Environment Agency

The complainant requested information about riverbank restoration work. The Environment Agency (‘EA’) initially relied on regulation 12 (4)(b) of the EIR to refuse the whole request but later disclosed some of the requested information and only relied on regulation 12(4)(b) of the EIR to refuse point seven of the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that EA was entitled to relying on regulation 12(4)(b) to refuse point seven of the request. The Commissioner also finds that EA complied with its duty to provide advice and assistance under regulation 9 of the EIR. However, EA breached regulations 5, 14 and 11 of the EIR by failing to provide a response, a relevant refusal notice and a reconsideration within the required timescales. The Commissioner does not require further steps.