2004 No. 419
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
WATER AND SEWERAGE
The Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004
Made 1st October 2004
Coming into operation 29th October 2004

The Department of the Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, being departments designated for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 in relation to measures relating to the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution of water, acting jointly in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by that section and of every other power enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations:
S.I.1989/2393
1972 c. 68

1 Citation and commencement
These Regulations may be cited as the Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and shall come into operation on 29th October 2004.
Reg. 1 in operation at 29.10.2004, see reg. 1

2 Interpretation
1 In these Regulations –
“Action Programme” means measures regarding the protection of water against pollution caused by nutrients from agricultural sources as set out in the Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 ;
“the Departments” means the Department of the Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development acting jointly;
“Northern Ireland” has the same meaning as in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47);
“Regulations” means Regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 (c. 68).
Words in reg. 2(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Water (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/112), regs. 1(1), 4; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
2 The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
1954 c. 33 (N.I.)
Reg. 2 in operation at 29.10.2004, see reg. 1

3 Action Programme throughout territory of Northern Ireland
The Departments shall by Regulations establish and apply an Action Programme throughout the territory of Northern Ireland.
Reg. 3 in operation at 29.10.2004, see reg. 1

4 Transitional
1 The statutory provisions referred to in paragraph (2) shall continue in operation unless and until the Departments by Regulations establish and apply an Action Programme throughout the territory of Northern Ireland.
2 The statutory provisions referred to in paragraph (1) are the following, namely –
(a) The Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003; and
S.R. 2003 No. 259
(b) Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.
S.R. 1999 No. 156
Reg. 4 in operation at 29.10.2004, see reg. 1
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 1st October 2004.
David Small A senior officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on 1st October 2004.
Judena Goldring A senior officer of the Department of the Environment

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations give further effect to Council Directive 91/676/EEC (the Nitrates Directive) concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources.
Regulation 3 establishes the territory of Northern Ireland as the area to which an Action Programme will be applied.
Regulation 4 is a transitional measure and provides for the continuation of the existing Action Programme and the seven existing Nitrate Vulnerable Zones pending the application of an Action Programme to the territory of Northern Ireland.