Jet Skis: New rules crack down on reckless water scooter use – BBC News
‘Welsh wildlife experts have welcomed measures to crack down on reckless water scooter use.’
BBC News, 29th January 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: water
Claimants say Government sewage overflow plan contrary to ancient common law rights in pre-action letter – Local Government Lawyer
‘A surfer and an oyster supplier have joined with the Good Law Project to threaten a judicial review of a Government plan they argue will allow the discharge of untreated sewage into water bodies to continue for decades, breaching their “ancient” common law rights under the Public Trust Doctrine (PTD).’
Local Government Lawyer, 31st October 2022
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Give legal rights to animals, trees and rivers, say experts – The Guardian
‘Granting legal rights and protections to non-human entities such as animals, trees and rivers is essential if countries are to tackle climate breakdown and biodiversity loss, experts have said. The authors of a report titled Law in the Emerging Bio Age say legal frameworks have a key part to play in governing human interactions with the environment and biotechnology.’
The Guardian, 10th October 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Environment Agency told to protect wetlands in landmark court case – The Guardian
‘The high court has ordered the Environment Agency to reduce water abstraction and protect England’s rare wetland habitats, in a landmark case that confirms that European nature conservation laws remain enforceable despite Britain having left the EU.’
The Guardian, 7th September 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Conservationists seek judicial review of UK sewage discharge plan – The Guardian
‘The UK government’s plan to cut millions of hours of raw sewage discharges by water companies each year is facing a judicial review on the grounds that it is unlawful.’
The Guardian, 31st August 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sizewell C nuclear plant approval faces legal challenge – The Guardian
‘Campaigners have begun a legal challenge against the government’s decision to give the Sizewell C nuclear power station the go-ahead amid warnings that UK nuclear plants will be on the frontline of climate breakdown.’
The Guardian, 8th August 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Court of Appeal upholds High Court decision limiting private law actions in pollution disputes – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Court of Appeal has confirmed a judgment of the High Court that affected parties do not have a right to bring private law actions against water companies over unauthorised discharges of sewage.’
Local Government Lawyer, 28th June 2022
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Government retracts ‘unlawful’ pollution guidance for England’s farms – The Guardian
‘Guidance that would have allowed farmers to spread manures and slurry on land in a way that would overload it with nutrients and risk pollution of rivers, lakes and coastal waters has been changed by Defra, after a challenge over its lawfulness.’
The Guardian , 20th June 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
The Broads: Couple launch legal challenge over water extraction monitoring plans – BBC News
‘A couple who have spent years battling water abstraction in a national park are taking their fight to the High Court.’
BBC News, 9th May 2022
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Wetlands protection law delays building of new homes in England – The Guardian
‘A legal requirement that new houses do not pollute nearby wetlands, rivers and nature reserves has halted development across a swath of England.’
The Guardian, 2nd May 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Breaches of English farm pollution laws rise as rules remain largely unenforced – The Guardian
‘The number of documented violations of legislation designed to reduce water pollution caused by agriculture in England has hit record levels as the rules remain largely unenforced.’
The Guardian, 21st April 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Environment Agency downgrading 93% of prosecutions for serious pollution – The Guardian
‘England’s Environment Agency has downgraded 93% of prosecutions for serious pollution over four years, despite recommendations from frontline staff for the perpetrators to face the highest sanction, a leaked report seen by the Guardian reveals.’
The Guardian, 2nd March 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
Bakery handed £26k fine after dishwasher pollutes stream – Local Government Lawyer
‘A Natural Resources Wales (NRW) prosecution has seen a bakery fined for polluting a stream with its dishwasher.’
Local Government Lawyer, 20th January 2022
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Burials, groundwater activities and related surface water discharge activities – Law & Religion UK
‘On 29 September, Defra announced a consultation on proposed amendments to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 as they apply to groundwater activities and some related surface water discharges.’
Law & Religion UK, 24th November 2021
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
UK legal group warns of information blackout on sewage discharges – The Guardian
‘A legal action group is warning there may be an information blackout on sewage discharges by water companies for years, after the Environment Agency announced an inquiry into more than 2,000 sites.’
The Guardian, 22nd November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Laws of nature: could UK rivers be given the same rights as people? – The Guardian
‘In 2018, Frome Town Council tried to pass a bylaw giving part of the river [Frome] and the adjacent Rodden meadow the status of a person in law. This would establish their right to exist, flourish and thrive, and for the river to flow freely and have a natural water cycle, as well as ensuring timely and effective restoration if they were damaged.’
The Guardian, 17th July 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Southern Water fined record £90m for dumping raw sewage – BBC News
‘Southern Water has been fined a record £90m for deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the sea. The company admitted 6,971 illegal spills from 17 sites in Hampshire, Kent and West Sussex between 2010 and 2015.’
BBC news, 10th July 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Southern Water denies deliberately dumping sewage in coastal waters – BBC News
‘Southern Water has denied deliberately dumping raw sewage into seas and rivers on thousands of occasions to avoid investing in its treatment works.’
BBC News, 8th July 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Skewen: Coal Authority ‘not liable’ for mine flood damage – BBC News
‘People flooded out of their homes after a mine blow-out say it is “disgusting” the Coal Authority is refusing to accept liability for the damage caused.’
BBC News, 25th February 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Case Note: Município de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group plc, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Group Ltd – Blackstone Chambers
‘This note considers the judgment of Turner J in the Technology and Construction Court of 10 November 2020 in the case of Município de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group plc, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Group Ltd. In that judgment, Turner J struck out a claim by a very large group of claimants for compensation for damage caused by the 2015 collapse of the Fundão Dam in South Eastern Brazil, in which over 40 million cubic metres of tailings washed into the Doce River with massive human, environmental, and economic cost. This note presents the factual background of the case and sets out the most relevant features of the judgment for the practice of mass tort litigation in the multinational context.’
Blackstone Chambers, 15th February 2021
Source: www.blackstonechambers.com
