Decision No. 22/2004/QD-BTNMT stipulates the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency.

Pursuant to …;

Regulations on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure

of the Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency

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MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Pursuant to Decree No. 91/2002/NĐ-CP dated November 11, 2002 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;

Pursuant to Decision No. 15/2004/QĐ-BTNMT dated July 5, 2004 of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Environmental Protection Department;

Pursuant to the proposal of the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Head of the Cadres and Civil Servants Department,

DECISION:

Article 1. Position and Functions

The Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency is an organization within the machinery assisting the Director of the Environmental Protection Department, with the function of assisting the Director in implementing state management tasks related to environmental protection with inter-provincial and inter-regional characteristics, including: environmental monitoring; prevention, control, and remediation of pollution, degradation, and environmental incidents; integrated coastal zone and river basin environment management to improve environmental quality; conservation of nature and biodiversity; application of technology; establishment of databases, statistics, environmental reporting, education, and enhancement of public awareness about the environment in the Southwest region, which includes 12 provinces and centrally governed cities: Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, An Giang, Hau Giang, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, and Can Tho city.

b) Draft five-year and annual socio-economic development plans for the province; major economic and social balances for the province; draft five-year and annual plans, programs, projects, measures to organize and implement tasks related to socio-economic development, finance-budget, planning-investment, and other tasks within the scope of state management of the Department of Finance as prescribed by law;

1. Participate in drafting policies, regulatory legal documents, strategies, plans, programs, and national environmental protection plans relevant to the region according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

2. Serve as the coordinating point for cooperation with natural resources and environmental agencies of localities within the assigned provinces and centrally governed cities; inspect and supervise compliance with environmental protection regulations in the area; participate in resolving disputes, complaints, accusations, and handling violations of environmental protection with inter-regional and inter-provincial characteristics in the Southwest region according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

3. Aggregate and prepare regular and ad hoc reports on the situation of environmental protection activities in the provinces and centrally governed cities within the region; collect and develop regional environmental databases according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

4. Coordinate in implementing work on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of natural resources, biodiversity, integrated coastal zone management, and improvement of river basin environmental pollution; industrial zones, urban areas, and traditional craft villages;

5. Investigate and compile statistics on sources of emissions, waste, and hazardous waste in the Southwest region according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

6. Coordinate in inspecting and supervising the importation of scrap materials for production purposes according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

7. Implement socialized environmental protection activities; organize activities to enhance awareness, information dissemination, publicity, conferences, and seminars on environmental protection according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

8. Participate in research and application of scientific and technological progress; implement domestic projects and international cooperation; provide professional training in the field of environmental protection according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department;

9. Provide legal, professional, technical, and technological advice related to the environment; participate in guiding and inspecting the collection and use of environmental protection fees according to the division of labor of the Environmental Protection Department; guide the construction and implementation of loan projects from the Vietnam Environmental Protection Fund;

10. Receive applications for issuance and extension of certificates of environmental standards and other environmental permits according to the law and submit them to the Director of the Environmental Protection Department;

11. Carry out environmental protection service activities according to the law and the regulations of the Environmental Protection Department;

12. Manage the organization, staffing, officials, civil servants, and employees of the Agency; manage and use financial resources and assets effectively according to the law;

13. Aggregate and report to the Director of the Environmental Protection Department regularly and ad hoc on the implementation of assigned tasks;

14. Perform other tasks assigned by the Director of the Environmental Protection Department.

Article 3. Organizational Structure

a) The leadership of the Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency consists of an Agency Director and several Deputy Directors. The Agency Director is responsible to the Director of the Environmental Protection Department for assigned tasks and is legally accountable for all activities of the Agency; establish working regulations and oversee all activities of the Agency.

Deputy Directors are responsible to the Agency Director for the fields of work they are assigned.

The organizational structure and staffing of the Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency shall be decided by the Director of the Environmental Protection Department.

b) The Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency has its own seal and may open accounts according to current regulations.

c) The office of the Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency is located in Can Tho city.

Article 4. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

The Director of the Environmental Protection Department, the Head of the Cadre and Civil Servant Affairs Department, the Heads of subordinate agencies and units under the Ministry, and the Director of the Southwest Regional Environmental Protection Agency are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.