The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) will commence a three-day training on Monday, 24 April 2023 for environmental inspectors, law enforcers, and customs officers. The training aims to build their capacities in inspecting and monitoring the mining, forestry, and energy sectors, as well as to empower environmental inspectors, law enforcers, and customs officers on monitoring radiation and chemical management and other related and emerging environmental issues.
Technicians of the EPA who work borders on conducting environmental appraisal including compliance inspection and monitoring, water, soil & air quality testing and analysis, investigation of environmental emergency, dissemination, awareness, and education of environmental information, enforcing environmental compliance, verification of environmental studies report submitted to the Agency would also participate in the training.
The training is part of ongoing capacity development programs under the auspices of the Department of Compliance and Enforcement. This department is charged with the responsibilities of overseeing the environmental and social impact assessment process and compliance monitoring and inspection of projects, firms, and other environmental factors that are likely to negatively impact the environment.
Madam Danise Love Dennis Dodoo, head of corporate media and communications at the EPA, stated that the previous edition of the training was done in 2021 with a key focus on monitoring high voltage transmission lines. This year's training will focus on the development of technical capacity of inspectors to adequately inspect and monitor the mining sector since it is hugely contributing to environmental degradation in the country.
Madam Dodoo indicated that the training is in fulfillment of Section 95 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia (EPML), which provides for the recruitment and training of environmental inspectors to serve as field agents of the Agency. She further explained that Section 95 of the EPML empowers the inspectors to "carry out the periodic inspections of all establishments and undertakings within such District limits of jurisdiction which manufacture, produce as by-products, import, export, store, sell, distribute, or use any substances and materials that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment to ensure that the provisions of this Law are complied with."
