prijava
SARAJEVO, November 10 (FENA) - The Environmental Protection Act is currently in the procedure in the House of Peoples after the Bill was adopted by a majority vote in the House of Representatives. FBiH Environment and Tourism Minister Edita Djapo said that when the relevant regulations and ordinances are adopted and entered into force, environmental legislation in the Federation of BiH will be 90 percent in line with European regulations. Sharper penalties for industrial polluters will follow.
“Industrial plants that use hazardous materials will need to develop an accident prevention and adaptation plan and have a specific deposit in case of environmental damage. Only GIKIL has been charged with causing damage so far, with just 100,000 KM. In our opinion, it is not much, but since it is the first verdict and it was an agreement... well, we have to start with something,” said Djapo in an interview with FENA.
What is new in the future law is that it allows harmonization with EU legislation and that some European directives are included in the text such as the Strategic Environmental Assessment, the Directive on the control of major-accident hazards, the Aarhus Convention and the Industrial Emissions Directive.
The novelty is that, first of all, it will be possible to develop a strategic environmental assessment for specific sectors.
For the first time in the Federation of BiH, an assessment is now being made about possible oil fields, but it will also be possible to make assessment for energy sector, such as regulating mini hydro plants, to see if we need more of these plants or perhaps some need to stop their construction. Strategic Environmental Assessment also allows certain projects, such as highways, not to apply for a new environmental permit every five years. Now every section of the highway is granted an environmental permit for a period of five years, and in the European Union a strategic assessment is made and the procedure finishes with that. The same applies to wind farms, power lines.
The future law treats for the first time the so-called light pollution, primarily related to large light banners in cities, which affect not only humans at night but also animals and plants.
In short, the new law opens up opportunities for stricter regulation of the area, frees up additional environmental licensing work, and regulates other things such as giving eco-labels that are being given so far to hoteliers or to people involved in agro-production. From now on eco-labels will be given to industry too if it uses environmentally friendly energy.
In addition to the FBiH Ministry of Environment and Tourism as the carrier, the ministries of agriculture, water management, forestry and spatial planning, as well as all cantonal ministries, academic and non-governmental sectors and all interested public participated in drafting the text of the future law.
When it comes to air pollution, Djapo said that another law is in the process, so far in draft form.
“I think that this law will enable better control or management of air quality in the way that, first of all, we will define pollution zones, look at the impact on each other, and allow the cantonal ministries to prescribe how to deal with pollution from individual heating units,” Minister Djapo concluded in an interview with FENA.
(FENA) A. B.
