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Stabroek News

NEPA's permit process
published: Thursday | September 28, 2006


A view into the Cockpit Country forest from Burnt Hill Road in Trelawny. - file

The National Environment and Planning Agency is mindful of its responsibility to ensure that matters brought before the Technical Review Committee (TRC) and ultimately the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) for consideration, are based on sound knowledge of the proposed development and more importantly, a sound knowledge of the environment to be impacted.

Effective Immediately:

All applications for environmental permits and licences must be accompanied by drainage and sewerage plans where applicable.

All incomplete permit and licence applications will be rejected.

NEPA will no longer accept addenda to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs) unless these are simple attachments for clarification purposes only.

All EIAs that do not conform to the agreed Terms of Reference will be returned to the proponents.

In addition, NEPA now requires the presence of the Applicant at all meetings related to the project.

In streamlining the applications process, the agency will:

Enable enterprises/developments to optimise their productive processes (for example, site selection and site design and layout)

Ensure the protection of the environment

Ensure orderly development in order to achieve sustainable development in managing Jamaica's land, wood and water.

Regarding the agency's processes:

All permit applications must be approved by the Technical Review Committee, which consists of Agency representatives from the National Works Agency (NWA), Water Resources Authority (WRA) and Environmental Health Unit (EHU) of the Ministry of Health. Based on their review, the submission is recommended for the Board's approval.

An environmental permit is needed regardless of the size of the development

Potential applicants must also apply for permission for the following activities if and when required:

Any modification of wetland areas

Use of or encroachment on the foreshore and floor of the sea

Construction of a sewage plant and the discharge of effluent

Monitoring regime

A rigorous monitoring regime has also been put in place and will continue throughout the development and operational stages to ensure that Applicants are compliant and that environmental considerations are being taken into account.

The agency would like to implore developers that in the development process, time-frames and deadlines must take into consideration the agency's need for thorough review, while at the same time maintaining its efficiencies.

In an effort to protect the integrity of its staff and partners the Agency has begun a series of events which, when concluded will include new minimum standards for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). We are also exploring the training and licensing and/or certification of individuals who carry out EIAs.

An internal review of the application process is also being undertaken. These will include a review of the way the Terms of Reference for EIA Reports are prepared and the time period in which these are being completed. In addition, we are taking steps to widen our resource base to include research from the three universities.

Contributed by National Environment and Planning Agency - 'Managing and protecting Jamaica's land, wood and water'.

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