General binding rules
10.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Scottish Ministers may make rules (“general binding rules”) containing requirements applying to certain types of installation or mobile plant.
(2) The Scottish Ministers shall only make general binding rules under this regulation applying to Part A installations or Part A mobile plants if they are satisfied that the operation of such installations or mobile plant under the rules will result in the same high level of environmental protection and integrated prevention and control of pollution as would result from the operation of the installations or mobile plant under the conditions that would be included in the permits for those installations or mobile plant pursuant to regulation 9 if the rules did not apply.
(3) Where the Scottish Ministers make general binding rules SEPA may, at the request of the operator, include in a permit authorising the operation of an installation or mobile plant covered by the rules a condition (a “general binding rules condition”) providing that the aspects of the operation of the installation or mobile plant covered by the requirements in the rules shall be subject to those requirements instead of to conditions included in the permit pursuant to regulation 9.
(4) Where a permit includes a general binding rules condition the requirements in the general binding rules shall be treated as if they were conditions of the permit for the purpose of regulations 18, 19, and 30(1)(b).
(5) The Scottish Ministers may vary general binding rules by means of a notice of variation specifying the variations and the date on which the variations are to take effect, which shall be not less than 3 months after the date on which notice of the variation is given in the Edinburgh Gazette pursuant to paragraph (9).
(6) The Scottish Ministers may revoke general binding rules by means of a notice of revocation.
(7) Where aspects of the operation of an installation or mobile plant are covered by the requirements in general binding rules which are revoked, SEPA shall vary the permit authorising the operation of the installation or mobile plant under regulation 13 to delete the general binding rules condition and to insert the conditions that will be required by regulations 8 and 9 when the requirements in the general binding rules no longer apply.
(8) Where the Scottish Ministers revoke general binding rules, the requirements in the general binding rules shall continue to be treated under paragraph (4) as if they were conditions of a permit until the variations of the permit required by paragraph (7) take effect.
(9) Where the Scottish Ministers make, vary or revoke general binding rules they shall–
(a)serve a copy of the rules, notice of variation or notice of revocation on SEPA;
(b)publish the rules, notice of variation or notice of revocation in such manner as they consider appropriate for the purpose of bringing the rules or notice to the attention of operators likely to be affected by them;
(c)give notice of the making, variation or revocation of the rules in the Edinburgh Gazette.