These pages explain what the UCF is and provide details on the principles behind it, the key dates we are working to and the latest developments.
We previously had over twenty charging schemes relating to different regulatory regimes, many of which were inherited by us and differed in their approach and structure. In recent years, as we have modernising the way we regulate, we have moved towards a more harmonised and risk based approach to charging.
We have developed a Unified Charging Framework (UCF) that will provide a long-term strategic solution to the way we charge, leading to simplified and harmonised charging schemes. The links below provide more information on what we are trying to achieve and when we plan to do it.
There are a number of important developments already taking place in the way we regulate our Environmental Protection activities. It is essential that the UCF be linked to the work being done in these areas.
Better Regulation Programme
Our Better Regulation Change Programme started in 2000 and is continuing to develop the way we regulate. A key principle introduced as part of our Better Regulatory approach is that we use the type of permit that requires the least resource to achieve the relevant environmental objectives.
Therefore for Better Regulation we have developed three levels of permitting which we can match to the level of environmental risk and complexity of the targeted activity. (We still regulate some activities by direct regulation where a permit of any kind is not required.) The three tiers of charging we propose to use for the UCF are linked to these.
Modernising Water Quality Discharge Regulation Programme
Our Modernising Water Quality Discharge Regulation Programme aims to develop the way we regulate discharge consents through three main objectives:
- improve the environment by targeting our effort to higher risk activities and encourage operators to take greater responsibility for their performance;
- streamline the way we work, reduce red tape and ensure regulation in outcome focussed;
- accommodate the changes necessary for Water Framework Directive implementation.
With these objectives in mind, four defined project areas have been identified. Of these, three relate directly to the UCF:
- moving Water Quality consents and processes towards the Environment Agency's registrations/standard facility/bespoke permits and the UCF;
- developing an Opra scheme for bespoke permits to allow compliance assessment planning based on environmental and operator risk;
- the adoption of operator self-monitoring for some, but not all, discharges.
It is planned for these to be launched by April 2009. To link this work to charges we are looking to complete and launch CFD charges under the UCF by April 2010.
Environmental Permitting Programme 2
The Environmental Permitting Programme (EPP) 2 is a joint Defra, Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and Environment Agency initiative. It is part of our Better Regulation agenda and is aiming to expand the work done on from EPP.
Opra project
The Opra project is expanding the previous Opra system so it can be used for all our regulatory regimes and across all three types of permit (registrations, standard facilities and bespoke permits). Opra stands for Operation Risk Appraisal, and is a rebranding from OPRA (Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal).
Opra builds on the Better Regulation three tiers of permits. The Opra system generates Opra scores identifying the relative risks associated with the permits under each tier. We use the Opra score to calculate the regulatory effort we need to apply to each permit. These calculations are used to calculate the charges in each of the three charging tiers being developed by the UCF.
Integrated Regulation programme
A key element of improving the way we regulate is the introduction of a consistent approach to both the way we regulate regimes and charge permit holders. We need to update our IT systems to reflect this new approach and have set up the Integrated Regulation Programme to deliver a suite of common IT services, that:
- make best use of Environment Agency resources to add value to achieving environmental outcomes
- deliver the most efficient, cost effective and flexible solutions, re-using existing technology wherever feasible
- provide an improved service to customers, e.g. through enabling internet applications and allowing a greater range of payment methods.it can be used
