Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minutes of Evidence


Annex 2

COMPARISON OF THE ALTERNATIVE FUELS PERMITTING PROCESS BETWEEN FRANCE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM


Stage of ProcessUnited Kingdom MonthsFranceMonths

Permitting AuthorityScotland SEPA.
N Ireland IPRI.
England and Wales EA.
Regional Environmental Authority.
Application to Local Planning Authority Application for Consent to build/erect equipment.
Application to the Regulatory Authority Application to Trial single specific waste as fuel.
Application clarifications form a series of exchanges of correspondence.
Application for licence to use a "family of wastes" as fuel.
Negotiate with regulator to fix parameters of trial.
Public ConsultationStart Consultation with community/stakeholders.

Press release/News letter/exhibition/"surgeries"/etc.
4Start Public Consultation with all inside 6 km radius.
Press release/works visits. All questions centrally logged.
15 days to respond to all questions.
Technical responses may reflect future permit.
2
Permission to trialRegulator issues authorisation to trial the fuel. Regulator agrees all preconditions met.
CommissioningAll equipment tested and commissioned.
Equipment dosage rates optimised.
Approx 1All equipment tested and commissioned.
Equipment dosage rates optimised.
Approx 1
Trial—Baseline data gatheringBaseline operation commences.
Full set of operational data collected and baseline gas.
Emission and soil sampling undertaken new fuels mix.
Six full gas extractive tests drawn over six week period.
(note: Stack gases sampled
2 x per year normally.)
2Establish baseline using continuous monitoring equip. Stack gasses are established 4 times per year hence suggested no need for further base line tests. 1 to 2 days.
Trial—Baseline, plus additional fuel data gathering Full set of operational data collected and gas emission and soil sampling undertaken new fuels mix.
Six full gas extractive tests drawn over 6 week period.
2Full set of operational data collected and retained.
Extractive gas samples over two days operation (only).
0.5
End of trialFuel Use stops. Fuel Use stops.
Report Preparation and submissionCompliation of all works and extractive data.
(Full Gas analysis takes six weeks to turn around.)
Stack dispersion model and Air quality analysis.
Environmental options study undertaken.
Health study effect report.
Extractive gas samples data sent directly to regulator.
Deposition guages around plant reported.
All impacts reported.
Health study effect report.
1.5
Regulator DeterminationEA supplies circulates report to its consultees.
Analysis and determination process commences.
Decision document issued with conditions.
Min 4Report submitted to regulator and Health Authority.
Committee review of documents.
Decision document Issued with conditions.
2
Permanent use of fuelFull time use of fuel commences. Full time use of fuel commences.
Total Elapsed Time16 7




 
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Prepared 26 July 2002