Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

Every year, government departments publish documents for public comments during December or early January. This practice obviously does not promote participatory environmental governance. Some of these documents are not even on the departments’ own websites. Below is a chronological list of those documents out for public comment of which we are aware – please let us know if you know of any others:

• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act: List of activities which result in atmospheric emissions which have or may have a significant detrimental effect on the environment, including health, social conditions, economic conditions, ecological conditions or cultural heritage G35894, 23 November 2012: Comments by 21 December 2012
• National Environmental Management: Waste Act: Standard for assessment of waste for landfill disposal; Waste classification and management; Standard for disposal of waste to landfill: Extension of closing date, G35908, 23 November 2012: Comments by 21 December 2012
• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act: Regulations: Format of Atmospheric Impact Report: Draft, G35883, 23 November 2012: Comments by 26 December 2012
• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act: Declaration of small boilers as controlled emitters: Draft, G35883, 23 November 2012: Comments by 26 December 2012 (well someone is having a great Boxing Day)
• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act: National Dust Control Regulations: Draft , G35931, 7 December 2012: Comments by 6 January 2013
• Green Paper on the National Environmental Management of the Ocean, also known as NEMO (no kidding): Comments by 15 January 2013

Comments on the Draft 2nd Edition National Water Resource Strategy was technically due approximately yesterday,6 December 2012 (90 days after 7 September 2012), though we have been assured by Department of Water Affairs officials that comments submitted after that date will still be considered (up to a point, presumably).

Yesterday, 6 December 2012, Cabinet announced that it had approved the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Draft Amendment Bill, 2012 on 5 December 2012. The Bill promises to “address shortcomings identified whilst simultaneously streamlining the administrative processes in relation to the regulation of the mining environment management function”. Civil society organisations have been waiting to be consulted on the contents of this Bill for years. We’ll upload a copy as soon as it is available.