Scheme, having regard to the requirement for SEPA to provide value for money for those who pay its charges and taxpayers as a whole.

The proposed provisions of the Scheme are as set out below.

1. The Annual Charge

An annual charge (the Annual Charge) shall be payable in respect of each consented discharge in SEPA’s annual monitoring plan. The Annual Charge shall be the product of four factors relating to the consent, namely the Volume Factor, the Contents Factor, the Receiving Waters Factor and the Financial Factor. The setting of the factors is intended to consistently and fairly allocate the costs for discharge and environmental monitoring to dischargers, taking into account the scale and potential environmental impact of that discharge.

2. The Volume Factor

The Volume Factor relates to the maximum daily volume of discharge permitted by the consent and is split into 8 bands with factors ranging from 0.3 to 24.0.

3. The Contents Factor

The Contents Factor relates to the provisions in the consent controlling or regulating the contents of the discharge, in particular its chemical constituents. The 8 bands of the Contents Factor range from 14.0 for trade or sewage effluent in certain circumstances to 0.05 for turbine water from hydro power generating facilities.

4. The Receiving Waters Factor

The Receiving Waters Factor varies according to the nature of the receiving environment, namely ground water or land, inland waters, coastal waters or relevant territorial waters.

5. The Financial Factor

The Financial Factor shall be £220 from 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999, thereafter increasing to £275 in 1999/2000 and £345 in 2000/2001.

6. Exemptions and Apportionment

Provision is made for the exemption from payment of the Annual Charge of specified discharges, for apportionment arising from the grant, modification or revocation of the consent during the year and for multiple effluent discharges. The Annual Charge shall be due and payable on 1 April in each year. It shall be a condition of a consent that the charges prescribed are paid in accordance with the Scheme.

A copy of the Scheme, reflecting the proposals described above, is available from Public Affairs, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Head Office, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, Stirling, FK9 4TR, Tel 01786 457700. You may make representations or objections in respect of the proposals described above to the Secretary of State in accordance with Section 42(1)(b) of the 1995 Act. All comments should be made in writing to:

Mr Ian McDougall
The Scottish Office
Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department
Environmental Protection Unit, Area 1J
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.

Comments must be received by Tuesday 30 September 1997.

A C Paton
Chief Executive

This notice was published on 15 August 1997

ENDS

SEPA Press Office contacts

Press Officer: Maggie Hamilton. Tel: 01786 457724
Head of Public Affairs: Monica Straughan. Tel: 01786 457723 Mobile 0421 942498

SEPA Head Office, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, STIRLING FK9 4TR
Tel: 01786 457700 Fax: 01786 448040

Contact SEPA Public Affairs at publicrelations@sepa.org.uk