Dear all,

I just got this message (copied below) sent to me as Secretary of the GCG. 
Not so relevant to me but perhaps of use to Geological Curators in areas 
where mineral and aggregate extraction and subsequent site conservation is 
an issue. Get back to me if you are interested in this message. I can put 
you in contact with the relevant people.

All the best,

Giles


I hope David Eccles from Welsh Assembly was able to get something to you 
before your meeting with Carwyn Jones - our system wasn't operating 
properly that day and our ICT guy was at the dentists!

Concerning the other schemes - see attached lists of successful bids.  I 
understand the total was £35m over 2 years (from 1/4/02) with the bulk 
going to English Nature, English Heritage and Countryside Agency (more 
details on their individual web sites). In summary the various schemes all 
have their own quite separate rules (a real minefield).  Virtually all were 
heavily oversubscribed, particularly by ''biodiversity'' projects.  In essence:
ENGLAND
1) Countryside Agency - for projects facilitating greater countryside 
access, sustainability and community involvement.  Many by wildlife trusts 
- mostly site based.

2) English Nature - environmental schemes for promoting biodiversity and a 
lesser extent geodiversity - virtually all sitebased.  Very largely County 
Wildlife Trusts - max overheads allowed (i.e. core funding) = 25%.  Mostly 
closely related to aggregate sites/former sites.

3) English Heritage - archaeological and historical schemes - most of which 
appeared to have been in EH's wish list for years beforehand - mainly 
research - extremely difficult to access this one.

4) WRAP £15.5m - waste recycling aggregate projects (or closely related) 
some extremely large projects - potential overlap with Landfill Tax Credit 
Scheme.

5) MIRO (Mineral Industry Research Organisation) - MIST (Minerals Industry 
Sustainable Technology) programme - £3.66m focussed research and 
development aimed at supporting the ALSF objects (reducing the 
environmental effects of aggregate working, promoting awareness, training, 
technology transfer better afteruse, etc.  Open to all types of organisations.

6) ODPM - ostensibly as above but for supporting research work which ODPM 
specifically would like to see done.

7) Wales and Scotland £1.7, each - Each have their own schemes.  In Wales 
very wide ranging and WAG staff very enthusiastic.

8) BMAPA (British Marine Aggregates Producers Association) research into 
environmental impact of marine aggregates.

9) Somerset CC/Leicestershire CC/Derbyshire CC - each of these county 
councils representing the three largest producing areas in the UK had £230K 
to dispense.  Strongly focussed upon communities in aggregate/former 
aggregate producing areas and on biodiversity.

As I mentioned, it has been alleged that the level of duplication between 
projects and with work which has already been carried out is high.  This 
and the degree of 'survey fatigue' in the industry is causing significant 
resentment by aggregate operators.  Gordon Brown is to make an announcement 
on the future of the scheme or otherwise in this Autumn statement, so it is 
important for all of us to lobby immediately for more money in future to go 
into:

a) Geodiversity (i.e. on a par with biodiversity).
b) Earth science education - formal and informal.

We (i.e. NSC) also feel that there are two other important areas which have 
been largely if not entirely neglected namely:
(i) Industrial history and archaeology related to the quarrying industry.
(ii) Proposals for craft training related to the stone industry - 
particularly in stone related conservation.

These last two are slightly tangential but may serve to reinforce the case 
for access by the Earth science community to (or sustain operations at) 
quarry sites which might otherwise be filled and developed.

DEFRA, ALSF consultation contact:
The contact at DEFRA (currently, it changes rapidly) is:

Miss Belinda Gordon,
Waste Processing Policy
Room 7 D11
Ashdown House
123 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6DE


APPENDIX

The NSC is involved in work worth over £60,000:

(1) Derbyshire CC sponsored project (DALGS) improvements on the NSC site.
(2) MIST/MIRO scheme educational use of aggregate sites in England.
(3) MIST/MIRO scheme as subcontractor to BGS (a) interactive holistic web 
site for school/community use, based on two quarrying areas; (b) 
environmental impact of aggregate working in the E.Midlands.
4) Welsh Assembly Scheme - scoping study for a Welsh Stone Centre.
5) MIST/MIRO scheme indirectly with Devon Quarries Association (geodiversity)
6) Leicestershire CC scheme with BGS interpretation of specific quarries in 
Leicestershire.

I have also attached a copy of an email concerning a meeting I attended 
which was held by DEFRA for the voluntary sector stakeholders.  From this 
it was made quite clear that Treasury guidelines require government funding 
bodies to give proper balance to revenue (core) and capital funding.  Many 
funders are however ingeniously finding ways around these guidelines.

Hope this helps

Regards
Ian

p.s. I wrote this before a major presentation of all the English based 
schemes last Thursday in London.  Elliott Moxley was supposed to speak but 
had to defend the government GM foods position in the House - basic message 
coming over was that the scheme is highly likely to continue (a matter of 
''when'' rather than ''if'').