Natural England prepares to use civil sanctions for environmental offences

Natural England has launched an eight-week consultation on the enforcement of laws protecting wildlife and the natural environment now that it has powers to impose civil sanctions.

The organisation's responsibilities include sites of special scientific interest, heather and grass burning, breaches of certain wildlife licences, breaches of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations, and damage caused by injurious weeds.

A Government decision to allow Natural England to use civil sanctions means that it has an alternative route halfway between its long standing powers to issue warning letters and cautions, or to proceed to full criminal prosecution.

Such sanctions mean it can stop illegal activities, order the restoration of environmental damage and accept voluntary enforcement undertakings where legislation has been breached.

Regulation director Janette Ward said: “In the current economic climate it is particularly important that we offer people and small businesses help and support to comply with the laws which we are responsible for enforcing.

“The new powers give a welcome degree of flexibility, and will help ensure that we can fine-tune the actions needed to protect the environment without imposing unnecessary costs on those we regulate.” 

The Environment Agency this week became the first regulator to successfully use civil sanctions for environmental offences, after reaching a deal with Invensys for the payment of £21,000 after it broke packaging waste regulations.