Section 179: Regulations

(1) The Minister may, in consultation with the Authority, make regulations prescribing all matters that are required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed, or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed, for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act. (2) Without limiting the general effect of subsection (1), the Minister may make regulations relating to- (a) strategic environmental assessments; (b) the registration, certification, conduct and discipline of environmental practitioners; (c) environmental and social impact assessments, including offset and compensation mechanisms; (d) environmental audits; (e) special conservation areas; (f) protection of riverbanks and lakeshores; (g) protection of wetlands; (h) management of soil quality; (i) discharge of effluent; (j) noise and vibration; (k) air quality; (l) environmental emergency preparedness; including oil spills preparedness; (m) the management of hazardous chemicals; (n) the management of plastics and plastic products; (o) the management of hazardous waste and other waste; (p) the protection of the ozone layer; (q) environmental management and monitoring systems; (r) the management of environmental information; (s) the management of mercury (t) the Environmental Tribunal; (u) generally, for the better carrying out of the purposes of this Act and the prescription of anything required or authorised to be prescribed under this Act. (3) Regulations made under subsection (1) may, in respect of any contravention- (a) provide for enforcement of the powers of an environmental inspector; (b) provide for the use of administrative measures; (c) provide for the forfeiture of anything used in the commission of an offence; (d) prescribe a penalty of a fine not exceeding fifty thousand currency points or imprisonment not exceeding ten years, or both; (e) in the case of a continuing contravention, prescribe an additional penalty not exceeding five thousand currency points in respect of each day on which the offence continues; and (f) prescribe a higher penalty not exceeding sixty thousand currency points or imprisonment not exceeding twelve years or both in respect of a second or subsequent contravention.