# The Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

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N.I.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

# 2014 No. 307

Environmental Protection

# The Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Made

11th December 2014

Coming into operation

1st January 2015

F1The Department of the Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, being departments designated F2 for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(F3 in relation to the environment, acting jointly in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by that section and the Department                           of the Environment in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 32 of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland)                           Order 1997(F4 and, in accordance with Article 32(3) of that Order, the Department of the Environment having published a notice indicating                           the effect of these Regulations and having taken into consideration the representations made to it in accordance with the                           notice, make the following Regulations.                        

F1Regulations revoked (except Sch. 1 Table 1a which continues to have effect until 31.12.2019) (11.4.2019) by The Nutrient Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 (S.R. 2019/81), **reg. 38(1)(a)** (with regs. 36, 38(2))

F2S.I. 2008/301

F31972 c.68

F4S.I. 1997/2778 (N.I. 19)

## F1**PART 1**N.I.Preliminary

### Citation and commencementN.I.

F11.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Purpose of and application of RegulationsN.I.

F12.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### InterpretationN.I.

F13.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 2**N.I.General

### Duty of the controller to prevent water pollutionN.I.

F14.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Duty of the controller to comply with these RegulationsN.I.

F15.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Exemptions granted by the DepartmentN.I.

F16.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 3**N.I.Prevention of water pollution from the application of fertilisers

### Periods when the land application of fertiliser is prohibitedN.I.

F17.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Requirements as to the manner of land application of fertiliser to any agricultural landN.I.

F18.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### General measures governing the limits on land application of nitrogen fertiliserN.I.

F19.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Measures governing the limits on land application of nitrogen fertiliser to grasslandN.I.

F110.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Measures governing the limits on land application of nitrogen fertiliser to land other than grasslandN.I.

F111.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Derogation from the measures governing the limits on land application of livestock manureN.I.

F112.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Measures governing the limits on land application of organic manures with a high proportion of phosphorusN.I.

F113.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 4**N.I.Storage requirements

### General obligations as to storage facilities for livestock manure and silage effluentN.I.

F114.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Obligations as to livestock manure storage capacity on pig and poultry enterprisesN.I.

F115.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Manner of storage of slurryN.I.

F116.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Manner of storage of farmyard manure and location of storage facilitiesN.I.

F117.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Manner of storage of poultry litter and location of storage facilitiesN.I.

F118.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Manner of storage of dirty waterN.I.

F119.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Calculation of livestock manure storage capacityN.I.

F120.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Making and storage of silageN.I.

F121.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 5**N.I.Measures relating to land management

### Cover in winterN.I.

F122.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Crop managementN.I.

F123.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Crop management for derogated holdingsN.I.

F124.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 6**N.I.Record keeping and compliance monitoring

### Type of records requiredN.I.

F125.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Duty of the controller not to provide false or misleading informationN.I.

F126.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 7**N.I.Enforcement

### EnforcementN.I.

F127.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### NoticesN.I.

F128.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Appeals against notices requiring works etc.N.I.

F129.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### OffencesN.I.

F130.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### PenaltiesN.I.

F131.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 8**N.I.Powers, duties and functions of the Departments

### ReportingN.I.

F132.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### ReviewingN.I.

F133.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## F1**PART 9**N.I.Miscellaneous

### Transitional provisionsN.I.

F134.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Consequential amendmentsN.I.

F135.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### RevocationsN.I.

F136.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 11th December 2014

L.S.

John Speers

 A senior officer of the

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on 11th December 2014

L.S.

Dave Foster

 A senior officer of the

Department of the Environment

# SCHEDULES

 Regulations 3(2), 9(2) to (5), 10,11, 12(4) and (7), 13(2),20(3) and (6) and 25(2)

## SCHEDULE 1N.I.Criteria for nutrient management

### [F1Table 1a

### Regulations 9, 12 and 20 - Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion rates for grazing livestock

### F1...                     

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F1  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

F1Regulations revoked (except Sch. 1 Table 1a which continues to have effect until 31.12.2019) (11.4.2019) by The Nutrient Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 (S.R. 2019/81), **reg. 38(1)(a)** (with regs. 36, 38(2))

 Regulation 16(1)

## F1SCHEDULE 2N.I.Requirements for slurry storage systems

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Regulation 21(1)(a)

## F1SCHEDULE 3N.I.Requirements for silos

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Regulation 8(2)(f)

## F1SCHEDULE 4N.I.Risk assessment for fertiliser application to steeply sloping land

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

## Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations give further effect to Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources and Council Directive                        2003/35/EC on public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment. They revoke                        and replace the Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, the Nitrates Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations                        (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the Nitrates Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012. They also revoke                        provisions within the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.                     

Regulation 2 sets out the purpose and application of the Regulations.

Regulation 4 imposes an obligation on the controller of a holding to prevent water pollution.

Regulation 5 imposes obligations on the controller of a holding in complying with these Regulations to have regard to any                        guidance issued and the Code of Good Agricultural Practice.                     

Regulation 6 prescribes in what circumstance exemptions to the Regulations may be granted.

Regulation 7 establishes closed periods for the land application of chemical fertiliser to grassland and non grassland crops                        and closed periods for the land application of organic manure, excluding dirty water.                     

Regulation 8 establishes the manner of application and spreading of fertiliser (including dirty water) including the minimum                        distances from waterways, the weight and volume of solid organic manure and slurry that may be applied and the period of time                        to be left between applications.                     

Regulations 9, 10, and 11 limit the land application of nitrogen from livestock manure to 170 kg N/ha/year and set limits                        for the amount of chemical fertiliser and organic manures that may be applied in relation to crop requirement for nitrogen                        for grass and other crops. These limits are currently calculated by using the values set out in DEFRA's Fertiliser Manual (RB209) 8th Edition, the Schedules to these Regulations. Regulation 9 also allows for a scientific case                        to be presented to deviate from the values set out in Tables 1, and 2 of Schedule 1 in respect of nitrogen excretion values,                        and total nitrogen content of fertilisers.                     

Regulation 12 prescribes the requirements to be complied with for grassland holdings with an approved derogation from the                        measures governing the limits on land application of livestock manure, as provided for in paragraph 2(b) of Annex III of the Directive.                     

Regulation 13 establishes limits for the land application of organic manures containing greater than a specified proportion                        of phosphorus compared to nitrogen.                     

Regulation 14 establishes general obligations for the storage of livestock manure and silage effluent, including capacities                        and standards for storage facilities and the requirement to maintain and manage these facilities to prevent water pollution.                     

Regulation 15 further details the livestock manure storage capacity required for different types of enterprises.

Regulations 16 to 19 prescribe how slurry, farmyard manure, poultry litter and dirty water are to be stored.

Regulation 20 advises how to calculate storage capacity and on-farm practices, including out-wintering of livestock (other                        than dairy cows), that may be taken into account when calculating such capacity.                     

Regulation 21 prescribes how silage, or any crop being made into silage, is to be stored.

Regulations 22 and 23 prescribe soil cover and detail crop management in order to minimise soil erosion and nutrient run-off.

Regulation 24 details further crop management practices for grassland holdings with an approved derogation.

Regulation 25 imposes an obligation on the controller of a holding to keep sufficient records for a holding to ascertain the                        identity of the controller, the total agricultural area, the crop regime for individual areas within the holding, the number                        of livestock, the livestock manure storage capacity and storage arrangements and the quantity of nitrogen fertiliser moved                        on and off the holding. These records must be ready for inspection and held for 5 years. Records concerning movement of livestock                        manure off holdings must be submitted annually to the Department.                     

Regulation 26 prescribes that these records must be accurate and not misleading.

Regulation 27 establishes the Department of the Environment as the enforcement authority and its authority to carry out these                        functions in accordance with the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.                     

Regulation 28 prescribes how the Department of the Environment may serve a notice to minimise the risk of water pollution                        from storage of farm effluents or if any appropriate person is in breach of the Regulations and the requirements to be met                        when the notice is served.                     

Regulation 29 creates a right of appeal to the Appeals Commission against any notice issued under regulation 28 and provides                        procedures for an appeal against a refusal for a deviation under regulation 9.                     

Regulations 30 and 31 set out offences under the Regulations and their corresponding penalties.

Regulation 32 establishes the duty on the Departments to submit, to the European Commission, a four-yearly report in accordance                        with Article 10 of the Nitrates.                     

Regulation 33 imposes a duty on the Departments to review the action programme, through a consultative process, every four                        years.                     

Regulation 34 deems notices served under regulation 23 of the Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010                        to be notices under these Regulations from 1 January 2015 and records to be retained under regulation 20 of the Nitrates Action                        Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 to be records to be retained under these Regulations from 1 January 2015.                     

Regulation 35 makes consequential amendments to The Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations                        (Northern Ireland) 2003, The Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 and The Common Agricultural Policy                        Direct Payments and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 to maintain consistency with these                        Regulations.                     

Regulation 36 provides for the revocation of a number of statutory provisions consequent upon the coming into operation of                        these Regulations.                     

Copies of the Going for Growth plan may be obtained from the Agri-Food Strategy Board website:http://www.agrifoodstrategyboard.org.uk

Copies of the Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Water, Air and Soil, referred to in regulation                        5, may be obtained from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development website:http://www.dardni.gov.uk                     

Copies of the DEFRA Fertiliser Manual (RB209) 8th Edition may be obtained from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural                        Affairs website:http://www.defra.gov.uk                     

Copies of the documents published by the British Standards Institution referred to in the Regulations may be obtained from                        any of the sales outlets of the British Standards Institution, by post from the British Standards Institution, Customer Services,                        389 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 4AL, by telephone on 020 8996 9001, or by email to orders@bsi-global.com.                     

Copies of Council Directive 91/676/EEC may be obtained from the website for European Union legislation:http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html