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（Vulnerable Areas）指依据欧盟第91/676号指令第3条第2款划定的区域，该指令第一条所载明的立法目标为减少农业源硝酸盐引发或诱导的水体污染，并防范此类污染的进一步扩散。 脆弱区域是指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，而在短期内威胁水生环境质量，特别是饮用水供给的区域。 符合以下情形的区域应被认定为脆弱区域： 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）硝酸盐含量超过50毫克/升； 2. 河口、近岸海域、海洋水体及地表淡水发生富营养化（eutrophication），且该富营养化系由农业源氮化合物对水体的氮富集作用所导致。 各相关辖省应制定并实施行动方案，明确对应脆弱区域内所有农户需遵守的合规要求。该方案需基于本地污染诊断，会同所有相关利益攸关方（stakeholders）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（Good Agricultural Practice）守则为自愿性标准。 每一处脆弱区域均需在取得卫生省议会、省总议会与大区议会、流域委员会的意见后，由流域协调省长以省长令形式划定。脆弱区域的划定范围至少每4年需开展一次复核。该省长令为脆弱区域划定的基础性监管依据文本。 脆弱区域的划定范围依据流域行政区划，通过以下两种方式确定： 1. 市镇边界法：覆盖被纳入脆弱区域的全部指定市镇的行政边界； 2. 地籍界限法（公社层级以下）：覆盖被纳入脆弱区域的指定市镇内选定的地籍地块单元。 若后续政令对原有划定政令进行增补，则仅保留最新政令的生效日期。 脆弱区域名录由流域级地区环境与城乡规划局（DREALs）负责编制。数据支持多面要素（Multipolygons）与带孔洞面要素（hole polygons）格式。