Environment Agency

Name and address of organisation	ENVIRONMENT AGENCY Solent & South Downs Area Office Colvedene Court Wessex Business Park Wessex Way Colden Common Hampshire SO21 1WP National Customer Contact Centre Tel: 08708 506506. Email: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Main contacts	Communications Team
Type of organisation	Environmental protection, regulation and improvement encompassing water, land and aspects of air quality. Our vision is for a better environment in England and Wales for present and future generations. The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by Defra and the Welsh Government Office. These provide the policy framework within which we operate. Principal functions are pollution prevention and control, water resources, flood risk management, development control, fisheries, conservation, navigation and recreation. Pollution control and fisheries (migratory fish only) responsibilities extend to 3 and 6 nautical miles from the coast. From 2008 the Environment Agency has taken on an overview of the coast and now distributes grants to other Coastal Operating and approves Shoreline Management Plans on behalf of Defra.
Terms of reference	The Environment Agency’s principal aim as defined in Section 4 of the Environment Act 1995 is: ‘In discharging its functions so to protect or enhance the environment taken as a whole, as to make the contribution towards attaining the objective of achieving sustainable development that Ministers consider appropriate.’ The legislation enforced by the Environment Agency includes all or parts of the following Acts: Environment Act, 1995 Control of Pollution Act ,1974 Environmental Protection Act, 1990 Radioactive Substances Act, 1993 Water Act, 1989 Water Resources Act, 1991 Water Industry Act, 1991 Land Drainage Act, 1991 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 Disease of Fish Act, 1983 Salmon Act, 1986 Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Health and Safety at Work Act, 1990 Police and Criminal Evidence Act, 1984 Conservation and Natural Habitats Regulations, 1994 The Environment Agency has been designated as a competent authority for some thirty EC Environmental Directives by Government.
Membership	The Area Manager is advised by local committees namely the Solent & South Downs Area Environment Group. The Southern Regional Flood Defence Committee has executive responsibility for Flood Risk Management within the region.
Geographical Area	The Area Office covers Hampshire, West Sussex, the Isle of Wight and the Solent.
Publications	A large number of publications are available. Please contact the National Customer Contact Centre on 08708 506 506 for more information or visit http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/publications/.