What steps is the Welsh Government taking to monitor the impact of intensive poultry units on watercourses in Wales?
As the environmental regulator, NRW monitors the condition of water courses in Wales under the Water Framework Directive (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 (“WFD Regulations”). . This monitoring helps the Welsh Government to develop our understanding of the state of the water environment, the pressures acting upon it and what measures are required to improve and protect it. NRW, as the relevant Competent Authority, uses this information to develop River Basin Management plans, which are updated on a six yearly cycle. These plans give us a mechanism to identify and prioritise actions to improve water quality. We are currently in Cycle 3 (2021 to 2027).
In addition to the monitoring carried out through the WFD Regulations, the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 require intensive farming units with more than 40,000 places for poultry to obtain a permit from NRW to operate. Such permits include measures to protect the environment, including through the applications of Best Available Techniques (BAT) for preventing or minimising emissions and impacts on the environment. When determining an environmental permit application which is likely to have a significant effect on a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) NRW must carry out an appropriate assessment of the implications for the site in view of that site’s conservation objectives.
The Welsh Government also introduced the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations in April 2021 to reduce the impact of agricultural pollution on our environment and protect our rivers. These regulations are intended to ensure better nutrient and manure management, reducing reliance on manufactured fertilisers and minimising the impact of poor practice on the environment.
To support these Regulations the Welsh Government and NRW have a Service Level Agreement for over £2.5m of enforcement work for 2023 – 2025.