Circular No. 32/2014/TT-BNNPTNT on environmental monitoring and warning activities in the agriculture and rural development sector

CIRCULAR

Regulations on monitoring and warning activities

The Minister of Public Security promulgates this Circular regulating environmental testing in the Agriculture and Rural Development sector

Pursuant to Decree No. 199/2013/NĐ-CP dated November 26, 2013 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

The Prime Minister issues this Decision amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Regulation on Response Activities to Oil Spill Incidents issued together with Decision No. 02/2013/QĐ-TTg dated January 14, 2013 of the Prime Minister.

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment,

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues this Circular to regulate monitoring and warning environmental activities in the agriculture and rural development sector.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular stipulates the contents of monitoring and warning environmental activities in the agriculture and rural development sector.

Article 2. This Circular applies to organizations and individuals related to monitoring and warning environmental activities in the agriculture and rural development sector.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

Clause 1. Environmental monitoring is a systematic process of observing the environment and factors affecting it to provide information for assessing the current status, trends in environmental quality, and negative impacts on the environment.

Clause 2. Environmental warning is an activity of notifying in advance about environmental trends and proposing measures to address adverse conditions or potential risks to agricultural production based on processed information from environmental monitoring activities.

Clause 3. An adverse environmental trend or potential risk in agricultural production refers to components of soil, water, and air exceeding permissible limits set out in existing National Technical Regulations (QCVN).

Clause 4. An environmental monitoring unit is an organization assigned by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to carry out environmental monitoring tasks.

Chapter II

CONTENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND WARNING ACTIVITIES

Article 3. Monitoring areas and points

Clause 1. Environmental monitoring areas include eight areas specified in Appendix I attached hereto.

Clause 2. Environmental monitoring points within these areas are approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development based on actual monitoring needs to serve agricultural and rural development.

Article 4. Contents of environmental monitoring

Clause 1. Water quality in agricultural production, processing, forestry, aquaculture, salt industry, irrigation works, rural drinking water, and concentrated livestock farming areas.

Clause 2. Soil quality in agricultural production, forestry, aquaculture, salt industry, and concentrated livestock farming areas.

Clause 3. Air quality in livestock farming, slaughterhouse, aquaculture, fishing port, and agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture product processing areas.

Article 5. Environmental monitoring parameters

Clause 1. Water environment

a) General environmental parameters: Meteorological and hydrological factors: air temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind, waves, flow rate, rainfall; water temperature, turbidity, suspended solids (TSS), salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)₅, chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfur dioxide (SO₄^2-, H₂c) Group III (microbial parameters): Coliform, E.coli,

b) Nutrients: nitrate (NO₂^-), nitrite (NO₃^-), ammonia (NH₄⁺(NH₃), phosphate (PO₄³ ≥ 44%, Al₃^2-), total nitrogen (N_{g) Other groups (organic pollutants): Surfactants, oil, grease, phenol, CN.}), total phosphorus (P_{g) Other groups (organic pollutants): Surfactants, oil, grease, phenol, CN.});

c) Heavy metals and toxic chemicals: copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr³⁺, Ni, Mn, Al and total iron (Fe⁶⁺), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and total iron (Fe_{g) Other groups (organic pollutants): Surfactants, oil, grease, phenol, CN.});

d) Pesticides: Organochlorine group, organophosphorus group, carbamate group, synthetic pyrethroid group, neonicotinoid group, avermectin group, herbicides and total alpha and beta radioactivity;

e) Total phytoplankton, harmful algae;

f) Total bacteria, coliforms, spp., Aeromonas spp. and other pathogens causing diseases in cultured aquatic animals; spp. and pathogens causing diseases in farmed aquatic animals (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites);

g) Organic pollutants: surfactants, oil, fat, phenol.

Clause 2. Soil environment

a) Texture, pH_{Soil pH}; pH_H2O; organic carbon percentage (OC%), total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, cation exchange capacity (CEC), easily available phosphorus; mineralizable nitrogen, total soluble salts, salinity, electrical conductivity (EC); calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, potassium exchangeable; total copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, chromium, pesticide residues, total microorganisms;

b) Sediment environment: organic carbon percentage (OC%), total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur and easily available nutrients; oxygen demand, heavy metals, and some pathogens.

Clause 3. Air environment

a) Meteorological and climatic parameters: wind direction, speed, temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation;

b) Environmental parameters: methane (CH₄, CH₃), hydrogen sulfide (SH), ammonia (NH₃, H₂), total suspended particulate matter (TSP), particulate matter less than 10 micrometers (PM₁₀), lead (Pb), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrite (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₃.

Based on actual monitoring results (with trends) and the priority of each field in the agriculture and rural development sector, determine the location, number, and frequency of annual monitoring for environmental parameters.

Article 6. Methods for collecting, preserving, and analyzing environmental monitoring samples

The methods for collecting, preserving, and analyzing environmental monitoring samples shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions set forth in the following Circulars:

1. Circular No. 28/2011/TT-BTNMT dated August 1, 2011 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on technical procedures for monitoring ambient air quality and noise.

2. Circular No. 29/2011/TT-BTNMT dated August 1, 2011 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on technical procedures for monitoring surface water quality.

3. Circular No. 30/2011/TT-BTNMT dated August 1, 2011 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on technical procedures for monitoring groundwater quality.

4. Circular No. 31/2011/TT-BTNMT dated August 1, 2011 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on technical procedures for monitoring marine water quality (including sediment and marine organisms).

5. Circular No. 32/2011/TT-BTNMT dated August 1, 2011 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on technical procedures for monitoring rainwater quality.

6. Circular No. 33/2011/TT-BTNMT dated August 1, 2011 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on technical procedures for monitoring soil quality.

Article 7. Compilation, Reporting, and Provision of Environmental Monitoring Information

1. Environmental Monitoring Units

a) Collecting, compiling, and processing data from monitoring activities according to assigned plans; receiving and evaluating information from organizations and individuals regarding environmental monitoring conditions within their assigned management scope;

b) Reporting monitoring results and issuing periodic and emergency environmental warnings in writing and electronically to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Department of Science, Technology, and Environment); notifying the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the monitored area, relevant General Departments and Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and production facilities where environmental monitoring takes place;

c) Establishing and storing progressive environmental monitoring databases. Reporting environmental monitoring results according to the contents specified in Model 1 and Model 2 of Appendix II attached to this Circular.

2. Relevant General Departments and Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development: Receiving, compiling monitoring results within their management areas from environmental monitoring units and related organizations and individuals; providing information about managed environmental conditions; reporting periodically and urgently when requested by the Ministry.

3. Department of Science, Technology, and Environment:

a) Organizing the receipt, processing, and storage of databases on environmental conditions and monitoring results (periodic and urgent) from monitoring units, relevant General Departments and Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, and related organizations and individuals;

b) Periodically and urgently reporting to the Ministry on agricultural and rural development sector's monitoring and environmental warning activities.

4. Related units, organizations, and individuals: Providing environmental information to environmental monitoring units, relevant General Departments and Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment immediately after investigation, survey, and related research activities through an information exchange mechanism.

Article 8. Environmental Warning

1. When detecting adverse environmental changes or potential risks to agricultural production in one locality (province or centrally governed city), the environmental monitoring unit:

a) Reports to the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, relevant General Departments, and specialized Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for coordination;

b) Notifies the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development concerned so that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development may submit a decision on issuing a warning and directing production facilities to respond promptly.

2. When detecting adverse environmental changes or potential risks to agricultural production in two or more localities, the environmental monitoring unit or related units, organizations, and individuals:

a) Report to the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, relevant General Departments, and specialized Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development so that the General Departments and Bureaus may submit a decision on issuing a warning and directing localities to respond promptly;

b) Notify the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development concerned for coordination.

Chapter III
IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVE PROVISIONS

Article 9. The Department of Science, Technology and Environment

1. Is the central unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for managing environmental monitoring and warning activities in the agriculture and rural development sector; responsible for organizing implementation, guiding, inspecting, and supervising the implementation of this Circular.

2. Presents to the Minister for approval the long-term and annual monitoring and warning programs and tasks of the agriculture and rural development sector.

3. Manages the system and database on environmental monitoring and warning in the agriculture and rural development sector.

Article 10. General Departments and Specialized Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Are responsible for implementing the tasks prescribed in Clause 2, Article 7 and Clauses 1 and 2, Article 8 of this Circular.

2. Coordinate with the Department of Science, Technology and Environment to develop long-term and annual monitoring and warning programs and tasks of the agriculture and rural development sector.

3. Provide information and manage data on environmental monitoring and warning assigned to their management.

Article 11. Environmental Monitoring Units

1. Directly implement the contents of environmental monitoring and warning activities in the agriculture and rural development sector as stipulated in this Circular.

2. Submit reports on environmental monitoring results as prescribed in Appendix II attached to this Circular.

Article 12. Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Are responsible for implementing related tasks prescribed in Articles 7 and 8 of this Circular.

2. Provide information and manage data on environmental monitoring and warning assigned to their management.

Article 13. Related Organizations and Individuals

1. Participate in providing information on environmental conditions as prescribed in this Circular.

2. Coordinate with environmental monitoring units, General Departments, and specialized Bureaus under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement contents related to this Circular.

Article 14. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from October 29, 2014.

2. During implementation, if there are difficulties, organizations and individuals are requested to promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Department of Science, Technology and Environment) for review, amendment, and supplementation as appropriate./.