Law No. 5.752 providing for the reorganization of the Secretariat of State for Science, Technology and the Environment (Sectam).

This Law, consisting of 12 articles divided into six Chapters and three Annexes, establishes the reorganization of the Secretariat of State for Science, Technology and the Environment (SECTAM) into the Secretary of State for Environment and Sustainability (SEMAS), created by Law No. 5.457 of 11 May 1988, with the denomination of SECTAM. SEMAS aims at performing the following activities: planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling and evaluating State actions aimed at the protection, defense, conservation and improvement of the environment and water resources, promoting decentralized, democratic and efficient management through the coordination of implementation of State Policies for the Environment and Water Resources. The basic functions of the State Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability (SEMAS): formulate and coordinate the State Policy on the Environment and Water Resources; comply, at the state level, with other national policies related to environmental protection and development; coordinate and supervise plans, programmes and projects for the protection of watersheds for the environmental management of river basins, environmental pollution control and preservation, conservation and sustainable use of water resources, forests , biodiversity and aquatic resources; assist the Territorial Planning Policy, developing the implementation of instruments defining the occupation of rural, coastal and urban territory; carry out the ecological-economic zoning and other instruments of environmental zoning; promote, plan and coordinate actions aimed at education and environmental awareness; represent the Government of the State in the National Council of the Environment (CONAMA); enforce the decisions of the State Environmental Council (COEMA) and the State Council of Water Resources (CERH); promote, in compliance with the provisions of Complementary Law 140 of 8 December 2011, the integration of programmes and actions of organs and entities of the public administration of the Union, aiming at the protection and environmental management; etc.
Chapter II-A establishes the State Environment and Water Resources System (included by Law no. 8.096/2015). The State System of Environment unified to the Water Resources System, now called the State System of Environment and Water Resources (SISEMA), aims to implement, integrate and decentralize the measures emanating from the National Environmental System, created by Federal Law 6.983 of 31 August 1981. Chapter II-B establishes the State Council for the Environment (COEMA). COEMA is a normative, consultative and deliberative body, created by State Law No. 7.026 of 30 July 2007, and responsible for performing the following activities: monitor and evaluate the environment; give its advice on the state environmental policy; advise the Government on matters related to the environment; give opinion on projects that present potentially polluting or degrading environmental issues; deliberate on guidelines, policies, regulations and other measures of operational nature, for the preservation of the environmental resources, as well as their application by the SEMAS and by the organs and entities that are part of SISEMA, by other local bodies and state organizations and institutions working in the environmental area; etc.
Chapter II-C establishes the State Council of Water Resources (CERH) as a normative, consultative and deliberative body whose purpose is to deliberate on guidelines, policies, regulatory and technical standards, and other operational measures for the preservation of water resources, as well as on its application by the SEMAS, by the bodies and entities linked to it and other state organizations and institutions and local bodies with activities in the area of water resources.