The environmental permitting process in the state is divided into three phases: Preliminary License, Installation License, and Operation License.
It is a mandatory administrative process to license the execution of potentially polluting activities that use environmental resources or may cause environmental impacts in a specific location. In Minas Gerais, this process is regulated by the State Secretary for the Environment and Sustainable Development (SEMAD), through Normative Deliberation COPAM No. 217/2017, which establishes the guidelines for granting environmental licenses in the state for each type of enterprise or activity.
The environmental permitting process in the state is divided into three phases: Preliminary License, Installation License, and Operation License. The Preliminary License is granted during the planning phase of the enterprise and aims to assess the environmental feasibility of the proposed activity. The Installation License is granted after proving compliance with the requirements of the Preliminary License and aims to authorize the construction or installation of the enterprise. The Operation License is granted after proving compliance with the requirements of the Installation License and aims to authorize the commencement of the enterprise's activities.
To obtain environmental licenses in Minas Gerais, the entrepreneur must formalize an administrative process that consists of environmental studies and formal documentation of the entrepreneur, enterprise, and activities to be licensed. For large enterprises, the administrative process includes the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) and its corresponding Environmental Impact Report (RIMA), which are robust, multidisciplinary technical documents with diagnostics, prognostics, and evaluation of environmental impacts.
For the installation phase of enterprises and activities, the Environmental Control Plan (PCA) is developed, which details the necessary control and monitoring measures through specific environmental programs that the entrepreneur must implement to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by the activity.
The environmental permitting process in Minas Gerais is conducted by SEMAD in conjunction with the State Council of Environmental Policy (COPAM) and the Regional Superintendencies of the Environment - SUPRAM. The timeframe for granting environmental licenses varies depending on the complexity of the proposed activity, ranging from a few months to over a year.
It should be noted that non-compliance with the requirements of the environmental license may result in administrative sanctions, such as fines and suspension of the enterprise's activities, as well as civil and criminal liability for environmental damages caused.
Briefly, environmental permitting in Minas Gerais is a rigorous process essential to ensure the preservation of the environment and the sustainability of the state's economic development. Entrepreneurs must be aware of the requirements and deadlines set by SEMAD and COPAM to avoid possible sanctions and environmental harm.
Currently, CLAM Meio Ambiente has been conducting comprehensive environmental studies to support the environmental permitting processes of various enterprises in Minas Gerais. The services provided by CLAM are characterized by the commitment of professionals working in the field and the pragmatism of project managers and coordinators in fulfilling a balanced scope that seeks to meet the aspirations of communities, entrepreneurs, and the environmental oversight agency.
