BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

A number of important environmental problems fall within the
competence of other ministries. In particular, occupational
safety is dealt with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
Municipal water supply and sewage collection systems, as well
spatial planning and development - by the Ministry of
Construction and Municipal Administration; part of ambient
quality, and entire food and drug monitoring - by the Ministry
of Health; agricultural issues - by Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Management, and regulation concerning industry - by the
Ministry of Industry. The latter is also responsible for the
overall development of extractive industries including coal
mines (both deep and opened cast). this division of
responsibilities is occasionally a source of frictions, and
competence disputes.
Water and air pollution permits, as well as permits for waste
disposal and water abstractions are issued by respective
regional administrators. They also collect pollution fees and
water abstraction charges.
There are several state environmental agencies which operate
outside the regular ministry structures even though they report
to the Minister of Environment. These are:
State Environmental Protection Inspectorate, the agency
responsible for enforcement of environmental regulations, and
most of environmental monitoring;
State Forest administration, the state-owned concern
responsible for commercially managing state forests and for
inspecting privately owned forests to enforce relevant
regulations;
- Geological Concessions Office, a small administration in
charge of granting concessions and negotiating fees;
- National Fund for Environment Protection and Water Resources
Management, an institution responsible for recirculation a
portion of tlenvironmentaltl and geological fees;
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