Adherents will tell the water company owners that they need to do more to prevent untreated sewage from being dumped into the river and the sea Congressman Prepare to vote on this issue.
this government It is hoped that legally requiring water companies to “gradually reduce” dumping of untreated sewage into waterways will eventually allow flagship legislation to pass Parliament.
But critics say that the government’s move does not require the water company to act fast enough to cause the dumping phenomenon to continue for many years to come.
Environment minister George Eustis The government concessions considered by members of Congress on Monday “reflect” the fact that colleagues have already voted in the upper house.
The Duke of Wellington’s amendment to the Environmental Act will give water companies a new legal obligation to “take all reasonable measures” to prevent sewage discharge.
Last month, the House of Lords passed the proposal of independent cross-congressmen by 213 votes to 60 with a majority of 153 votes.
This means that the bill was sent back Commons For further consideration and to enable the government to propose its alternative concession-described as a U-turn labor -After fierce public opposition.
The new government proposal will give utility companies a legal obligation to “ensure the gradual reduction of the adverse effects of storm overflow emissions.”
Mr. Eustis told G&T on Time Radio on Sunday: “It has done everything the Duke of Wellington Amendment has done, so he recognizes that this is a challenge that you cannot solve overnight because of the cost of eliminating all these storm overflows. It may increase to 600 billion pounds.
“But this is not to say that we shouldn’t significantly reduce their use. Since the 1960s, the surface drainage system of most houses is different from the drainage system of the sewage system, but usually they will eventually be pumped back into the sewer and go down.
“There may be some interventions that can make a big difference, even if they don’t necessarily move all these CSOs (joint sewer overflow) overnight.
“So the Duke of Wellington realized that you won’t do this overnight, which is why he emphasized the need to drastically reduce the use of these civil society organizations. This is what we will reflect in the proposed amendment.”
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said that she will meet with the water company on Monday to make it clear that “we are absolutely committed to reducing the entry of harmful sewage into our precious waterways.”
But Joe Maugham, director of the Good Law Project, called the amendment a “political trick” and imposed “meaningless” responsibilities on the company.
Environmental activist and former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey led a social media campaign to push for stricter laws on this issue, and his allies put pressure on their members of Congress.
A total of 22 Conservative Party MPs resisted and supported the Duke of Wellington’s initial proposal last month. One of the MPs told the PA News Agency that they were satisfied with the new government amendments.
But Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, a Green Party colleague, said the government’s concessions were “not good enough” because it did not specify the emission reduction measures or targets required by the water supply company.
She told PA: “The government is afraid of water companies and their owners, and what they should do is consider people’s health and the environment.”
Mrs. Jones added: “It is a typical government fabrication to make their members of Congress think they are doing the right thing.”
After Brexit, the bill as a whole seeks to incorporate environmental principles into British law for the first time.
It is currently in the parliamentary stage known as “ping-pong”, in which a piece of legislation moves between the House of Commons and the House of Lords until an agreement is reached.
