Mexico's Fox administration has completed the reorganization of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) headed by Secretary Victor Lichtinger, with the issuance of its new internal regulations in the Official Journal of the Federation on June 4, 2001.

Among the more noticeable changes of interest to the regulated industrial sector are the transfer of permitting and licensing authority from the National Institute of Ecology (INE) to a new Undersecretariat for Management of Environmental Protection, and the reorganization of INE into a scientific research arm of SEMARNAT. The Attorney General for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) also has been granted broader prosecutorial and investigative powers under the new scheme.

SEMARNAT has two other undersecretariats, namely Planning and Environmental Policy, and Development and Environmental Standards, as well as three coordinating units, including Public Participation and Transparency, International Affairs, and the Office of the Chief Clerk.

 The Environmental Protection Undersecretariat has five general directorates. The General Directorate of Environmental Impact and Risk is responsible for reviewing and ruling on environmental impact manifests and risk assessments for new projects. The General Directorate for the Integral Management of Pollutants is responsible for the issuance of operating licenses for industrial facilities, permitting air emissions sources, and authorizing high-hazard activities, including hazardous waste transportation, treatment and disposal facilities. It also evaluates and approves remediation and waste treatment technologies. The three other directorates are involved in Marine and Coastal Environments, Wildlife, and Forestry and Soil Services.

The Undersecretariat for Development and Standards takes over INE's function in standards development through four general directorates with different specialized areas, namely: Raw Materials and Renewable Natural Resources; Industry; Urban Development, Transportation, Services, and Tourism; and Energy and Mining Activities.

The newly reorganized INE presided by eminent ecologist Dr. Exequiel Ezcurra will conduct environmental-related research and provide technical support to SEMARNAT's administrative units. The new divisions are Ecological Planning and Ecosystem Conservation; Urban, Regional and Global Pollution Research; Environmental Policy and Economics Research, and the National Center for Environmental Research and Training.

In addition to INE, SEMARNAT's reorganization includes four other decentralized agencies. Two of these, the Attorney General for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) and the National Water Commission (CNA), will continue from the previous model, while three new ones are being created: Mexican Institute for Water Technology, and the National Commission for Protected Natural Areas.

To make it easier to visualize the new structure, an organizational chart of the new SEMARNAT developed by LexCorp Abogados is attached as an Acrobat pdf file. The chart and this article can also be found in the MexRegs News page available to MexRegs subscribers.

If you have questions or comments about this article please send us an email at members@mexregs.com. or visit our web site at www.mexregs.com.

Information for this article was provided by LexCorp Abogados, an environmental and general business law firm headquartered in Mexico City. LexCorp's environmental group leader, Daniel Basurto can be reached at dbasurto@lexcorp.com.mx.

(*) Reprinted from Pulse Point, an e-mail newsletter covering EH&S issues in Mexico, under an affiliate agreement with MexRegs to provide monthly articles of interest to our readers. You can find out more about Pulse Point at www.pulse-point.com.
MR

MexRegs.com
Transforming Information into Knowledge
3361 28th St.
San Diego, California 92104
(619)297-8060
fax (619)297-1023
members@mexregs.com
www.mexregs.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, just reply to this message and write "Unsubscribe" in the Subject bar.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The contents of this article are Copyright © 2001 Pulse Point. Pulse Point is a registered trademark used by permission.
All other material Copyright © 2001 MexRegs.
The MexRegs Newsletter is written for the benefit of our readers with the sole intent to provide general information. The articles are not intended as specific opinions or as a substitute for professional advice in individual cases.