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<p><ins class="ministerial">Defra is committed to improving our water environment
and reducing the impact of excess nutrients, including on the River Wye.</ins></p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Natural England, the Environment Agency
and other partners, including Natural Resources Wales, have been working together
through a Nutrient Management Board to find effective solutions and document these
through an action plan which is currently being drafted. This will identify measures
needed to both restore the site to favourable condition and seek to create capacity
for development, without harming the natural environment.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins
class="ministerial">Additionally, since 2016 the Environment Agency has been undertaking
a significant amount of agricultural compliance and regulatory activity using satellite
technology to identify and target locations at high risk of contributing to nutrient
and soil pollution. This has been backed up by an extensive programme of advisory
and support work delivered by Catchment Sensitive Farming and catchment partners such
as the Wye and Usk Foundation and Herefordshire Wildlife Trust to improve agriculture
sources of pollution to the River Wye.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Furthermore,
there is work underway to tackle phosphate pollution from waste water treatment in
the River Wye through catchment partnerships. The Nutrient Management Board, Dwr Cymru
Welsh Water and the recently announced Storm Overflows Task Force will seek to make
further improvements in this space.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">I
accept that there is more to be done. As this is a devolved matter I, and officials
in my department, remain engaged with our Welsh counterparts to align efforts on cross-border
pollution issues and monitor progress closely.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">I
have been informed by Natural England that the section of the River Wye in Gloucestershire
is not in unfavourable condition and therefore the implications of the ruling in the
Dutch Nitrogen case do not currently apply in this area. However, we are working across
Government to address the issues arising out of the ruling and the subsequent requirement
for development to achieve ‘nutrient neutrality.’</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><del
class="ministerial">I co-chair a Task-force with Minister Pincher bringing together
Defra, MHCLG, Natural England and Environment Agency officials to develop a clear
action plan to tackle the issue. The aim of this group is to both ensure housebuilding
can proceed near our most important protected areas whilst not negatively contributing
to their condition, and develop long term solutions to the underlying issue of the
condition of protected sites such as the River Wye/Lugg.</del></p><p> </p><p><del
class="ministerial">In Herefordshire, Herefordshire Council has developed its wetlands
scheme and is commissioning the drafting of an ‘Interim Delivery Plan’ which includes
a Phosphate Calculator, with advice from Natural England. This will assist in the
development of mitigation options in catchment. Similar schemes are underway at other
currently affected sites and are moving forward, such as agreed mitigation being in
place for the River Avon SAC.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Furthermore,
Natural England’s guidance to local authorities is being updated and they are working
closely in catchments such as that of the River Wye and Lugg to share details of this
ongoing work. We will continue to support developers and local authorities to meet
the requirement for nutrient neutrality. We are also working to identify strategic
actions to improve the overall condition of the sites and bring them back into a favourable
condition.</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">In Herefordshire, this will
include working with Welsh Government and their agencies. I have written to the Welsh
Government Minister for the Environment to signal the need to work closely on this
issue. Natural England and the Environment Agency, together with Natural Resources
Wales and Herefordshire Council, will continue to work together to identify the measures
to restore the site to favourable condition, and on creating capacity for development.</del></p><p>
</p><p><del class="ministerial">The requirement for nutrient neutrality will not affect
current levels of Phosphate discharge to the river but it will avoid any further deterioration
caused by additional nutrient pollution from waste water at these sites. The Nutrient
Neutral approach, once mitigation has been agreed at particular sites, will allow
for housebuilding to resume without causing this additional deterioration. There is
a national programme under the Water Framework Directive for monitoring the status
of rivers and we will continue to assess whether the site is moving toward good ecological
status.</del></p>
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