Comments sought on proposed amendments to environmental management instruments

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has invited comments on proposed amendments to the regulations that outline the procedure to be followed for the adoption of environmental management instruments.

The amendments were published in Government Gazette No. 48457 in Government Notice No. 3336 on 21 April 2023, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998).

The instrument regulations were published in terms of NEMA for implementation in 2019.

“The regulations published for comment include three amendments. The first amendment is on replacing the Department of Environmental Affairs’ name with a more generic reference, which will not require additional change over time.

“The second amendment is the deletion of the term ‘spatial tool’, as it already forms part of the definition of ‘environmental management instrument’.

“The third amendment is to enable the setting of registration requirements where exclusion of activities is enabled based on an adopted environmental management instrument, where deemed appropriate,” the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said on Saturday.

Members of the public are invited to submit written comments or inputs by 22 May 2023 to the following addresses:

By post to: The Director-General: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Attention: Ms A Van Reenen

Private Bag X447

PRETORIA

0001

By hand at: Reception, Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Rd, Arcadia, Pretoria

By email: avanreenen@dffe.gov.za

Any enquiries in connection with the notice can be directed to Ms Vn Reenen at avanreenen@dffe.gov.za or on 083 280 0730.

Comments or inputs received after the closing date may not be considered.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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