II. NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

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G. Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment

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2. Department of Environment

The mission of the Department of Environment is to promote, enhance and sustain sound environmental management in the process of nation building. The objectives of the Department are:

• To ensure that the uniqueness and quality of the environment is preserved, while maintaining the health, prosperity, safety and comfort of the present and future generations;
• To administer and enforce the Environmental Quality Act, 1974 (Amendment), 1985, and subsidiary legislation as well as Section IV of the Economic Exclusive Zone Act, 1984.

The functions of the Department of Environment are:

• To study and assess the development of projects subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment Order, with respect to their impact on the environment, through EIA studies, prior to project implementation;
• To evaluate the suitability of project sites and the effectiveness of pollution control systems for projects not subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment Order, 1987, prior to project implementation;
• To provide environmental input to the development of agencies, including the federal and the State governments to ensure that land and other natural resources are properly utilized based on the concept of sustainable development;
• To enforce controls on pollution sources to ensure that they comply with approval and licensing conditions, and emission and discharge standards;
• To develop national networks for water, air and noise monitoring systems, in order to establish the state of the nation's environmental quality;
• To review existing regulations, and introduce new ones where necessary, for the control of inland and marine waters, air, soil and noise pollution;
• To prepare environmental guidelines in order to help project initiators and development agencies to integrate environmental factors into project planning and implementation;
• To formulate national environmental criteria and standards;
• To disseminate environmental information to the public in order to enhance environmental awareness and education.

The mission of the Department of Environment is to promote, enhance and sustain sound environmental management in the process of nation building. The objectives of the Department are:

• To ensure that the uniqueness and quality of the environment is preserved, while maintaining the health, prosperity, safety and comfort of the present and future generations;
• To administer and enforce the Environmental Quality Act, 1974 (Amendment), 1985, and subsidiary legislation as well as Section IV of the Economic Exclusive Zone Act, 1984.

The functions of the Department of Environment are:

• To study and assess the development of projects subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment Order, with respect to their impact on the environment, through EIA studies, prior to project implementation;
• To evaluate the suitability of project sites and the effectiveness of pollution control systems for projects not subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment Order, 1987, prior to project implementation;
• To provide environmental input to the development of agencies, including the federal and the State governments to ensure that land and other natural resources are properly utilized based on the concept of sustainable development;
• To enforce controls on pollution sources to ensure that they comply with approval and licensing conditions, and emission and discharge standards;
• To develop national networks for water, air and noise monitoring systems, in order to establish the state of the nation's environmental quality;
• To review existing regulations, and introduce new ones where necessary, for the control of inland and marine waters, air, soil and noise pollution;
• To prepare environmental guidelines in order to help project initiators and development agencies to integrate environmental factors into project planning and implementation;
• To formulate national environmental criteria and standards;
• To disseminate environmental information to the public in order to enhance environmental awareness and education.

The Department of Environment will continuously review all legal provisions, regulations, orders, standards, procedures and work culture so as not to jeopardize or bring about adverse effects on sustainable development; the Department will endeavour to bring into effect all possible improvements to achieve the objectives of Vision 2020.

With regard to project planning approvals, the Department of Environment will make decisions on:

• A complete preliminary EIA report within two months;
• Applications for sites of new industries within three weeks;
• Applications for written approval to construct new sources of effluence, and install air and water pollution control equipment, with approval being issued within three weeks;
• Applications for written approval to construct Prescribed Premises (Scheduled Wastes), with approval being provided within two months;
• Applications to install fuel burning equipment, with approval being issued within three weeks.

With regard to the issuing of licences, the Department of Environment will:

• Issue licences for Prescribed Premises of Raw Natural Rubber before 31 March each year;
• Issue licences for Prescribed Premises of Crude Palm Oil before 30 June each year;
• Issue licences for Prescribed Premises of Schedule Wastes within three months following the submission of an application;
• Issue a contravention licence under Section 25 (1), Environmental Quality Act, 1974, within three months following submission of an application;
• Issue a contravention licence under Section 22 (1), Environmental Quality Act, 1974, within one month following submission of an application.

All enforcement activities under the Environment Quality Act, 1974, will be continuously expanded and strengthened to ensure full compliance, and the laws will be enforced on a strict, fair and just basis. Compounds will be issued on the spot or within one week. All court cases will be filed within six months from the date of investigation or the date that an offence is committed.

All complaints related to environmental pollution will be attended to immediately and solved within two weeks to two months.

An annual report on Environmental Quality be published before 30 September of each year by the Department of Environment. All published information be delivered immediately upon request and non-classified computerized data will be made available within one week.

All visitors will be attended to promptly and courteously within five minutes. All appointments will be kept on time. In cases where appointments have to be rescheduled, visitors will be given timely notice and provided with Department of Environment publications to read while waiting.

All payments to be dealt with and receipts issued immediately.

All information and reports requested by the Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment will be submitted as soon as possible. Answers to parliamentary questions and reports to Cabinet ministers will be submitted within one to three days. All information and reports requested by the Secretary-General, Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment will be submitted in detail within one day.

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