Ministerial Decree No. 495 regarding the sphere of competence of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The Government decrees that the Ministry is a Federal Executive Body entitled to conduct the state policy and exercise the management in the field of study, use, recreation, conservation of natural resources, guarantee ecological security and in some cases, established by law, coordinate in this field the activity of other Federal Executive Bodies. The Ministry is entrusted with the functions of the abolished Federal Environmental Committee and Federal Forest Service.