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{
    "id": 504818,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/504818/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 186,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ogalo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2679,
        "legal_name": "George Oner Ogalo",
        "slug": "george-oner-ogalo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I rise to support the Amendment Bill that is before the House. We are aware that this Amendment Bill is required to align the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA) to the Constitution. It is supposed to enable the Fourth Schedule functions related to the environment to be shared as per the Constitution. This Bill abolishes the Provincial and District Environment Committees in amending Article 29 of the Constitution to create the County Environment Committees in line with the current devolved structure of Government. The operation of NEMA has become a challenge in environmental co-ordination as we realize that it acts as both an accreditor of those who practise the new science of environmental impact assessment and also evaluates those same assessments. In effect, this reduces their capacity to effectively co-ordinate the work of environmental audit in development programmes. There has been an outcry about the fees chargeable by NEMA. This Amendment Bill gives an opportunity to once more look at this either within the Act itself or in the regulations to ensure that NEMA does not become a hindrance to development, but becomes a necessary partner to those who intend to develop the country. There are two costs to NEMA that developers or investors have to incur. These are the cost of evaluating the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports and the cost of mitigating the environmental costs of development. This House now has an opportunity to look at these costs once more and ensure that NEMA does not become an enemy but a partner to developers. This Bill enhances the requirement of public participation in carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment studies. Previously, we would have people sitting in the offices in Nairobi and pretending to be carrying out studies for projects taking place in far-flung areas. Someone would be in Nairobi and would be determining the environmental impact of a project taking place in Turkana. The people of Turkana, for example, would not hear about this project until an approval is already granted. This Bill gives an opportunity to ensure that those who carry out these studies mandatorily have to The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}