Preventing further environmental damage
14.—(1) An operator of an activity that has caused environmental damage, or has caused damage where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the damage is or will become environmental damage, must immediately—
(a)take all practicable steps to prevent further damage; and
(b)notify all relevant details to the enforcing authority appearing to the operator to be the appropriate one.
(2) The enforcing authority may (whether or not notification has been given under paragraph (1)) serve a notice on an operator that—
(a)describes damage of a kind mentioned in paragraph (1);
(b)requires the operator to provide additional information on any damage that has occurred;
(c)specifies the measures required to prevent further damage; and
(d)requires the operator to take those measures, or measures at least equivalent to them, within the period specified in the notice.
(3) Failure to comply with paragraph (1), or with a notice served under paragraph (2), is an offence.