A new system for registering complaints against public bodies suspected of failing to meet environmental law has gone live.

Ahead of the establishment of the new Office for Environmental Protection, an interim service is now in place to receive complaints about alleged failures of public authorities to comply with environmental law.

Complaints can be submitted by clicking HERE: the iegs site

An Interim Environmental Governance Secretariat within Defra will operate on a temporary basis and will conduct initial assessments of any complaints.

This will be under the guidance and leadership of both the newly appointed Office for Environmental Protection Chair-designate, Dame Glenys Stacey, and the other Board members, once they have been appointed, to ensure an effective transition to the permanent body.

Members of the public will be able to make complaints about failures by public authorities to comply with legal requirements in areas, such as, the protection of air or water quality, nature conservation, or the management of waste.

Guidance on how to complain to the IEGS can be found on the IEGS website.

The Office for Environmental Protection will be established and operational as soon as possible following Royal Assent of the Environment Bill. It will have the power to scrutinise environmental policy and law, investigate complaints and take enforcement action against public authorities.

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It is expected that the Office for Environmental Protection will have started implementing its functions by around July 2021. This is dependent on the Bill receiving Royal Assent in Spring 2021 as hoped, followed by a period of around three months to form the Office for Environmental Protection Board and complete preparation for the implementation of its statutory functions.