Download SEA statement

Environmental Assessment
(Scotland) Act 2005
Strategic Environmental
Assessment Statement
August 2008
ii
SEA STATEMENT – COVER NOTE – SECTION 1
To [email protected]
SEA STATEMENT – COVER NOTE – SECTION 2
An Environmental Report is attached for
SEPA Corporate Plan
The Responsible Authority is:
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency
SEA STATEMENT – COVER NOTE – SECTION 3
Contact Name
For SEA:
For Corporate Plan:
Job Title
SEPA SEA Gateway
Neil Archibald
Contact
Address
Environmental Strategy
SEPA Corporate Office
Erskine Court
The Castle Business Park
Stirling. FK9 4TR
Corporate Planning
(address as left)
Contact Tel
01786 452431
01786 457700
Contact mail
[email protected]
[email protected]
SEA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT TEMPLATE – COVER NOTE – SECTION 5
Date
Plan adopted - 7 August 2008
iii
iv
SEPA CORPORATE PLAN 2008-11
STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STATEMENT
This Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Statement sets out how the findings of the SEA
into SEPA’s Corporate Plan have been taken into account and how views expressed during the
consultation period have been taken into account as the Plan has been finalised and formally
approved.
The SEA Statement is a statutory requirement under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland)
Act 2005.
SECTION
PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION
1
2. HOW HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS BEEN
INTEGRATED INTO THE SEPA CORPORATE PLAN ?
2
3. HOW HAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT BEEN TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT ?
3
4. HOW HAVE OPINIONS EXPRESSED DURING THE CONSULTATION
PERIOD BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT ?
7
5. TRANSBOUNDARY CONSULTATIONS
8
6. REASONS FOR ADOPTING THE PLAN
8
7. MONITORING
9
APPENDIX 1 – LIST OF ALL DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SEA
v
11
vi
SEPA CORPORATE PLAN 2008-11
STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STATEMENT
SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
The Corporate Plan
1.1
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is a non departmental public body, part of the
family of public services in Scotland, operating at arm’s length but accountable through Scottish
Ministers to the Scottish Parliament. As Scotland’s environmental regulator, SEPA’s main role is to
protect the environment and human health.
1.2
SEPA aims to provide an efficient and integrated environmental protection system for Scotland; a
system that will both improve the environment and help deliver the Scottish Government’s overall
purpose. The Corporate Plan sets out SEPA’s priorities and goals for the next three financial years
(2008 – 2011). More specifically, the plan shows how SEPA intends to progress its six long term
environmental outcomes, together with a new outcome that focuses on the running of the
organisation.
1.3
Over the next three years, SEPA wants to do more for the environment, and do it better, faster and
more efficiently. It has therefore developed a new outcome that focuses on how the organisation is
run and how the Agency can be prepared for changing circumstances and priorities. This outcome is
‘An Efficient, Effective and Evolving SEPA’ and is presented under 4 key headings:




1.4
Providing High Quality Services and Better Regulation – SEPA aims to deliver an excellent
value organisation that is fit for purpose. Customers and stakeholders expect SEPA to provide
a high quality and efficient service. SEPA will work with partners to achieve its aims and targets.
SEPA will continually evolve the way it regulates, adapting to changing social, economic,
political and technological drivers.
Ensuring an Excellent Customer Experience – SEPA will understand better the customer
experience seeking year-on-year improvements in customer satisfaction. There will be a culture
of customer focus across the organisation.
Developing a Culture of Efficiency and High Performance – SEPA aims to get more from its
resources and to use these resources wisely, making sure it exhibits cost effectiveness.
Demonstrating Leadership and Governance – SEPA will conduct its business openly,
honestly and with integrity – leaders will inspire with vision, focus on results, build capability and
cultivate innovation.
The 6 continued environmental outcomes are:
 Limiting and Adapting to Climate Change
 Protected Human Health and Communities
 Reduced Waste and Promoting Sustainable
Use of Resources
 Improved Air Quality
 Improved Land Quality with Healthier Soils
 Improved Water Environments
The actions under these outcomes are presented under the following headings:


Understanding the Environment – there is a need for robust environmental data and
information to aid decision making, and SEPA has a responsibility to monitor and report on the
state of Scotland’s environment;
Protecting and Improving the Environment – this is SEPA’s core duty and it does this
primarily through regulation, advice, incident response and its planning consultative role;
1


An Influential Authority – aiming to raise awareness of key environmental issues through
provision of information, education and influencing behaviours;
Better Regulation – this underpins all SEPA activities as it aims to drive better environmental
performance and achieve a greener business world whilst stimulating society and industry’s
ability to grow and innovate. SEPA aims to influence and develop initiatives that improve the
application and effectiveness of environmental law.
Strategic Environmental Assessment
1.5
Under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, the SEPA Corporate Plan required a
“Strategic Environmental Assessment” (SEA) as part of its preparation. The purpose of SEA is to
ensure that information on the environmental effects of a plan or programme is gathered and made
available as the plan is prepared and implemented. SEA requires that SEPA, in its preparation of the
Corporate Plan:





Identifies, describes and evaluates the significant environmental effects of implementing the
Corporate Plan and any alternatives;
Identifies measures to prevent, reduce or as fully as possible offset any adverse effects;
Provides for early and effective opportunity to engage in preparation of the plan – through
consultation;
Monitors implementation of the plan to identify any unforeseen environmental effects and take
remedial action where necessary; and
Report all of the above in an “Environmental Report” (see 1.7 overleaf).
Purpose of this SEA Statement
1.6
This “SEA Statement” sets out how the findings of the SEA have been taken into account and how
views expressed during the consultation period have been taken into account as the SEPA
Corporate Plan has been finalised and formally approved. The SEA Statement is a statutory
requirement under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. This SEA statement has
been prepared in accordance with guidance set out in Chapter 7 of the Scottish SEA Toolkit1.
1.7
For further details about how the assessment was undertaken and its findings, please refer to the
Environmental
Report.
This
is
available
at
[www.sepa.org.uk/pdf/consultation/closed/2008/corporate_plan/sea_report_draft.pdf ] or by writing
to SEA Gateway, SEPA, Environmental Strategy, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, Stirling,
FK9 4TR, or by telephoning 01786 452431.
SECTION 2 - HOW HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS BEEN INTEGRATED INTO
THE SEPA CORPORATE PLAN ?
2.1
SEPA’s main role is to protect the environment and human health. Accordingly, preparation of the
Corporate Plan has been undertaken with this main role in mind. However, SEA offers the
opportunity to be able to systematically test the environmental effects of the plan.
2.2
Environmental considerations have been integrated into the plan through the following ways:
Environmental Expertise – Preparation of the corporate plan was informed by a comprehensive
range of environmental expertise available to SEPA from its wide environmental protection duties.
Involvement of these experts in the plan preparation process has ensured that environmental
considerations have been effectively integrated into the preparation process.
Consultation – The corporate plan has been subject to consultation and, where appropriate,
environmental considerations expressed by respondees have also been incorporated into the plan.
1
Available at: www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/13104943/0
2
A full resume of the consultation responses received and how SEPA has responded to the views
expressed is available at: [insert link].
SEA – Through the SEA, environmental effects have been identified and appropriate mitigation
measures put into place. The way the SEA Environmental Report has been taken into account is
detailed in Section 3 below.
SECTION 3 - HOW HAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT ?
3.1
The results of the assessment are described in detail in the Environmental Report, in particular in
the the completed matrices in the appendices. The key findings and mitigation measures are
summarised below:
Assessment Findings - Overview
3.2
Overall, the corporate plan performs very well and the Environmental Report found that it will make
a very significant contribution to the protection and enhancement of Scotland’s environment. Given
that SEPA’s main role is to protect the environment and human health and given that the draft
Corporate Plan aims to provide a framework for delivering that role, it is unsurprising that the
Environmental Report made such a positive finding.
3.3
The Corporate Plan will make a positive contribution to all of the SEA objectives used in the
Environmental Report in some way. In most cases, the Corporate Plan will make a significant
positive contribution to the objectives. Accordingly, there is a clear synergy between the outcomes
in the Corporate Plan and the range of environmental issues covered by the assessment. This
suggests that the Corporate Plan does not have any significant omissions in terms of its coverage of
environmental issues and taking into account SEPA’s areas of competence.
3.4
The Corporate Plan is particularly strong at providing a positive framework for delivery of
improvements in air quality, water quality, management of flooding, soil quality, climate change,
sustainable waste management and protecting human health. This reflects those issues with which
SEPA deals on a day to day basis through its regulatory, influencing, data analysis and education
activities. In addition, however, the Corporate Plan also makes strong recognition of the role SEPA
plays in working in partnership with others to deliver wider environmental benefits beyond those that
can be achieved through regulation alone. Accordingly, the Corporate Plan also scored well in
terms of its contribution to the objectives concerned with biodiversity, derelict and contaminated
land, promotion of renewable resources and energy use, where SEPA can play a role in association
with others.
3.5
No adverse environmental effects have been recorded from actions in the Corporate Plan, which
reflects the both the nature of the plan and the activities of SEPA. There will be environmental
effects arising from SEPA undertaking its activities (eg emissions from travel and buildings, waste
etc), which are addressed through the Agency’s internal environmental policy (IEP). There are,
however, some areas where there are uncertainties about the effect of the Corporate Plan. Most
notably, this is in the area of balancing regulatory activities (which can require the use of energy
intensive facilities to remove pollutants from emissions to air, water or soil) with objectives and
actions in the Corporate Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mitigation measures to
consider this are identified, including measures incorporated into SEPA’s Climate Change Plan
which addresses these issues.
Assessment Findings - By Outcome
3.6
EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE AND EVOLVING SEPA OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT POSTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
This “overarching” outcome and its associated actions will help SEPA to operate and regulate in a
way that helps to drive towards greener outcomes. Many of SEPA’s activities to protect Scotland’s
3
environment are enshrined within regulation and therefore finding ways to use that regulation more
effectively and in a way that reduces the administrative burden on both regulated industry and on
SEPA should lead to significant benefits over the long term. The benefits will likely be most clearly
felt in those parts of the environment most closely protected by SEPA through regulation, such as air,
water and soil quality, waste management and the health of people and communities.
3.7
LIMITING AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT POSTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
This outcome scored particularly well in terms of making a positive contribution across virtually all of
the objectives. In particular, actions under this outcome are likely to make a significant contribution to
the climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives as well as to the flooding objective. This is
unsurprising as the main focus of this outcome is about ensuring that SEPA plays its part in reducing
Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions, in promoting greater resilience to predicted effects of climate
change and in working in partnership with the Scottish Government and others to establish and then
work towards challenging climate change targets. It is likely that actions under this outcome will also
make a significant positive contribution to protection of human health by enhancing flood warning and
flood management activities.
3.8
PROTECTED HUMAN HEALTH AND COMMUNITIES OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT POSTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
This outcome scored particularly well in terms of making a positive contribution across very many of
the objectives. Of particular importance under this outcome are those actions related to SEPA’s role
in responding to emergencies and in dealing with environmental pollution incidents quickly and
effectively. This is of primary importance in protecting people and the environment.
3.9
REDUCED WASTE AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT POSTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES, BUT WITH UNCERTAINTIES
This outcome scored particularly well in terms of making a positive contribution across very many of
the objectives. Many of the actions are aimed at ensuring that Scotland continues its improving
record in reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and improving rates of reuse and recycling.
To achieve this, SEPA has a key role to play in both controlling the management of waste, promoting
opportunities to reduce levels of waste generated and in promoting the development of a new,
modern, network of waste management facilities that will allow Scotland to deal with its waste in a
way sustainable, safe and efficient and which works towards the Scottish Government’s aim of a zero
waste society.
Moving to a zero waste society will require a range of new waste management facilities. These may
have local environmental or community effects that will need to be managed through effective site
planning and operational regulation. Reducing the amount of waste going to landfill through actions
under the outcome will make a very significant contribution to climate change objectives as this
should significantly reduce levels of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that has 21 times more
global warming potential than CO2. Reducing the overall volume of waste will also lead to benefits for
human health and communities also (eg through reduced emissions from fewer waste sites, reduced
transport of waste etc).
4
3.10 IMPROVED AIR QUALITY OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
MAKE
A
POSTIVE
CONTRIBUTION
TO
THE
Many of the actions under this outcome are focused towards addressing areas of poor air quality
through regulation of industry, through working in partnership with other bodies (such as local
authorities) to address specific problems and through development of SEPA’s understanding of the air
environment and its impacts on people. Overall, the actions included within this outcome will likely
make a positive contribution to most objectives and a significant contribution to the air and human
health objectives. By protecting and enhancing air quality there are also likely to be positive effects
on the wider environment, including water (eg reduced acidification resulting from atmospheric
deposition), biodiversity (eg effects of poor air quality on habitats and species) and climate (eg
reducing overall emission levels may also lead to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
3.11 IMPROVED LAND QUALITY WITH HEALTHIER SOILS OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
MAKE
A
POSTIVE
CONTRIBUTION
TO
THE
Scotland’s soil resource is generally considered to be of reasonable quality, but it remains poorly
understood in comparison with other environmental media. As a result of the relatively poor
understanding of Scotland’s soil and due to emerging policy in this area, there is a strong research
theme to many of the actions under this outcome which will help SEPA to better understand the
pressures being placed upon the soil environment and therefore about how to consider soils when
undertaking its regulatory and other activities.
Overall, most of the actions included in this outcome will make a positive contribution to most
objectives and a significant contribution to the soil quality and human health objectives. In addition,
some actions will make significant contributions to the water and derelict land objectives.
3.12 IMPROVED WATER ENVIRONMENTS OUTCOME
THIS OUTCOME WILL LIKELY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT POSTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES, BUT WITH UNCERTAINTIES
The actions under this outcome have a wide range of challenges to address and this Environmental
Report has found that in most cases the actions will make significant contribution to the protection of
water quality and, therefore, to the protection of human health. Of particular importance are those
actions that focus on developing sewerage capacity, on enhancement of poor quality waterbodies and
on ensuring compliance with water environment legislation and licences. The completion and
implementation of the River Basin Management Plans will be a particularly important way of bringing
many of these actions together in a co-ordinated way and should have a very significant role in
contributing to a wide range of the SEA objectives, including biodiversity, landscape and flood risk as
well as water quality and human health.
Mitigation Measures
3.13 As the Corporate Plan will largely lead to significant positive environmental effects, few mitigation
measures to address adverse effects have been identified. However, the following measures are
identified which will be taken forward as the Corporate Plan is implemented.
Table 1 – Mitigation Measures
Mitigation Identified
Useful to make more specific
Why
To recognise the
5
By Whom and When
As Corporate Plan is
reference to SEPA’s own
environmental performance. Should
consider identifying internal
environmental policy actions across
outcomes where appropriate.
importance of SEPA as an
exemplar in minimising
environmental impacts of
its activities.
developed and finalised –
Note: This has been
completed in the final
Corporate Plan (p62 and
63).
Potential for climate proofing of
SEPA’s regulatory activities to lead to
conflict between environmental
protection and climate change
objectives. These should be
reconciled by focusing on those
regulatory activities where both
effective environmental protection and
climate change objectives can be
achieved.
To ensure that both
environmental protection
and climate change
objectives are aligned
across SEPA’s regulatory
activities.
By SEPA when reviewing
climate implications of
regulatory activities and
through implementation of
Climate Change Plan,
which details this action.
Consider keeping the 95% target for
incident response under review with
the aspiration that it is improved in
future Corporate Plans.
Recognising importance of
role in responding to
environmental incidents in
protecting the environment
and the public
By SEPA as part on
ongoing monitoring and
review of Corporate Plan
Land use Development Plans should
identify specific environmental effects
arising from developments to which
SEPA Corporate Plan may contribute
– eg support for network of new waste
management facility.
To ensure that local effects
arsing from such
developments are fully
assessed at the
appropriate time (eg by
SEA of Development Plans
and/or EIA of projects)
By Local Authorities as
Development Plans are
prepared (and subject to
SEA) and as
developments are
consented. By SEPA in its
input to development plans
and SEAs
By SEPA when
developments requiring
environmental licences are
consented.
Revise some of the wording of the
actions to more clearly identify their
intentions (see specific
recommendations in the matrices)
To improve clarity of
document
As Corporate Plan is
developed and finalised –
Note: This has been
completed in the final
Corporate Plan.
Remove duplication of actions across
many of the outcomes (see specific
recommendations in the matrices)
To eliminate duplication
and simplify document
As Corporate Plan is
developed and finalised –
Note: This has been
completed in the final
Corporate Plan.
Need to vigilant regarding potential for
some of the actions to conflict with
objective of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions – eg where new abatement
requirements are energy intensive.
To ensure that both
environmental protection
and climate change
objectives are aligned
across SEPA’s regulatory
activities.
By SEPA when reviewing
climate implications of
regulatory activities and
through implementation of
Climate Change Plan,
which details this action.
6
SECTION 4 - HOW HAVE OPINIONS EXPRESSED DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD
BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT ?
4.1
A consultation on the SEPA Corporate Plan and the SEA Environmental Report was commenced
on 25th April 2008. This section only refers to the views expressed in relation to the Environmental
Report in order to meet the requirements of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005.
4.2
Table 2 below sets out the views received during the consultation
Table 2 – Summary of views expressed and of how SEPA has taken them into account
Opinion Expressed
How opinions have been taken into account
Scottish Natural Heritage
We are content that this provides a good overview of the
likely environmental consequences of the proposed actions.
In the assessment matrices, we note and are concerned that
the impact on landscape of many of the proposed actions
are either neutral (o) or uncertain (?).
Some of SEPA’s specific responsibilities may have little
landscape effect and hence warrant a neutral rating.
However many of the actions are more wide-ranging. In
particular it is disappointing that each of the following actions
is associated with an uncertain rating as to whether the
impact on landscape will be beneficial or adverse:








minimising greenhouse gas emissions
supporting climate change adaptation
minimising impacts on Scotland’s communities from
environmental incidents
promoting an integrated network of high quality waste
management facilities
promoting progress towards a zero waste society
working with partners to implement SEARS
developing River Basin Management Plans
working with partners to deliver reductions in diffuse
pollution
We would expect SEPA, in contributing to wider Government
aims, to seek to do things in a way which will be of benefit to
the environment across the board – as indeed is evident in
the positive assessments made of the likely impacts on
biodiversity – and that this should include doing things in a
way which will contribute to enhancement of, or minimise
adverse impacts on, the landscape.
Indeed SEPA is
required to do so through the general duty on public bodies
in S66 of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 to ‘have
regard to the desirability of conserving the natural beauty
and amenity of the countryside’.
The impression given by the assessment tables is that while
biodiversity objectives have been fully integrated into SEPA’s
work, landscape objectives are to some extent seen as
peripheral. We would encourage these too to be integrated
into SEPA’s actions, an aim which is likely to be of particular
importance in our partnership work to deliver SEARS.
Historic Scotland
As noted in our response to the scoping report (4 October
2007) we are content that the historic environment is scoped
out of the environmental assessment, and we have no
comments to offer on the Environmental Report.
7
No action required.
In the assessment, many of the actions are in fact
highlighted as likely to lead to positive effects,
although in most cases these are likely to be minor.
Table 6 in the Environmental Report identifies that
overall most outcomes will lead to either positive or
neutral effects on landscape.
With respect to the specific actions highlighted, the
reason for scoring these as having uncertain effects
on landscape is due to the fact that it is uncertain how
these actions may manifest themselves in influencing
actions on the ground. For example, supporting
climate change adaptation may result in activities
associated with flood prevention or coastal protection,
both of which may have landscape effects but the
nature and extent of these are uncertain until such
time as more detailed projects come forward through
(for example) Development Plans.
Accordingly, it was felt appropriate to record these as
uncertain in order that appropriate mitigation
measures can be considered.
SEPA would agree that either by directly regulating or
indirectly influencing some of the specific activities
that may arise from these actions appropriate
consideration of landscape and other issues at that
time will result in effective protection and where
possible enhancement.
The mitigation measure which states that
“land use Development Plans should identify specific
environmental effects arising from developments to
which SEPA Corporate Plan may contribute – eg
support for network of new waste management
facility” will also ensure that appropriate consideration
of landscape issues is provided as more specific
projects come forward.
No action required
SECTION 5 - TRANSBOUNDARY CONSULTATION
5.1
There were no transboundary consultations as there are no effects on other EU Member States.
SECTION 6 - REASONS FOR ADOPTING THE CORPORATE PLAN IN ITS FINAL FORM
6.1
The Environmental Report found that the corporate plan was likely to have significant positive effects
on the environment, particularly in respect of climatic factors, air, water and human health. The
Environmental Report also identified a number of mitigation measures to enhance the environmental
performance of the plan further and to address potential adverse environmental effects. Taking into
account these overwhelmingly positive findings, the changes that have been made to the plan as a
result of the SEA process and the identification of mitigation measures, SEPA has decided to adopt
the plan [ www.sepa.org.uk/publications/corporateplan/corp_plan_summary_2008.htm ].
6.2
The only alternative to the corporate plan that was considered as part of the Environmental Report
was not to have a corporate plan but for activities to take place as a series of discrete actions. The
Corporate Plan is to a very great extent influenced by activities imposed on SEPA by legislation or
policy – for example, our regulatory activities are prescribed in well over 100 pieces of legislation. In
addition, the Corporate Plan actions are quite general and alternatives to them may not be realistic.
The Scottish Government SEA toolkit is clear that alternatives should not be generated for the sake
of assessment and that only realistic alternatives should be considered. SEPA concluded that the
most transparent way of considering alternatives was to set out the effects of SEPA undertaking an
action and the effects of it not. The findings in this regard are summarised below by outcome:
Table 3 – Assessment of Alternatives
Effective SEPA Outcome
++
Without a Corporate Plan, the focus on delivering an excellent value organisation characterised by high
performance, customer focus, flexibility and effectiveness would be diluted, which would lead to a reduced
ability to protect and enhance Scotland’s environment. Some positive actions would still occur through
regulatory activities and other initiatives, but this would be uncoordinated and unfocused on the need to
promote efficiency. In particular, this outcome provides a framework for partnership working which will assist
SEPA’s efforts in protecting the environment. This would be lost without the corporate plan. The adoption of
comprehensive target setting for each action in the corporate plan will also allow for effective long term
monitoring, which would not occur without a co-ordinated approach. Similarly, the actions associated with
data collation and dissemination across all of the outcomes would be less co-ordinated without the corporate
plan.
Climate Change Outcome
++
The Scottish Government is proposing to set challenging new targets for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions in Scotland. Having a new outcome in the draft Corporate Plan with specific reference to climate
change reinforces SEPA’s established Climate Change Plan and provides a framework for its delivery
across all of SEPA’s actions to contribute to the Scottish Government’s target. This would be lost without
the plan, which may compromise SEPA’s efforts to do its bit towards the Government’s target either through
regulating greenhouse gas emissions and through reducing its own emissions. In particular, co-ordinated
actions across SEPA’s licencing activities for protection of air, water, land and human health would be lost.
Although many of the climate actions would happen through the Climate Change Plan, the benefits coordination would be lost.
Health & Communities Outcome
++
A lack of action through the Corporate in this regard would likely have a significant detrimental effect,
particularly upon those vulnerable to environmental pollution or flooding. This would therefore lead to
detrimental effects on human health. While SEPA’s regulatory and advisory roles would ensure that this is
still considered as part of decision making on individual regulatory decisions, incorporation of such activities
in the Corporate Plan provides a co-ordinated framework for action across all outcomes. Crucially, it also
8
provides a framework for effective emergency response which is fundamental to the protection of health and
communities. Flood warning and information about flood risk is a key SEPA role and which plays an
important part in keeping Scotland’s people and property safe. Without a corporate plan which provides
links between flooding and other areas of work such as planning liaison or to water policy, effective coordination may be reduced.
Waste & Resources Outcome
++
The Scottish Government has set out the aim for Scotland to become a Zero Waste Society. To achieve
this, SEPA must provide an effective framework for action in formulating waste policy, supporting the
development of appropriate infrastructure and in regulating waste sites. This can only be secured through
an effective suite of actions embodied within the corporate plan and co-ordinated across the Agency. This
would be lost if there were no Corporate Plan or no inclusion of waste actions within the Corporate Plan.
This would potentially reduce SEPA’s ability to support the Scottish Government’s waste ambitions.
Air Outcome
+
SEPA has statutory duties to protect the environment from emissions to air. This would obviously be the
case even if there were no corporate plan, but protecting air quality has significant interaction with the health
of people, with water (through acidification), with land and with climate change. Accordingly protecting air
quality needs to be placed in the context of its contributions to other actions and the corporate plan provides
this. Accordingly, without the corporate plan, actions to protect air would be less co-ordinated and potentially
less effective.
Land & Soil Outcome
+
SEPA has statutory duties to protect the environment from emissions to land and to address contamination.
These duties would still take place without a corporate plan, but protection of land has significant interaction
with other environmental factors, including water (diffuse pollution), protection of health, biodiversity and
management of resources. Accordingly, the corporate plan is an effective vehicle for co-ordination.
Specifically under this outcome, SEPA’s activities with respect to the Single Environmental Service (SEARS)
may be compromised in absence of the corporate plan.
Water Outcome
++
SEPA’s actions with respect to water are wide ranging, including statutory duties to protect the environment
from emissions to water. Although the new River Basin Management Plans will provide a comprehensive
and co-ordinated approach to water management across Scotland, there is still a need for water protection
actions to be co-ordinated across other policy areas. This is particularly the case for issues such as flooding
which has inter-relationships with water, climate change, human health and biodiversity. Accordingly, if
water actions were not included in the corporate plan, synergies with other policy areas may be lost which
would be detrimental to SEPA’s ability to address these inter-relationships.
SECTION 7 - MONITORING
6.1
SEPA will monitor the effectiveness of the Corporate Plan and its effects on the environment
through monitoring progress towards targets for each outcome. These targets are set out in the
Corporate Plan itself under each outcome. Given the Corporate Plan is focused upon protecting
and enhancing the environment, it is SEPA’s view that this monitoring regime can be used to
monitor not just the performance of the plan, but also its effects on the environment.
6.2
In addition to these targets, SEPA has set a suite of environmental performance targets. These
targets will be reported upon annually through the publication Greening SEPA. They will also be
updated through time.
1.
SEPA will reduce CO2 emissions arising from business activities by 25% below the 2006-2007
baseline by March 2012 (note that the 25% reduction CO 2 is part of the local authority carbon
management programme and runs until March 2012 which is one year after the conclusion of
the corporate plan);
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
6.3
SEPA will reduce CO2 from all business transport modes by 10% of 2006-2007 baseline by
March 2011;
SEPA will target and reduce all internal waste by actively using the hierarchy of prevention,
reduction, reuse & recycling before disposal;
SEPA will reduce current water consumption per FTE below recognised benchmarks by 2011;
SEPA will examine ways to reduce the impact of the goods and services it procures, with
specific targets for major goods and a commitment to work with the Scottish Government to
influence Scottish public sector procurement
By March 2011 all SEPA offices with grounds will implement a biodiversity action plan.
Further, SEPA will use its internal IEP group (IEPIG) to identify and disseminate specific sub-targets
below this level. It is likely that these sub targets will be in the following areas: paper consumption,
building gas use, building electricity use and waste. These sub targets and performance relative to
them will be reported annually through Greening SEPA.
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APPENDIX 1 – LIST OF DOCUMENTS ASSOCITED WITH THIS STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT
The Strategic Environmental Assessment has been undertaken parallel with the preparation of the
Corporate Plan. Throughout this time, a number of key documents have been prepared. These are set out
below along with key dates when these were published.
SEA Stage
Screening
Document(s) Published
Screening Report - Sent to SEA Consultation Authorities
only (as required under section 9 of the Environmental
Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 (the Act).
Timescale
Published 30th August
2007
Scoping
Scoping Report - Sent to SEA Consultation Authorities
only (as required under section 15 of the Act).
Published 30th August
2007
Environmental
Report
Environmental Report and Draft Corporate Plan
published on SEPA website for full public consultation (as
required under section 16 of the Act).
Published 25th April 2008
Advertisement
Advertisement advertising consultation period for
Corporate Plan and Environmental Report (as required
under section 16(2) of the Act) and also advertising
formal determination (as required under section10 of the
Act).
Published in Edinburgh
Gazette Issue 26446 on 29
April 2008
Post Adoption
SEA Statement – Sent to SEA Consultation Authorities
and published on SEPA website (as required by section
18 of the Act).
14 August 2008
Post Adoption
Advertisement
Advertisement advertising adoption of plan (as required
under section 18 of the Act)
Within 14 days of adopting
plan
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