National Environmental Management: Air Quality Amendment Bill, 2013

The Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs invites you to submit written comments on the National Environmental Management Air Quality Bill, 2013

The Bill seeks to amend the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004, so as to:
▪ substitute certain sections;
▪ align the establishment of the National Air Quality Advisory Committee with the requirements of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998;
▪ change the timeframes on the submission of the priority area air quality management plan to the Minister for approval;
▪ provide for the consequences of unlawful commencement of listed activity;
▪ provide for monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the implementation of the pollution prevention plan;
▪ provide for the Minister as licensing authorities in situations where the province, as a delegated licensing authority by the municipality, is the applicant for an atmospheric emission licence, where the applications are trans-boundary, where the air activity forms part of national priority project, where the activity is also related to the environmental impact and waste management activities authorised by the Minister; to delete cross references to the Environmental Conservation Act, 1989;
▪ clarify that applications must be brought to the attention of interested and affected parties soon after the submission to the licensing authority;
▪ provide for a validity period of provisional atmospheric emission licence;
▪ clarify a criteria on fit and proper person for the purposes of applications for atmospheric emission licences;
▪ create an offence for non-compliance with controlled fuels standards;
▪ provide for the development of regulations on the procedure and criteria for administrative fines;
▪ delete certain obsolete provisions.

Kindly refer to the attached Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs Press Statement as well as the copy of the Bill, for further information.

Find attached documents here: Final Press Statement
National Environmental Management: Air Quality Amendment Bill


Comments can be emailed to Ms Tyhileka P. Madubela at [email protected] by no later than Friday, 13 September 2013

Enquiries can be directed to on tel (021) 403 3713 or cell 083 304 9586