epa

Land Resource Management Programme

Introduction

Following the Re-Organization of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Land Resources Management Programme Area was established to develop standards that seek to restore and reclaim mind out and other degraded lands, prevent release to land and to conserve and manage land based resources. Apart from the development of standards and the conservation and management of land, the department will also establish guidelines that target the accidental release of to land. It is also envisioned that the programme will identify locations that are currently administered by other regulatory agencies such as GGMC, GFC and PAC to identify conflicting land uses along with the cumulative impacts from development.
Resulting from the broad operational mandate that was spelt out by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Environmental Protection Act 1996 section 4, it was decided that the Land Resources Management Programme Area  is responsible for coordinating and implementing land based activities under the follow sub-programme:

1.  Agriculture - this sub-porgramme will address all agricultural related activities that have the potential to degrade lands. These projects will include and are not limited to integrated farms, aquaculture, large scale rice and sugar cane cultivation.

2.  Forestry - activities related to the harvesting and utilization of forest and forest resources.

3.  Mining - activities related to the extraction and conversion of mineral and mineral resources.

4. Infrastructure - activities related to the construction of hotel, guest houses or inns with ten rooms and above, installations for hydro-electric, construction of roads and bridges, construction of dams and installations designated to hold liquids or store it on land on a long-term basis, harbor, airport and airfields, housing development, construction of landfills and waste treatment facilities, operation of gas station and fuel depots.

5. Tourism and Ecotourism - activities related to the development of parks, reserves, zoo etc

6.  Energy - activities related to the construction of wind farms, fossil fuel energy production facilities and power generation.    
 



Functions:

In keeping with the Guyana Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) Strategy and EPAct Chapter 20:05 the functiosn are as follows:

1. Collaborating with sector-agencies such as Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and Guyana   Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) to carry out land restoration activities.

2. To ensure that all forest and small scale mining concessions are permitted in accordance with the EP Act Chapter 20:05.

3. To achieve the SDGs specifically SDG 15 (which is to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation) by ensuring that land developmental activities  adhere to the EP Act through our  environmental authorization process and  effective monitoring of permit conditions.

4. Assess and make the necessary recommendation for action on environmental implications (i.e such as high greenhouse gas emissions and water and soil pollution and degradation; for example, from overuse of fertilizers and agrochemicals, poor soil management) of agricultural activities on Land.  

5. Develop policy directivities in keeping with by the EP Act, to guide policy makers towards Guyana land developmental activities.

6. Assess activities associate with land use changes and carrying capacities of areas subject to land-use changes.

7. Develop protocols and emergency response plans for spills on land.

8. Identify locations (with aid of the GIS Unit) that are currently administered by other regulatory agencies such as GGMC, GLSC, GFC and PAC of conflicting land uses and the cumulative impacts from development.