Environment Act 1995

3 (1) The [1951 c. 66.] Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1951 shall be amended in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph.

(2) Part II (river purification boards) (so far as unrepealed) and section 17 (duties of river purification authorities) shall cease to have effect.

(3) In section 18 (provision and obtaining of information)—

(a) in subsection (1) (power to obtain information)—

(i) for the word “them” in each place where it occurs there shall be substituted the word “it”;

(ii) for the words “a river purification authority” there shall be substituted the words “SEPA”; and

(iii) the words “of their area”, “in their area” (where first occurring) and “in their area or any part thereof” shall cease to have effect;

(b) in subsection (2) (Secretary of State’s power to give directions) for the words “any river purification authority” and “the authority” there shall be substituted the words “SEPA”, and for the word “them” there shall be substituted the word “it”; and

(c) in subsection (3) (duty to provide reasonable facilities for inspection of records)—

(i) for the words “Every river purification authority” and “the river purification authority” there shall be substituted the words “SEPA”;

(ii) for the word “them” there shall be substituted the word “it”; and

(iii) the words “in their area” and the words from “whose” to “authority” where it next occurs shall cease to have effect; and

(d) in subsection (6) (interpretation of “stream”) for the words “the river purification authority's” there shall be substituted the words “SEPA's”.

(4) In section 19 (power to take samples of effluents)—

(a) in subsection (1) (power to obtain and take away samples of water from any stream or effluent)—

(i) for the words “A river purification authority” there shall be substituted the words “SEPA”; and

(ii) the words “in the area of the authority” shall cease to have effect; and

(b) in subsection (3) (interpretation of “stream”) for the words “the river purification authority's” there shall be substituted the words “SEPA's”.

(5) In section 35 (interpretation)—

(a) the definitions of “river purification authority”, “river purification board” and “river purification board area” shall cease to have effect; and

(b) there shall be inserted at the appropriate place—

““SEPA” means the Scottish Environment Protection Agency;”.