Environmental Information Requests

Environmental information covers information on the state of the environment, such as:

• Air, water, soil, flora and fauna (including human beings), diversity, genetically modified organisms.
• Information on emissions and discharges, noise, energy, radiation, waste and other such substances.
• Measures and activities such as policies, plans and agreements.
• Reports, cost benefit and economic analyses.
• The state of human health and safety, contamination of the food chain.
• Cultural sites and built structures (as they may be affected by environmental factors).

While the regulations favour openness, there are grounds for refusing to disclose some requests. Any exceptions are not mandatory and the Council may choose to release the information anyway. The exceptions are also subject to a public interest test.

The exceptions allow for the Council to refuse disclosure because a request:

• is manifestly unreasonable
• the information is unfinished or in the course of being completed
• that the release of the information would adversely affect intellectual property rights or interests of the supplier of the information. 

There are also exceptions relating to defence, internal relations and national security and the administration of justice.  If we refuse to provide information we will explain the reason for this and provide you with the next steps should you wish to appeal.