The next local Public Meeting on Linlithgow Loch Catchment Area is due at the beginning of November and commenting in advance of the meeting Fiona Hyslop MSP said;
“As many of my Constituents will be aware there has been on-going concerns about Linlithgow Loch and following the recent re-convening of the Linlithgow Loch Strategic Management Group, I had originally helped get established some years ago, and the latest public meeting I have taken up the issue of potential impact of the M9 on the Loch and the monitoring by the Scottish Government of Nitrates and Phosphorus in Linlithgow Loch.
“I wrote to Transport Scotland, in my role as local MSP, in relation to potential chloride run-off from the M9 that could be having a negative impact on the health of the Loch.
“I was pleased to receive a response advising that BEAR Scotland will be commencing investigations to determine if the M9’s road drainage discharges into Linlithgow Loch and that if this investigation concludes that the M9 run-off is in anyway contributing to elevated levels of chloride in the Loch that appropriate mitigation measures will be taken.
“I have also written to the Scottish Government in relation to this matter and received a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy to advise that the use of nitrates and phosphates are regulated by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and with Nitrate Vulnerable Zone areas by the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspection Division.
“In their response I was also advised that SEPA are currently undertaking improvement actions including the sampling of loch feeder burns, responding to pollution reports from the public and writing to households to advise of the impact septic tanks could have on the loch if not regularly maintained.
“I have also written to Historic Environment Scotland on this issue and expect to meet them in the near future to discuss the Loch in more detail. I will update my Constituents again when this meeting has taken place.”
ENDS