These Regulations are made under section 2 of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 (1999 c. 24). They implement in England and Wales the amendments to the public participation provisions in Directive 96/61/EC made by Article 4 of Directive 2003/35/EC providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment and amending with regard to public participation and access to justice Council Directives 85/337/EEC and 96/61/EC (the Public Participation Directive).