Participation in plans, programmes and policies (Sections 18, 61,56, and 70)
National Environmental Policy Framework: (4) After considering the draft of the National Environmental Policy Framework, the Minister shall cause it to be submitted for public comment and participation in accordance with section 120. (5) After considering the comments received under subsection (4), the Department shall submit a revised draft of the National Environmental Policy Framework to the Minster for approval.
Watersheds: (4) The Department shall solicit comments regarding any proposal under this section and for this purpose shall― (a) publish the proposal in the Gazette and at least one daily newspaper of general circulation and broadcast media, inviting interested persons to submit comments within a specified period of time; (b) send a copy of the proposal to the Committee and the relevant Government Departments; (c) make copies of the proposal available at the Environment Registry to anybody who may request them. (5) After a period of not less than two months from publication of the proposal in accordance with this section, the Department shall organise at least one public meeting to discuss the proposal and the Minister, in consultation with the Minister with responsibility for public utilities, shall take into consideration any comments which have been received and may revise the proposal as appropriate.
Protected areas: (1) The Minister, acting on the advice of the Director and in collaboration with the appropriate authority may, by notice published in the Gazette, designate any area of Crown land as a protected area under section 55 by setting out― (a) a description of the boundaries of the protected area; and (b) a description of the category of protected area, including the nature of activities permitted or prohibited in it. (2) Prior to the designation of any area as a protected area, the Minister shall ensure that the Department has― (a) consulted with the Barbuda Council and all the relevant Government Ministries, Departments or statutory bodies; (b) given notice of the proposed designation in a timely way so as to ensure that any issue raised by the public may be considered before the designation is made; and (c) considered and reported to the Minister on any submissions from any person. (3) The notice under subsection (2) (b) shall be published at least twice in a daily newspaper of national circulation and also in the Gazette and shall provide― (a) a description of the category of protected area that is proposed, including the nature of activities permitted or prohibited in it; (b) a description of the boundaries of the proposed protected area; (c) that submissions on the proposed designation may be made in writing by any person; (d) the closing date for submissions, which must not be earlier than thirty days after public notice; and (e) the address where submissions are to be sent.
Importation, sale of foreign organisms: (5) On receipt of an application, and upon payment of the prescribed application fee, the Minister with responsibility for agriculture, shall― (b) publish a public notice of the application on two separate occasions in a daily newspaper of general circulation in Antigua and Barbuda and provide― (i) a description of the nature of the application, including the type of foreign organism sought to be imported; (ii) a description of the likely impact to human health or to ecosystems in Antigua and Barbuda that is likely to result from the importation of the foreign organism; (iii) a description of the environment monitoring or management plans to be established; (iv) that submissions with respect to the subject-matter of the application may be made in writing by any person; (v) the closing date for submissions, which must not be earlier than thirty days after public notice; and (vi) the address where submissions are to be sent; and (c) lodge a copy of the notice referred to in paragraph (b) in the Environment Registry.