National Environmental (Amendment) Act 1988 (No. 56 of 1988).

The long title of the National Environmental Act 1980 is amended by substituting for the words "for the protection and management of the environment" the words "for the protection, management and enhancement of the environment, for the regulation, maintenance and control of the quality of the environment; for the prevention, abatement and control of pollution". Further amendments are made by inserting (a) Part IVA on environmental protection; (b) Part IVB on environmental quality; (c) Part IVC on approval of projects and submission of environmental impact assessment reports. Moreover, new sections are inserted immediately after section 24 of the principal Act, regarding the powers of the Director-General or any other officer duly authorized to enter any land or premises and inspect equipment and industrial plants, and the power of the Director-General to declare any area to be an environmental protection area. Section 26 on the power of the Authority to delegate its powers to any Government department, corporation, statutory board, local authority or any public officer is replaced, as well as section 31 regarding penalties to be applied for offences for which no punishment is expressly provided for. Amendments are made also to section 32, which contains a list of matters in respect of which the Minister may make regulations. Section 33 is amended by inserting, in the proper alphabetical order, the new definitions of "air pollution", "environmental impact assessment report", "initial environmental examination report", "local authority", "noise pollution", "pollutant" and "toxic chemical".