Vulnerable areas — History

Vulnerable areas are the land designated in accordance with Article 3(2) of European Directive No 91-676 whose objectives set out in its first article are to reduce pollution of water caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources, and to prevent any further pollution of this type. A vulnerable area is a part of the territory where water pollution by direct or indirect discharge of nitrates of agricultural origin or other nitrogen compounds that may become nitrates threatens in the short term the quality of aquatic environments and, in particular, the supply of drinking water. Vulnerable areas shall be considered as vulnerable areas where: — Groundwater and surface fresh water, in particular those used or intended for water abstraction for human consumption, with a nitrate content exceeding 50 milligrams per litre, — The waters of estuaries, coastal and marine waters and surface fresh waters which undergo eutrophication to which the enrichment of the water with nitrogen compounds from agricultural sources contributes. An action programme shall be implemented in each department concerned, setting out the requirements to be complied with by all farmers in the corresponding vulnerable area. They are constructed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, based on a local diagnosis. They aim to correct the most pollution-generating practices. Outside vulnerable areas, a national code of good agricultural practice is voluntary. Each vulnerable area corresponds to a prefectural decree (coordinating basin prefect) after the opinion of the departmental council of Hygiene, the general and regional council and the basin committee. Vulnerable areas shall be reviewed at least every 4 years. This decree is the founding regulatory text of the vulnerable area. The perimeter of vulnerable areas is defined by basin administrative division according to 2 methods: 1) Municipal boundaries: It covers the boundary of the set of designated municipalities in vulnerable areas. (2) Cadastral limits (infra-communal): It covers the cadastral sections selected for municipalities designated in vulnerable areas. In the event that a subsequent order completes the previous order, only the date of the last order will be retained. The list of vulnerable areas is established under the responsibility of the basin DREALs. Multipolygons and hole polygons are allowed.脆弱区域是指依照欧盟第91/676号指令第3条第2款划定的区域，该指令第一条确立的目标为减少农业源硝酸盐引发或诱导的水体污染，并防止此类污染进一步发生。 脆弱区域指的是辖区内因直接或间接排放农业源硝酸盐或其他可转化为硝酸盐的氮化合物而造成水体污染，并在短期内威胁水生环境质量，尤其是饮用水供水安全的区域。 符合以下任一情形的区域均可被认定为脆弱区域： 1) 地下水及地表淡水（尤其是用于或拟用于人类饮用水取水的水体）的硝酸盐含量超过50毫克/升； 2) 河口、近岸海域、海洋水体以及地表淡水水体发生富营养化，且此类富营养化由农业源氮化合物的水体富集所导致。 各相关省份均需制定并实施行动计划，明确对应脆弱区域内所有农户必须遵守的要求。此类计划需基于本地诊断结果，并会同所有相关利益相关方协商制定，旨在纠正污染排放量最高的农业生产行为。在非脆弱区域内，国家层面的良好农业规范守则为自愿性标准。 每个脆弱区域的划定均需以省长令（流域协调专员签发）为依据，且需事先征求省卫生委员会、省及大区议会和流域委员会的意见。脆弱区域的划定情况至少每4年需进行一次复核。该省长令即为脆弱区域划定的基础性监管文本。 脆弱区域的边界依据流域行政区划划定，共采用两种划定方式： 1) 公社边界法：覆盖所有被划入脆弱区域的公社的行政边界范围； 2) 地籍界址法（公社层级以下）：覆盖被划入脆弱区域的公社内选定的地籍地块范围。 若后续政令对此前的划定政令进行补充，则仅保留最新政令的生效日期。 脆弱区域名录由各流域的DREAL负责编制。支持采用多面矢量及带洞多边形的几何格式。