Law on the Department of Environmental Protection (No. I-373 of 1990).

This Law institutes the Department of Environmental Protection as a State body accountable to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania (chapt.1); Objectives and functions (chapt. 2); Powers (chapt. 3); Duties of the General Director (chapt. 4).
Briefly, its responsibilities are to ensure State regulation of the use of natural resources; to monitor environmental protection in the Republic, including its territorial waters, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone; scientific research; to create the State Environmental Protection Fund (arts. 7 and 8). Among its powers, the Law lists the following: suspension or restriction of activities of enterprises, institutions and organizations if they violate environmental protection laws; investigation and penalisation of cases of administrative liability for environmental law violations; issuing of licences for prospecting and use of natural resources.