The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy has afforded unregistered Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) (State Officials and Consultants) additional time to register with the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA). EAPs now have a further six (6) months to finalise their applications for submission to the Registration Authority before the deadline of compulsory registrations.
During this grace period, the Minister intends to ensure that impartial processes of considering comments emanating from the public consultations for additional amendments to the Section 24H Registration Authority Regulations are taken into account.
The proposed amendments will see to it that EAPs linked to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), Officials handling appeals, waste management licences (WMLs) in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, applications for Atmospheric Emission Licences (AELs) contemplated in the National Environment Management: Air Quality Act, Strategic Environmental Assessments, Environmental Management Programmes or any other appropriate environmental management instruments are registered by 08 August 2022.
The professionalisation of the environmental sector will ensure practitioners play a pivotal role within the decision-making process which is aimed at promoting sustainable development and that quality assurance regarding environmental assessment practice is not compromised.
N.B. After 08 August 2022, non-registered EAPs will not be permitted to hold primary responsibility in EIA processes.