Environment Permit (UKL and UPL)
An Environment Permit is a permit granted to every person who conducts a Business and/or Activity that is required by UKL-UPL in the context of environment protection and management as a prerequisite for obtaining a Business and/or Activity license.
Environment Management Efforts and Environment Monitoring Efforts, hereinafter referred to as UKL (Upaya Pengelolaan Lingkungan Hidup) – UPL (Upaya Pemantauan Lingkungan Hidup), are management and monitoring of businesses and/or activities that do not have an important impact on the environment needed for the decision making process concerning the operation of businesses and/or activities.
UKL-UPL is an environment management tool for decision making and the basis for issuing permits to conduct business and/or activities.
The UKL-UPL process and procedures are carried out using a form that contains:
1. Identity of the initiator;
2. Business and/or activity plan;
3. Environmental Impact that will occur Environment management and monitoring program;
4. Signature and stamp.
The Registration Form is submitted by the initiator of the activity to:
| 1. | Agencies responsible for environment management; |
| 2. | District or City for activities located in one district or city; |
| 3. | Agencies are responsible for the field of provincial environment management for activities located in more than one regency/city; |
| 4. | Agencies are responsible for environmental management and environment impact control for activities located in more than one province or across national borders. |
Certain business activities in Indonesia which impact the environment require an environment license.
The approval process for such a license involves three stages:
| 1. | Drafting an Environment Impact Analysis (AMDAL) or Environment Management Efforts and Environment Monitoring Efforts (UKL-UPL); |
| 2. | Evaluation of the AMDAL or UKL-UPL and obtaining an AMDAL approval or UKL-UPL recommendation; |
| 3. | Application for an Environment Licence. |
The application for the Environment Licence will be submitted to the relevant level of government; either the national Minister for the Environment, the Governor of the relevant Province or the Regent/Mayor of the relevant regency or city.
Environment Impact Analysis (AMDAL)
Indonesia’s Environment Law provides that an AMDAL is required for those businesses and/or activities which, amongst other things:
| 1. | Change the form and contour of the environment; |
| 2. | Exploit natural resources (renewable or non-renewable); |
| 3. | May cause environment pollution and/or damage and/or degradation of natural resources; |
| 4. | Result in natural and artificial environment, social and cultural impacts; |
| 5. | Impact the sustainability of a natural resource conservation area and/or the protection of cultural heritage; |
| 6. | Introduce new species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms; |
| 7. | Produce and utilize natural or non-natural raw material; |
| 8. | Are high-risk activities and/or impact State defense; |
| 9. | Implement new technology which is predicted to have a large impact on the environment. |
A Ministerial Environment Decree also sets out certain businesses and/or activities which require an AMDAL.
Businesses and/or activities that impact the environment but which are not identified as requiring an AMDAL under the Environment Law (including in the Environment Decree) must prepare a UKL-KPL.
An AMDAL document consists of:
| 1. | The Terms of Reference; |
| 2. | An Environment Impact Statement (ANDAL); |
| 3. | An Environment Management Plan and Environment Monitoring Plan (RKL-RPL).The document must be prepared by a certified AMDAL consultant. |
As part of the AMDAL documents, an activity plan must be prepared and publicly announced. The public must be given 10 business days to provide feedback on the activities plan.
The AMDAL will be evaluated by the AMDAL Evaluation Commission (Komisi Penilai AMDAL) established at the relevant level of government, which will issue a recommendation to that government.
Theoretically, the Commission’s evaluation should take 125 business days (including the 10 business days for public feedback), however, in practice, it may take much longer.
Environment Management Efforts and Environment Monitoring Efforts (UKL-UPL)
A UKL-UPL is required for certain business activities that have a lesser, or no significant, impact on the environment, but which still require environmental approval.
A UKL-UPL has a prescribed form, which includes:
1. The activities plan;
2. The environmental impact;
3. The environment management and monitoring program.
The UKL-UPL is submitted to the relevant level of government and, according to the environment regulations, a decision to recommend or reject the UKL-UPL should take only take 14 business days. Once again, in practice, the process may take longer.
Some businesses or activities (or both) do not require either an AMDAL or a UKL-UPL, but these must submit a Statement of Ability to Manage and Monitor the Environment (SPPL) to the relevant level of government. There is no specified timeframe for approving an SPPL application.
Environment Licence
Once an AMDAL or UKL-UPL is approved, an application must be submitted for an Environment Licence, which requires:
1. The AMDAL approval or UKL-UPL recommendation;
2. The Company’s Deed of Establishment;
3. A company or activities profile.
After submission of complete documents, the relevant government is required to announce the application for public feedback of 10 business days for AMDAL applicants and 3 business days for UKL-UPL applicants.
If a proponent obtained its AMDAL approval or UKL-UPL recommendation before 23 February 2012, the proponent is not required to obtain an Environment Licence (with the approval or recommendation treated as the Environmental Licence).
Compliance obligations
The holder of an Environment Licence must:
1. Comply with the terms and conditions of the license;
2. Report on compliance with the terms and conditions every 6 months;
3. Provide collateral funds for any potential environment restoration.
Breach of an Environment Licence may result in sanctions including written warnings, suspension or revocation of the business license, and enforced cessation of all activities and environmental restoration.
A breach may also constitute an act of environmental pollution which is a breach of the Environment Law itself, giving rise to civil and criminal penalties.
Importantly, the AMDAL approval or UKL-UPL recommendation process involves a dialogue between the proponent and the relevant level of government, which should result in terms and conditions which are mutually acceptable. If compliance with such terms and conditions proves difficult, or circumstances otherwise change, the proponent can seek amendments to the AMDAL or UKP-UPL documents. As such, we are not aware of any high-profile projects which have not proceeded on environmental grounds or have been suspended or revoked because of a breach of the relevant AMDAL or UKP-UPL documents or an Environmental Licence.
Indo-Ned Consultancy provides services of making environmental permits for our clients.
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Disclaimer:
The information provided here is based on our long experience. The process or requirement may vary depending on the specific facts and conditions. Besides, the law and regulations in Indonesia subject to frequent changes. Please contact us as your consultant to get an up to date information and accurate advice. More Information click here and You can also follow our social media accounts to see the latest information posts. please click on the following links: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter.