order of the president of the people’s republic of china
No.9
The Environmental Protection Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC) was revised and adopted by the 8th meeting of the 12th the NPC Standing Committee in People’s Republic of China (PRC) on April 24th, 2014. The revised Environmental Protection Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC) is hereby promulgated and shall come into force on January 1st, 2015.
Chairman People’s Republic of China (PRC), Supreme Leader
April 24, 2014
People’s Republic of China (PRC) environmental protection law
(Adopted at the 11th meeting of the 7th the NPC Standing Committee on December 26th, 1989 and revised at the 8th meeting of the 12th the NPC Standing Committee on April 24th, 2014)
catalogue
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Supervision and Administration
Chapter III Protecting and Improving the Environment
Chapter IV Prevention and Control of Pollution and Other Public Hazards
Chapter V Information Disclosure and Public Participation
Chapter VI Legal Liability
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 This Law is formulated for the purpose of protecting and improving the environment, preventing and controlling pollution and other public hazards, safeguarding public health, promoting the construction of ecological civilization and promoting sustainable economic and social development.
Article 2 The term "environment" as mentioned in this Law refers to the totality of various natural factors that affect human survival and development, including atmosphere, water, ocean, land, mineral deposits, forests, grasslands, wetlands, wildlife, natural relics, cultural relics, nature reserves, scenic spots, cities and villages.
Article 3 This Law shall apply to the territory of People’s Republic of China (PRC) and other sea areas under the jurisdiction of People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Article 4 Protecting the environment is the basic national policy of the country.
The state adopts economic and technological policies and measures that are conducive to saving and recycling resources, protecting and improving the environment, and promoting harmony between man and nature, so as to coordinate economic and social development with environmental protection.
Article 5 Environmental protection adheres to the principles of giving priority to protection, giving priority to prevention, comprehensive management, public participation and responsibility for damage.
Article 6 All units and individuals have the obligation to protect the environment.
Local people’s governments at all levels shall be responsible for the environmental quality of their respective administrative areas.
Enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators shall prevent and reduce environmental pollution and ecological damage, and shall be liable for the damage caused according to law.
Citizens should enhance their awareness of environmental protection, adopt a low-carbon and frugal lifestyle, and consciously fulfill their environmental protection obligations.
Article 7 The State supports the research, development and application of environmental protection science and technology, encourages the development of environmental protection industry, promotes the informatization construction of environmental protection, and improves the level of environmental protection science and technology.
Article 8 People’s governments at all levels should increase financial investment in protecting and improving the environment, preventing and controlling pollution and other public hazards, and improve the efficiency in the use of financial funds.
Article 9 People’s governments at all levels shall strengthen the publicity and popularization of environmental protection, encourage grassroots mass autonomous organizations, social organizations and environmental protection volunteers to publicize environmental protection laws and regulations and environmental protection knowledge, and create a good atmosphere for environmental protection.
Education administrative departments and schools should incorporate environmental protection knowledge into school education content and cultivate students’ awareness of environmental protection.
The news media shall publicize environmental protection laws and regulations and environmental protection knowledge, and supervise environmental violations by public opinion.
Tenth the State Council municipal environmental protection department, the implementation of unified supervision and management of the national environmental protection work; The competent department of environmental protection of the local people’s governments at or above the county level shall exercise unified supervision and management over the environmental protection work in their respective administrative areas.
The relevant departments of the people’s governments at or above the county level and the environmental protection departments of the armed forces shall, in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws, supervise and manage environmental protection work such as resource protection and pollution prevention.
Eleventh units and individuals that have made remarkable achievements in protecting and improving the environment shall be rewarded by the people’s government.
Twelfth June 5th every year for the environment day.
Chapter II Supervision and Administration
Thirteenth people’s governments at or above the county level shall incorporate environmental protection into the national economic and social development plan.
The competent department of environmental protection of the State Council shall, jointly with relevant departments, formulate the national environmental protection plan according to the national economic and social development plan, and report it to the State Council for approval and promulgation.
The competent department of environmental protection of the local people’s government at or above the county level shall, jointly with the relevant departments, prepare the environmental protection plan of the administrative region according to the requirements of the national environmental protection plan, and report it to the people’s government at the same level for approval and promulgation and implementation.
The content of environmental protection planning should include the objectives, tasks and safeguard measures of ecological protection and pollution prevention and control, and be connected with the planning of main functional areas, the overall planning of land use and urban and rural planning.
Article 14 The relevant departments of the State Council and the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall fully consider the impact on the environment and listen to the opinions of relevant parties and experts when organizing the formulation of economic and technological policies.
Fifteenth the State Council municipal environmental protection departments to develop national environmental quality standards.
The people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate local environmental quality standards for projects not specified in the national environmental quality standards; For projects that have been specified in the national environmental quality standards, local environmental quality standards that are stricter than the national environmental quality standards may be formulated. Local environmental quality standards shall be reported to the competent department of environmental protection of the State Council for the record.
The state encourages the development of environmental benchmark research.
Article 16 The competent department of environmental protection in the State Council shall, according to the national environmental quality standards and the national economic and technological conditions, formulate the national pollutant discharge standards.
The people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate local pollutant discharge standards for projects not specified in the national pollutant discharge standards; For projects that have been stipulated in the national pollutant discharge standards, local pollutant discharge standards that are stricter than the national pollutant discharge standards may be formulated. Local pollutant discharge standards shall be reported to the competent department of environmental protection of the State Council for the record.
Article 17 The state establishes and improves the environmental monitoring system. The competent department of environmental protection in the State Council shall formulate monitoring standards, organize monitoring networks in conjunction with relevant departments, uniformly plan the setting of national environmental quality monitoring stations (points), establish a monitoring data sharing mechanism, and strengthen the management of environmental monitoring.
The establishment of various environmental quality monitoring stations (points) in relevant industries and professions shall comply with the provisions of laws and regulations and the requirements of monitoring norms.
Monitoring institutions shall use monitoring equipment that meets national standards and abide by monitoring norms. Monitoring institutions and their responsible persons are responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of monitoring data.
Eighteenth people’s governments at or above the provincial level shall organize relevant departments or entrust professional institutions to investigate and evaluate the environmental conditions and establish a monitoring and early warning mechanism for the carrying capacity of environmental resources.
Article 19 Environmental impact assessment shall be carried out in accordance with the law in the preparation of development and utilization plans and the construction of projects that have an impact on the environment.
Development and utilization planning without environmental impact assessment according to law shall not be organized and implemented; Construction projects without environmental impact assessment according to law shall not be started.
Article 20 The state establishes a joint prevention and control coordination mechanism for environmental pollution and ecological destruction in key areas and river basins across administrative regions, and implements unified planning, unified standards, unified monitoring and unified prevention and control measures.
The prevention and control of environmental pollution and ecological damage beyond the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be solved by the people’s governments at higher levels through coordination or by the local people’s governments concerned through consultation.
Article 21 The state adopts policies and measures in finance, taxation, price and government procurement to encourage and support the development of environmental protection industries such as environmental protection technology and equipment, comprehensive utilization of resources and environmental services.
Article 22 If enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators further reduce pollutant emissions on the basis that pollutant emissions meet the statutory requirements, the people’s government shall adopt policies and measures in finance, taxation, price and government procurement according to law to encourage and support them.
Twenty-third enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators, in order to improve the environment, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the production, relocation, closure, the people’s government should give support.
Article 24 The competent department of environmental protection of the people’s governments at or above the county level and the environmental monitoring institutions entrusted by them and other departments responsible for the supervision and management of environmental protection have the right to conduct on-site inspections on enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that discharge pollutants. The inspected shall truthfully report the situation and provide necessary information. The departments, institutions and their staff who carry out on-site inspection shall keep business secrets for the inspected.
Article 25 Where enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators discharge pollutants in violation of laws and regulations, which has caused or may cause serious pollution, the competent environmental protection department of the people’s government at or above the county level and other departments responsible for the supervision and management of environmental protection may seal up and detain the facilities and equipment that have caused the discharge of pollutants.
Article 26 The State practices the responsibility system for environmental protection objectives and the assessment and evaluation system. The people’s governments at or above the county level shall incorporate the completion of environmental protection objectives into the assessment contents of the departments and their responsible persons responsible for environmental protection supervision and management of the people’s governments at the corresponding levels and the people’s governments at lower levels and their responsible persons, as an important basis for their assessment and evaluation. The assessment results shall be made public to the public.
Article 27 The people’s governments at or above the county level shall report to the people’s congresses at the corresponding levels or their standing committees on the environmental conditions and the completion of environmental protection targets every year, and report to the standing committees of the people’s congresses at the corresponding levels in time for major environmental incidents, and accept supervision according to law.
Chapter III Protecting and Improving the Environment
Article 28 Local people’s governments at various levels shall take effective measures to improve environmental quality according to environmental protection objectives and governance tasks.
The relevant local people’s governments in key areas and river basins that fail to meet the national environmental quality standards shall formulate plans to meet the standards within a time limit and take measures to meet the standards on schedule.
Article 29 The State shall draw red lines for ecological protection in key ecological functional areas, sensitive areas of ecological environment and fragile areas, and implement strict protection.
People’s governments at all levels shall take measures to protect representative areas of various types of natural ecosystems, natural distribution areas of rare and endangered wild animals and plants, important water conservation areas, geological structures with great scientific and cultural value, famous caves and fossil distribution areas, glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs and other natural relics, as well as cultural relics and ancient and famous trees, and it is strictly forbidden to destroy them.
Article 30. In the development and utilization of natural resources, it is necessary to rationally develop, protect biodiversity and ensure ecological safety, and formulate and implement plans for ecological protection and restoration according to law.
Measures should be taken to prevent the destruction of biodiversity when introducing exotic species and researching, developing and utilizing biotechnology.
Article 31 The state establishes and improves the compensation system for ecological protection.
The state has increased financial transfer payments to ecological protection areas. The relevant local people’s governments shall implement the compensation funds for ecological protection and ensure that they are used for ecological protection compensation.
The state guides the people’s governments of beneficiary areas and ecological protection areas to make compensation for ecological protection through consultation or in accordance with market rules.
Article 32 The State shall strengthen the protection of the atmosphere, water and soil, and establish and improve corresponding investigation, monitoring, evaluation and restoration systems.
Article 33 People’s governments at all levels should strengthen the protection of agricultural environment, promote the use of new technologies for agricultural environmental protection, strengthen the monitoring and early warning of agricultural pollution sources, coordinate relevant departments to take measures to prevent and control soil pollution, land desertification, salinization, impoverishment, rocky desertification, land subsidence, vegetation destruction, soil erosion, water eutrophication, water source depletion, provenance extinction and other ecological disorders, and promote comprehensive prevention and control of plant diseases and insect pests.
The people’s governments at the county and township levels shall improve the public service level of rural environmental protection and promote the comprehensive improvement of rural environment.
Thirty-fourth the State Council and coastal local people’s governments at all levels should strengthen the protection of the marine environment. The discharge of pollutants into the sea, the dumping of wastes and the construction of coastal and marine projects shall comply with the provisions of laws and regulations and relevant standards to prevent and reduce pollution damage to the marine environment.
Thirty-fifth urban and rural construction should be combined with the characteristics of the local natural environment, protect vegetation, waters and natural landscapes, and strengthen the construction and management of urban gardens, green spaces and scenic spots.
Article 36 The State encourages and guides citizens, legal persons and other organizations to use products that are conducive to environmental protection and recycled products to reduce the generation of waste.
State organs and other organizations that use financial funds should give priority to purchasing and using products, equipment and facilities that are conducive to environmental protection, such as energy-saving, water-saving and material-saving.
Article 37 Local people’s governments at various levels shall take measures to organize the classified disposal and recycling of domestic wastes.
Article 38 Citizens shall abide by environmental protection laws and regulations, cooperate with the implementation of environmental protection measures, and classify and place domestic wastes according to regulations to reduce the damage caused by daily life to the environment.
Article 39 The State establishes and improves the system of environmental and health monitoring, investigation and risk assessment; Encourage and organize research on the impact of environmental quality on public health, and take measures to prevent and control diseases related to environmental pollution.
Chapter IV Prevention and Control of Pollution and Other Public Hazards
Article 40 The State promotes clean production and recycling of resources.
Relevant departments of the State Council and local people’s governments at all levels shall take measures to promote the production and use of clean energy.
Enterprises should give priority to the use of clean energy, adopt technologies and equipment with high resource utilization rate and low pollutant discharge, as well as comprehensive utilization technology of waste and harmless treatment technology of pollutants to reduce the generation of pollutants.
Forty-first facilities for pollution prevention and control in construction projects shall be designed, constructed and put into use at the same time as the main project. Facilities for the prevention and control of pollution shall meet the requirements of the approved environmental impact assessment documents, and shall not be dismantled or left idle without authorization.
Article 42 Enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that discharge pollutants shall take measures to prevent and control the pollution and harm to the environment caused by waste gas, waste water, waste residue, medical waste, dust, malodorous gas, radioactive substances, noise, vibration, light radiation and electromagnetic radiation generated in production, construction or other activities.
Enterprises and institutions that discharge pollutants shall establish a responsibility system for environmental protection and clarify the responsibilities of the person in charge of the unit and relevant personnel.
Key pollutant discharge units shall install and use monitoring equipment in accordance with relevant state regulations and monitoring norms, ensure the normal operation of monitoring equipment, and keep original monitoring records.
It is strictly prohibited to illegally discharge pollutants by means of concealed pipes, seepage wells, seepage pits, perfusion or tampering with or forging monitoring data, or by means of abnormal operation of pollution prevention and control facilities to evade supervision.
Forty-third enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that discharge pollutants shall pay sewage charges in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state. All sewage charges shall be earmarked for the prevention and control of environmental pollution, and no unit or individual may intercept, divert or use them for other purposes.
If environmental protection tax is levied in accordance with the law, sewage charges will no longer be levied.
Article 44 The state practices a system of controlling the total discharge of key pollutants. The total emission control targets of key pollutants are issued by the State Council, and are decomposed and implemented by the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government. Enterprises and institutions shall, while implementing national and local pollutant discharge standards, abide by the total emission control indicators of key pollutants decomposed and implemented in their own units.
The competent environmental protection department of the people’s government at or above the provincial level shall suspend the examination and approval of the environmental impact assessment documents of the construction projects that have increased the total discharge of key pollutants in areas that exceed the national total discharge control targets or fail to complete the environmental quality targets set by the state.
Article 45 The State implements a system of pollutant discharge permit management in accordance with the law.
Enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that implement the management of pollutant discharge permits shall discharge pollutants in accordance with the requirements of pollutant discharge permits; No pollutant shall be discharged without obtaining a pollutant discharge permit.
Article 46 The State implements a system of elimination of processes, equipment and products that seriously pollute the environment. No unit or individual may produce, sell or transfer or use technologies, equipment and products that seriously pollute the environment.
It is forbidden to introduce technologies, equipment, materials and products that do not meet the requirements of China’s environmental protection.
Forty-seventh people’s governments at all levels and their relevant departments, enterprises and institutions shall, in accordance with the provisions of the "People’s Republic of China (PRC) Emergency Response Law", do a good job in risk control, emergency preparation, emergency disposal and post-event recovery of environmental emergencies.
The people’s governments at or above the county level shall establish a public monitoring and early warning mechanism for environmental pollution and organize the formulation of early warning schemes; When the environment is polluted, which may affect public health and environmental safety, early warning information shall be released in time according to law and emergency measures shall be initiated.
Enterprises and institutions shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state, formulate emergency plans for sudden environmental incidents and report them to the competent department of environmental protection and relevant departments for the record. When environmental emergencies occur or may occur, enterprises and institutions shall immediately take measures to deal with them, promptly notify the units and residents that may be harmed, and report to the competent department of environmental protection and relevant departments.
After the emergency handling of environmental emergencies is completed, the relevant people’s government shall immediately organize the assessment of the environmental impact and losses caused by the incident, and timely announce the assessment results to the public.
Article 48 The production, storage, transportation, sale, use and disposal of chemicals and articles containing radioactive substances shall comply with relevant state regulations to prevent environmental pollution.
Article 49 People’s governments at all levels and their relevant departments and institutions in agriculture shall guide agricultural producers and operators in scientific planting and breeding, scientifically and rationally apply agricultural inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers, scientifically dispose of agricultural wastes such as agricultural films and crop straws, and prevent agricultural non-point source pollution.
It is forbidden to apply solid waste and wastewater that do not meet agricultural standards and environmental protection standards into farmland. Measures should be taken to prevent heavy metals and other toxic and harmful substances from polluting the environment when applying agricultural inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers and carrying out irrigation.
The site selection, construction and management of livestock and poultry farms, farming communities and slaughtering enterprises shall comply with relevant laws and regulations. Units and individuals engaged in livestock and poultry breeding and slaughter shall take measures to scientifically dispose of livestock and poultry manure, corpses and sewage and other wastes to prevent environmental pollution.
The people’s government at the county level is responsible for organizing the disposal of rural domestic waste.
Article 50 People’s governments at all levels shall allocate funds in their financial budgets to support environmental protection work such as the protection of rural drinking water sources, the treatment of domestic sewage and other wastes, the prevention and control of pollution caused by livestock and poultry breeding and slaughter, the prevention and control of soil pollution and the prevention and control of pollution caused by rural mines.
Article 51 People’s governments at all levels shall co-ordinate urban and rural construction of sewage treatment facilities and supporting pipe networks, environmental sanitation facilities such as collection, transportation and disposal of solid wastes, facilities and places for centralized disposal of hazardous wastes and other public facilities for environmental protection, and ensure their normal operation.
Article 52 The State encourages taking out environmental pollution liability insurance.
Chapter V Information Disclosure and Public Participation
Article 53 Citizens, legal persons and other organizations shall have the right to obtain environmental information, participate in and supervise environmental protection according to law.
The competent departments of environmental protection of the people’s governments at all levels and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall disclose environmental information according to law, improve public participation procedures, and provide convenience for citizens, legal persons and other organizations to participate in and supervise environmental protection.
Article 54 The competent department of environmental protection in the State Council shall uniformly release the national environmental quality, monitoring information of key pollution sources and other major environmental information. The competent department of environmental protection of the people’s governments at or above the provincial level regularly issues bulletins on environmental conditions.
The competent department of environmental protection of the people’s government at or above the county level and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall disclose information on environmental quality, environmental monitoring, environmental emergencies, environmental administrative licensing, administrative punishment, collection and use of sewage charges, etc. according to law.
The competent department of environmental protection of the local people’s government at or above the county level and other departments responsible for the supervision and management of environmental protection shall record the illegal environmental information of enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators in the social credit files, and promptly announce the list of offenders to the society.
Fifty-fifth key pollutant discharge units shall truthfully disclose to the public the name, discharge mode, discharge concentration and total amount, excessive discharge, and the construction and operation of pollution prevention facilities, and accept social supervision.
Article 56 For a construction project that should prepare an environmental impact report according to law, the construction unit shall explain the situation to the public who may be affected and fully solicit opinions.
The department responsible for examining and approving the environmental impact assessment document of the construction project shall, after receiving the environmental impact report of the construction project, disclose the full text except for matters involving state secrets and commercial secrets; If it is found that the construction project has not fully solicited public opinions, the construction unit shall be instructed to solicit public opinions.
Fifty-seventh citizens, legal persons and other organizations have the right to report to the competent department of environmental protection or other departments responsible for the supervision and management of environmental protection if they find that any unit or individual has polluted the environment and destroyed the ecology.
Citizens, legal persons and other organizations have the right to report to their superior organs or supervisory organs if they find that the local people’s governments at all levels, the competent environmental protection departments of the people’s governments at or above the county level and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management fail to perform their duties according to law.
The organ that accepts the report shall keep confidential the relevant information of the informant and protect the lawful rights and interests of the informant.
Article 58 A social organization that meets the following conditions may bring a lawsuit to the people’s court for acts that pollute the environment, destroy the ecology and harm the public interests:
(a) registered in the civil affairs department of the people’s government at or above the municipal level;
(two) specialized in environmental protection public welfare activities for more than five consecutive years and no illegal record.
Social organizations that meet the provisions of the preceding paragraph bring a lawsuit to the people’s court, and the people’s court shall accept it according to law.
A social organization that brings a lawsuit may not seek economic benefits through litigation.
Chapter VI Legal Liability
Article 59 If an enterprise, institution or other producer or operator discharges pollutants illegally and is fined, ordered to make corrections, and refuses to make corrections, the administrative organ that has made the punishment decision according to law may impose continuous penalties on a daily basis according to the original penalty amount from the day following the day when it is ordered to make corrections.
The fine and punishment stipulated in the preceding paragraph shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations and determined by the operating costs of pollution prevention facilities, direct losses or illegal gains caused by illegal acts and other factors.
Local regulations may, according to the actual needs of environmental protection, increase the types of illegal acts that are punished continuously on a daily basis as stipulated in the first paragraph.
Article 60 Where enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators discharge pollutants in excess of the pollutant discharge standards or the total emission control targets of key pollutants, the competent environmental protection department of the people’s government at or above the county level may order them to take measures such as restricting production, stopping production and rectifying; If the circumstances are serious, it shall be reported to the people’s government with the right of approval and ordered to suspend business or close down.
Article 61 If a construction unit starts construction without submitting the environmental impact assessment document of a construction project according to law or without approval, the department responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall order it to stop construction, impose a fine, and may order it to make restitution.
Article 62 If, in violation of the provisions of this Law, key pollutant discharge units fail to disclose or truthfully disclose environmental information, the competent environmental protection department of the local people’s government at or above the county level shall order the disclosure, impose a fine and make a public announcement.
Article 63 If an enterprise, institution or other producer or operator commits one of the following acts, which does not constitute a crime, in addition to being punished in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, the competent department of environmental protection of the people’s government at or above the county level or other relevant departments shall transfer the case to the public security organ, and the directly responsible person in charge and other directly responsible personnel shall be detained for more than 10 days and less than 15 days; If the circumstances are relatively minor, they shall be detained for more than five days and less than ten days:
(a) the construction project fails to carry out environmental impact assessment according to law, and is ordered to stop construction and refuses to implement it;
(two) in violation of the provisions of the law, without obtaining a permit to discharge pollutants, was ordered to stop sewage, refused to implement;
(3) Unlawful discharge of pollutants by means of concealed pipes, seepage wells, seepage pits, perfusion or tampering with or forging monitoring data, or abnormal operation of pollution prevention and control facilities to evade supervision;
(four) the production and use of pesticides that are prohibited by the state, and are ordered to make corrections, and refuse to make corrections.
Article 64 Anyone who causes damage due to environmental pollution and ecological destruction shall bear tort liability in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Tort Liability Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Article 65 Where an environmental impact assessment institution, an environmental monitoring institution and an institution engaged in the maintenance and operation of environmental monitoring equipment and pollution prevention facilities practise fraud in relevant environmental service activities and are responsible for environmental pollution and ecological damage, they shall be punished in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and shall also be jointly and severally liable with other persons responsible for environmental pollution and ecological damage.
Article 66 The limitation period for bringing an action for compensation for environmental damage is three years, counting from the time when the parties know or should know that they have suffered damage.
Article 67 The people’s government at a higher level and its competent department of environmental protection shall strengthen supervision over the environmental protection work of the people’s government at a lower level and its relevant departments. If it is found that the relevant staff members have violated the law and should be punished according to law, they shall put forward suggestions for punishment to their appointment and removal organs or supervisory organs.
Administrative punishment should be given according to law, but the relevant competent department of environmental protection does not, the competent department of environmental protection of the people’s government at a higher level can directly make a decision on administrative punishment.
Article 68 Where the local people’s governments at all levels, the competent environmental protection departments of the people’s governments at or above the county level and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management commit any of the following acts, the directly responsible person in charge and other directly responsible personnel shall be given demerit, gross demerit or demotion; If serious consequences are caused, he shall be dismissed or expelled, and the main person in charge shall take the blame and resign:
(a) does not meet the requirements of administrative licensing, administrative licensing;
(two) to cover up environmental violations;
(3) Failing to make a decision to order business suspension or closure according to law;
(4) Failing to investigate and deal with acts such as excessive discharge of pollutants, discharge of pollutants by evading supervision, causing environmental accidents, and failure to implement ecological protection measures;
(five) in violation of the provisions of this law, the facilities and equipment of enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators are sealed up or detained;
(6) Tampering with, forging or instructing to tamper with or forge monitoring data;
(seven) environmental information should be disclosed in accordance with the law but not disclosed;
(8) Interception, misappropriation or diversion of the collected sewage charges;
(nine) other illegal acts as prescribed by laws and regulations.
Article 69 Whoever violates the provisions of this Law and constitutes a crime shall be investigated for criminal responsibility according to law.
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions
Article 70 This Law shall come into force as of January 1, 2015.