do business in the Dominican Republic - Pellerano & Herrera

DOING BUSINESS INTHE DOMINICAN REPUBLICTHE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAND NATURAL RESOURCESThe administration of the environment, ecosystems and natural resources isplaced under the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and NaturalResources (“Secretaría de Estado de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales -SEMARN”), created by Law 64-00 for such purposes. Its main tasks are to draft,execute and supervise the application of national policies on environment andnatural resources,and to ensure the preservation,protection and sustained use ofnatural resources,the improvement of soil,air and water contamination rules,theproper exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, the preservation ofcoastal and sea resources, and the establishment of general environmental rulesfor human settings and industries.Existing environment-related institutions and/or attributions created by specialmeasures, such as the Natural Resources Office of the Ministry of Agriculture andthe Earth Crust Protection Office of the Ministry of Public Works, have beentransferred to the SEMARN.In this manner, environmental aspects of all economic or human activities willbe, controlled by the SEMARN, which will act by way of authorisations, supervision,recommendations or consultations, in co-operation with other government,municipal and civil authorities and institutions,to ensure the comprehensive protectionof natural resources in the country.On the other hand, the National Council of Environment and Natural Resourceswill be an organ formed of State and civil society members with the task of programmingand evaluating environmental policies and of establishing the nationalstrategy of biodiversity preservation.INSTRUMENTS OF ENVIRONMENT ADMINISTRATIONLaw 64-00 has a predominantly technical and scientific character.Therefore, thebasic instruments for the establishment of environment policies are the studiesof environmental impact evaluation and environmental reports.In this regard, any industrial activities undertaken in the country must be providedwith an environmental license, which certifies that the respective environmentalimpact evaluation has been made, and that the activity, work or projectmay be carried out under the conditions set in the environment administrationprogram established therein.Other instruments of environment administration are environmental planning,the national plan of territorial organisation, the national system of protectedareas, the national information system on environment and natural resources,environment supervision, environmental education, scientific and technicalinvestigation, incentives, the national fund for environment and naturalresources, and the declaration of emergency areas.106