EA consultation on hydropower Good Practice Guidelines - Update

The EA has now confirmed how it proposes to re-activate the consultation by issuing the following to the hydropower Working Group:

"Programme

• We will publish our supplementary consultation on flow/abstraction standards at the end of July (date to be confirmed). The consultation will be open for 12 weeks.
• We will consider the responses during October and November and expect to reach a decision on a way forward towards the end of November 2012.
• We anticipate publishing the revised GPG in early 2013.
• We aim to publish the Summary of Responses to our first consultation on the GPG review at the same time as we publish the Supplementary Consultation."

Both the BHA and the mha have expressed concern at the way flow/abstraction standards have been addressed during the consultation and have asked to meet senior EA management to discuss a satisfactory way forward.  I will post developments on the mha website.