§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to ensure that the criteria employed by the Environment Agency in deciding how many cases of mine water discharges in England and Wales should be selected for remediation funding are consistent with the EC limits set out in the freshwater fisheries directive. [26880]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesI am advised that some of the chemical parameters set out in the Fresh Water for Fish Directive, 78/659/EEC, are used by the Environment Agency in assessing the state of waters affected by discharges from abandoned coal mines.
427W
§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain from the Environment Agency a copy of the full list of sites of mine water discharges in England and Wales which were considered for possible remediation funding, together with the criteria used in the decision as to the cases to be put forward; and if he will place the list in the Library. [26881]
§ Mr. JonesSo far as mine water discharges from coal mines are concerned, the Environment Agency has considered a large number of sites affected by mine water discharges, using the following criteria:
- Biological impact
- Area biologically affected
- Area visually affected
- Length visually affected
- Substrate quality
- Iron deposition
- Total iron downstream of discharge
- pH, dissolved oxygen levels and aluminium concentration.
As a result of the application of these criteria, 35 sites have been identified for further study in order to consider the practicability and cost of potential remedial work. I am arranging for a list of these sites to be placed in the Library of the House.