To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Environment Agency's policy is towards (a) supporting open-cast coal planning applications and (b) supporting open-cast coal planning applications on green-belt land. [124068]
For any planning application for open cast mining, the Environment Agency's role is that of a statutory consultee. The Agency provides technical and scientific advice to the local planning authority on those potential impacts of the proposed development relevant to the Agency's environmental and flood risk management responsibilities.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Environment Agency's policy is towards supporting open-cast coal planning applications on land which they own that is designated as green-belt land. [124069]
The Environment Agency have no specific policy regarding open-cast mining on land which they own. The Agency will look to maximize opportunities for environmental enhancements on their land although each scheme must be looked at on its own merits.
| Title | Project ID | Funding Body | Contractor | Start date | End date | Status |
| Survey of health complaints among sheep-dippers | VMO299 | Defra Science Directorate | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | January 2001 | August 2003 | Work in progress |
| Dose effect profiles for OP sheep dip on brainelectrical activity and covnitive performance | VMO279 | Defra Science Directorate | DSTL, Porton Down | April 1998 | December 2002 | Completed |
| Disabling neuropsychiatric disease in farmers exposed to organophosphates. | VMO2115 | Defra Science Directorate/DH | Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester | January 2002 (FMD delay) | June 2005 | Work in progress |
| Characterisation of non-acetylcholinesterase actions of novel protein targets | VMO2117 | Defra Science Directorate | Neurotoxicology Section, MRC Applied Neuroscience Group, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham. | June 2001 | June 2003 | Work in progress |
| Investigation of possible autoimmune responses induced by organophosphate exposure | VMO2116 | Defra Science Directorate | Health and Safety Laboratory, Sheffield | April 2001 | December 2003 | Work in progress |
| A case-controlled study of neuropsychological any psychiatric functioning in sheep farmers exposed organophosphate pesticides | — | Defra Science Directorate | University College London | — | — | Start imminent (three years expected duration |
| Assessment of pattern and extent of autonomic abnormalities in a group of sheep farmers and dippers | — | Defra Science Directorate | Imperial College | — | — | Proposal |