Call for Comment by 4 September 2020: Minister gives notice of intention to exclude certain activities from the requirement to obtain environmental authorisation and adopt Standards, Procedures and EMPrs.
31 July 2020
On 31 July 2020 the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries published various notices relating to proposed Environmental Management Programmes, Standards and Procedures under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) calling for comment within 30 days. According to a media release from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, the deadline for comment has been extended to 4 September 2020.
The following give notice of the Minister’s intention to exclude certain activities from the requirement to obtain environmental authorisation under NEMA and her intention to adopt generic Environmental Management Programmes (EMPr) or Standards for the particular activity:
- Consultation on the intention to adopt a Standard for the Development of Electricity Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure within identified Geographical Areas and the exclusion of this infrastructure from the requirement to obtain an environmental authorisation;
- Consultation on the adoption of Generic EMPR for the management and mitigation of environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of the Working for Wetlands Project and the exclusion of these projects from the requirement to obtain environmental authorisation;
- Consultation on the adoption of a Generic EMPr and mitigation of environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of working for Ecosystems Projects and the exclusion of these projects from the requirement to obtain an environmental authorisation;
- Consultation on the adoption of a generic EMPr for the management and mitigation of environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of working for water projects and the exclusion of these projects from the requirement to obtain an environmental authorisation;
- Consultation on the adoption of a General EMPr for the management and mitigation of environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of the LandCare projects and the exclusion of these projects from the requirements to obtain an environmental authorisation;
- Consultation on the intention to adopt a Generic EMPr relevant to an application for environmental authorisation for the development or expansion of gas transmission pipeline infrastructure (note this activity is not excluded from the requirement to obtain environmental authorisation).
The Minister is also seeking comment within 30 days on her intention to identify procedures to be followed when applying for or deciding on an environmental authorisation for:
- Consultation on the intention to identify the procedures to be followed in applying for or deciding or an environment authorisation for the development or expansion of gas transmission pipeline infrastructure when occurring in strategic gas pipeline corridors;
- Consultation on the intention to identify the procedures to be followed when applying for or deciding on an environmental authorisation for the development of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure when occurring in renewable energy development zones;
- Consultation on the intention to identify procedures when applying for the Large Scale Wind and Solar Photovoltaic facilities.
The Minister is seeking comment on her intention to adopt a Standard for the Development of Electricity Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure within identified geographical areas:
See the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’ media release on the matter – granting extension until 4 September 2020 to submit comment at https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarelease/creecy_extensiongranted_redzandenvironmentalprocesses