The Environment Agency (EA) has published its methane action plan 2024 to 2026, setting out plans to reduce methane emissions in England. The EA holds an important regulatory role in reducing methane emissions, and the plan contains three objectives: to improve the data, to maximise the effectiveness of regulation and to work with external partners and other countries.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published its mid-programme report for the £200m flood and coastal innovation programmes. The report provides an update on the programmes, highlighting the innovations and challenges pertaining to flood and coastal resilience, adaptation, and coastal transition.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published a new framework document, outlining how it will work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The document details the EA’s core responsibilities and establishes the governance and accountability framework governing its relationship with Defra. Defra has also published a new collection page, consolidating framework documents that set out its working relationship with its agencies and public bodies.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published a new guidance document on 1 May 2026, compiling relevant forms and advice for those requesting an ammonia screening assessment. Relevant for those making an intensive farming permit application, the guidance covers when an ammonia screening assessment is needed, how to complete and submit relevant data spreadsheets, what to include in the request and what happens after the request is submitted. It also includes information on the prior stage of ensuring compliance with the Best Available Techniques (BAT) standards for permitted farms and the BAT associated emissions levels.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published guidance establishing procedures for reporting dam and reservoir safety concerns in England. The guidance outlines specific indicators of safety issues, reporting channels via the EA's incident hotline and the agency's investigation process. It distinguishes between public incident reporting and whistleblowing procedures, with the EA committing to confidential handling of all reports while ensuring mandatory reporting requirements are met. The guidance applies to members of the public and those working at reservoir sites.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published new standard rules permits for small sewage discharges, SR2025 No 5, No 6 and No 7. The rules follow consultation 32 on environmental permitting, which ran from 1 October 2025 to 12 November 2025 and proposed replacing bespoke permits for certain small sewage discharge activities. The EA states that consultation responses supported development of the final standard rules sets, which apply to specified discharges of treated sewage effluent to ground and surface water.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published the outcome of its consultation on charge proposals for materials facilities. The Environment Agency (Environmental Permitting and Abstraction Licensing) (England) Charging Scheme 2022, version 1.4, will come into force on 1 October 2024. The charging scheme has been approved by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and HM Treasury. The changes will be implemented under existing legislation in terms of section 41 of the Environment Act 1995.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published the outcome of its September 2025 consultation on changes to standard rules permits for medium combustion plant and specified generators. The EA has decided to: (1) correct the NOₓ limit for specified generators operating under 500 hours so that it remains at 190mg/Nm³; (2) amend the wording of SR2018 No 3 to allow abatement compliance without fixed timescales; (3) withdraw SR2018 Nos 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9 for new applicants from 28 February 2026, with existing holders transitioning to simple bespoke permits free of charge; (4) add hydrogen and gas oil substitutes, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, to the relevant standard rules permits and (5) relax restrictions on stack configurations for low-use generators. The EA intends to implement the amendments within six months and to conduct further consultations on hydrogen production and mobile medium combustion plants.

The Environment Agency (EA) has concluded its consultation on proposed updates to its enforcement and sanctions policy, specifically to include provisions for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The revised policy now incorporates new sections in Annex 2, addressing the UK ETS (Section G) and CORSIA (Section H), reflecting the Agency's expanded regulatory responsibilities in these areas of environmental compliance and carbon emissions reduction.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published its response to the consultation on the regulation of international waste shipments (IWS) sent under notification controls. The EA has decided to proceed with the ‘new system’ to support a sustainable regulatory system that boosts compliance and reduces delays in processing notifications. The EA has, with the consultation response in mind, published updated guidance on the ‘Waste (miscellaneous) charging scheme’ and ‘Waste: export and import’. The amended charging system is in force from 1 April 2024.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published the response and outcome of its consultation, which sought views on the proposed charges for water discharges. The consultation ran from 29 January 2024 to 11 March 2024, and as a result of the feedback received the new charging scheme will be published. The changes will be implemented under existing legislation in Section 41 to 43 of the Environment Act 1995, and the Environment Agency (Environmental Permitting and Abstraction Licensing) (England) Charging Scheme 2024 will come into force on 1 June 2024.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published a policy paper, outlining the reservoir safety reform programme, which is being developed and implemented in response to recommendations from the Independent Reservoir Safety Review Report. The programme will be executed in phases over several years and will involve collaboration between the EA, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Welsh Government, and Natural Resources Wales.