Editing Environment Agency (section)

==Roles and responsibilities==

===Purpose===

The Environment Agency's stated purpose is, "to protect or enhance the environment, taken as a whole" so as to promote "the objective of achieving [[sustainable development]]" (taken from the [[Environment Act 1995]], section 4). Protection of the environment relates to threats such as [[flood]] and pollution. The [[vision statement|vision]] of the agency is of "a rich, healthy and diverse environment for present and future generations".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/aboutus/1105530/289892/ |title=Our Vision |publisher=Environment Agency |access-date=15 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102152549/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/aboutus/1105530/289892/ |archive-date=2 November 2008  }}</ref>

===Scope===
The Environment Agency's remit covers almost the whole of England, about 13&nbsp;million&nbsp;hectares of land, {{convert|22000|mi|km}} of river and {{convert|3100|mi|km}} of coastline seawards to the three-mile limit which includes 2&nbsp;million&nbsp;hectares of coastal waters.<ref name="DefraSponsor">{{cite web|url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ea/index.htm |title=The Environment Agency – Defra Sponsorship |publisher=Defra |access-date=15 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081104013013/http://www.defra.gov.uk/Environment/ea/index.htm |archive-date=4 November 2008 }}</ref> In a sharing arrangement with the [[Scottish Environment Protection Agency]] (SEPA), it also exercises some of its functions over parts of the catchments of the [[River Tweed]] and the [[River Esk, Dumfries and Galloway|Border Esk]] which are, for the most part, in [[Scotland]]. Similarly, in an arrangement with [[Natural Resources Wales|NRW]], political and operational areas are not coterminus. NRW staff exercise responsibility for parts of the [[River Dee (Wales)|River Dee]] in England and EA staff exercise operational responsibility for those parts of the [[River Severn]] catchment in Wales.

===Structure===
The Environment Agency employs around 10,600 staff.<ref name="About us" /> It is organised into eight directorates that report to the chief executive.<ref name="How we are structured">{{cite web|url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/aboutus/organisation/35671.aspx |title= How we are structured|date= 12 July 2023|publisher=Environment Agency}}</ref>

There are two "policy and process" directorates. One deals with Flood and Coastal Risk Management and the other with Environment and Business. These are backed up by the Evidence directorate. The fourth directorate is a single Operations "delivery" unit, responsible for national services, and [[line management]] of all the regional and area staff.

The remaining directorates are central shared service groups for Finance, Legal Services, Resources and Communications.

In support of its aims, the agency acts as an [[operating authority]], a [[regulatory authority]] and a [[licence]] authority.

===Finance===
The agency is funded in part from the UK government [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] (DEFRA). Additional money is raised from the issuing of licences and permits such as abstraction licences, waste handler registrations, navigation rights and rod (fishing) licences.

Funding for [[Infrastructure asset management|asset management]] and improvement and acquisition of [[flood risk management]] assets has traditionally come from local authorities via flood defence committees. This was then effectively repaid by [[Her Majesty's Government|central government]] in later years as part of the Formula Spending Share. In 2005 this was simplified by making a direct transfer from Treasury to the Environment Agency in the form of flood defence [[grant-in-aid]].

The Environment Agency's total funding in 2007–08 was £1,025 million, an increase of £23 million on 2006–07. Of that total, £629 million (61 per cent) was provided in the form of 'flood defence grant-in-aid' from government (£578 million for England and £50 million for Wales). In addition, £347 million (34 per cent) was raised through statutory charging schemes and flood defence levies; and a further £50 million (5 per cent) came from other miscellaneous sources.<ref name="0607_AnnualReport" /><ref name="0708_AnnualReport" />

In 2007–08 had an operational budget of £1.025 billion, of which £628m was grant from the agency's sponsoring government departments. Approximately half the agency's expenditure is on flood risk management, and a third is spent on environment protection (pollution control). Of the remainder, 12% goes to [[water resources]], and 6% to other water functions including navigation and wildlife.<ref name="0607_AnnualReport">{{cite web|url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/annrep0607_e_1441788.pdf |title=2006–07 Annual Report |publisher=Environment Agency |access-date=15 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217185142/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/annrep0607_e_1441788.pdf |archive-date=17 December 2008 }}</ref><ref name="0708_AnnualReport">{{cite web|url=http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0708BOFC-e-e.pdf|title=2007–08 Annual Report|publisher=Environment Agency|access-date=15 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217185143/http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0708BOFC-e-e.pdf|archive-date=17 December 2008}}</ref>

===Overall governance===
The [[Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] has the lead sponsorship responsibility for the Environment Agency as a whole and is responsible for the appointment of the chairman and the Environment Agency board.

In addition the Secretary of State is responsible for overall policy on the environment and sustainable development within which the agency undertakes its work; the setting of objectives for the agency's functions and its contribution to sustainable development; the approval of its budget and payment of government grant to the agency for its activities in England and approval of its regulatory and charging regimes.<ref name="DefraSponsor" />  Its chief executive is Sir James Bevan.

[[Philip Dilley|Sir Philip Dilley]] resigned as chairman on 11 January 2016, with Emma Howard Boyd becoming acting chair.<ref name="CSW">{{cite web|last1=Foster|first1=Matt|title=Environment Agency chair Sir Philip Dilley resigns amid row over holiday during floods|url=http://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/news/environment-agency-chair-sir-philip-dilley-resigns-amid-row-over-holiday-during-floods|publisher=Civil Service World|access-date=12 January 2016|date=11 January 2016}}</ref> Emma Howard Boyd took up the post of chair formally on 19 September 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gordon|first1=Clark|title=Emma Howard Boyd appointed Chair of the Environment Agency|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/emma-howard-boyd-appointed-chair-of-the-environment-agency|publisher=UK Government|access-date=13 August 2017|date=19 September 2016}}</ref>