PROPOSED EXTENSION OF REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PRACTITIONERS
Notice Title: Consultation on Intention to Amendment of Section 24H Registration Authority Regulations, 2016
Government Gazette Notice: GN 40 in GG 42967 of 24 January 2020
Commencing date: Not yet effective
The Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (“EAPASA”) was appointed as the single Registration Authority for environmental assessment practitioners (“EAPs”) on 8 February 2018. The Section 24H Registration Authority Regulations, 2016 (“the Regulations”) also came into operation on 8 February 2018.
In terms of the Regulations only EAPs registered with EAPASA are permitted to manage, coordinate or review environmental impact assessments and associated environmental management programmes and plans. This registration requirement takes effect 24 months from the date of the appointment of EAPASA and EAPs therefore have until have until 8 February 2020 to register with EAPASA.
The Regulations provides the EAPASA with a timeframe of 120 days to consider a registration application. EAPs should therefore have submitted their applications by 8 October 2019 to make the 8 February 2020 registration deadline. To date, only a limited number of applications has been successfully registered by the EAPASA. Based on the aforementioned the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries published a notice of intention to amend the Regulations by changing the effective date to 48 months from the date of the appointment of EAPASA (i.e. until 8 February 2022).
Members of the public are invited to submit written comments or inputs to the Minister on the proposed amendment of the Regulations, within 30 days of publication of the Notice (i.e. 24 February 2020). For a copy of the Government Gazette Notice click here
For more information please contact Minnette Le Roux at minnette@shangoni.co.za
