Archived press release

Environment agency misleading public on water

16 September 1997

Friends of the Earth will today protest outside the Environment Agency's first Annual General Meeting about the cosy relationship between the Environment Agency and the industry they regulate. FOE is particularly concerned about allegations that Freemasons within the Agency may have their independence jeopardised by their secret relationship with polluting industries [1].

FOE are also concerned that the Agency are today misleading the public on how tough they are being on water pollution [2]. Friends of the Earth this morning published research,based on data provided by the Agency, which revealed that industry breached legal pollution limits over 2,000 times over a twelve month period and yet the Agency only took 17 prosecutions [3]. The Agency are claiming today that they take around 250 prosecutions a year, however the vast majority of these relate to accidents, spills, etc(called pollution incidents) of which there are 20,000 per year [4]. Therefore the chance of being prosecuted for either breaches of discharge consent or pollution incidents is around one in a hundred.

The Agency, which claims to be open and publicly accountable, has refused to disclose which members of its staff and board are Masons. Protesters outside the AGM will therefore dress as members of a secret society and hand out stickers so that people attending the AGM can voluntarily declare that "I am/I am not a Freemason". FOE's Campaigns Director, Tony Juniper, will ask a question in the AGM on Agency policy on the issue.

FOE believes that Environment Agency staff - the 'green policemen' - should be required to declare their membership of any secret society and to notify the Agency of any conflicts of interest that might arise from such membership. This would ensure greater public confidence in official environmental decision-making. This is not a demonstration against Freemasonry itself, as Friends of the Earth recognises the wide range of worthwhile activities carried out by Masons, but FOE is concerned about the extent to which Masonic links influence the functioning of public bodies and believes that official safeguards are required [5].

The call for Masonic links to be officially scrutinised follows the publication of research by Friends of the Earth that reveals how:

.During a twelve month period water pollution limits were breached 2,152 times in 830 locations, yet only 17 companies were prosecuted (see above).
.The Environment Agency has misled the public and the House of Commons Environment Committee about the level of pollution around a cement works in Clitheroe, Lancashire. [6]
.The Environment Agency are failing to regulate the water industry adequately,particularly regarding inter-basin transfers of water. [7]

Tony Juniper, Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth, said:

"If the Agency does not more fully scrutinise potential conflicts of interest in its own staff, it will continue to be criticised and fail to command public confidence.Serious questions remain over the Agency's prosecution performance, its commitment to environmental protection and its willingness to crack down on industrial polluters. The Agency spends large amounts of public money and has a key role in policing industry. The Government must act to ensure that the Agency is open, transparent and tough."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Reported in ENDS Report 260, July 1997, "Questions over freemasonry hit Environment Agency",copy attached. The Environment Agency AGM is taking place in The New Connaught Rooms, next to the Freemason's Hall in Great Queen Street, Holborn.
[2] Claims made on Radio 5 live at 6.40 this morning by Archie Robinson, Environment Agency..
[3] Friends of the Earth, Slippery "Customers", Water pollution enforcement policy in England and Wales, September 1997.
[4] According to the Environment Agency's web site(http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/s-enviro/pressures/2-13.html) "In 1996 there were over 32,000 reports of water pollution, of which over 20,000 were subsequently substantiated." and "In 1996 there were 135 successful prosecutions brought by the National Rivers Authority and the Environment Agency for pollution incidents, with over 90 cases still waiting to come to court."
[5] In a recent report, the House of Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs recommended that police officers, magistrates, judges and crown prosecutors should register membership of any secret society and that records should be made publicly available. It is expected that the Home Office will respond to the report in the next few months.
[6] See "Misleading the Minister? The Environment Agency, The Cement Industry and 500, 000",published by Friends of the Earth in July 1997. Available on the web at http://www.foe.co.uk/camps/indpoll/0797caqm.htm
[5] Friends of the Earth is concerned that the Agency may allow water transfer from the Kielder Basin,which we believe will damage the environment. Contact Matt Phillips, Biodiversity and Habitats campaigner for more details.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust