In these Regulations—

• “activity” (“gweithgaredd”) means any economic activity, whether public or private and whether or not carried out for profit;

• “groundwater” (“dŵ r daear”) means all water that is below the surface of the ground in the saturation zone and in direct contact with the ground or subsoil;

• “local authority” (“awdurdod lleol”) means a county council or a county borough council;

• “natural habitat” (“cynefin naturiol”) means—

  1. a

     the habitats of species mentioned in Article 4(2) of, or Annex I to, Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds3 or listed in Annex II to Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora4;

  2. b

     the natural habitats listed in Annex I to Council Directive 92/43/EEC; and

  3. c

     the breeding sites or resting places of the species listed in Annex IV to Council Directive 92/43/EEC;

• “natural resource” (“adnoddyn naturiol”) means—

  1. a

     protected species;

  2. b

     natural habitats;

  3. c

     species or habitats on a site of special scientific interest for which the site has been notified under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 19815;

  4. d

     water; and

  5. e

     land;

• “operator” (“gweithredwr”) means a person who operates or controls an activity, the holder of a permit or authorisation relating to that activity or the person registering or notifying such an activity;

• “protected species” (“rhywogaethau a warchodir”) means the species mentioned in Article 4(2) of Council Directive 79/409/EEC or listed in Annex I to that Directive or Annexes II and IV to Council Directive 92/43/EEC;

• “services” (“gwasanaethau”) means the functions performed by a natural resource for the benefit of another natural resource or the public;

• “Wales” (“Cymru”) has the meaning given under section 158 of the Government of Wales Act 20066.

Unless otherwise defined in these Regulations, expressions used in Directive 2004/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage7 have the same meaning in these Regulations.