THE National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is urging people holding environmental permits to renew them before the March 31 deadline.

“The agency is encouraging all business operators, all persons who hold environmental permits that would have expired on the 31st of March 2020 and whose operations are continuing, to renew their environmental permits. So, persons are encouraged to come in and apply, so that they can get those permits renewed and in so doing, always have a valid environmental permit. Do not wait until the deadline,” said manager for the Applications Secretariat Branch within NEPA, Miguel Nelson told a JIS think tank on Tuesday.

A one-year grace period, which expires on March 31, 2021, was granted by NEPA for permit holders to make the necessary preparations for renewing their permits.

The Natural Resources Conservation (Permits and Licences) (Amendment) Regulations, 2015, stipulates that any permit granted before April 1, 2015 expired on April 1, 2020.

Urban planner in the Applications Secretariat Branch, Latoya Crawford, explained the reason behind the grace period and the implications for all permits going forward.

“This would give permitees an opportunity to comply and we are encouraging those operators to ensure that their applications are within the agency by March 31. Prior to 2015, permits were granted for ongoing applications and those did not require renewal, but as a consequence, existing permitees are now required to take the necessary steps to have their permit renewed. In addition, all permits granted after April 1, 2015 now expire five years from the date of the granting of the permit,” noted Crawford.

She said that there are more than five main categories with corresponding subsectors that are now due for renewal. These include petroleum storage, hydrocarbon storage, hazardous material storage, scrap metal, the operation of a hotel, ecotourism and nature tourism, mining, hazardous waste and solid waste treatment.

All renewal applications must include four components — the completed application form with sections A through C, a cover letter requesting that documents from previous applications be used, an application fee, and a project brief.

The completed applications may be delivered to NEPA office in Kingston 5.

“Permits not renewed by March 31, 2021 would be considered expired and continued operation would be a breach of the Natural Resources Conservation (Permits and Licences) (Amendment) Regulations, 2015, making non-compliant businesses and individuals liable for prosecution,” said Crawford.