National Environmental Protection Act, 1984 (Marshall Islands)

The Act establishes a National Environmental Protection Authority for the protection and management of the environment in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The primary purpose of the Authority shall be to preserve and improve the quality of the environment. In such end, the Authority is mandated: (a) to study the impact of human activity including population growth and redistribution, cultural change, exploitation of resources and technological advances on the environment: (b) to restore and maintain the quality of the environment; (c) to use all practicable means including financial and technical assistance to foster and promote the general welfare of the people by creating conditions under which mankind and nature can co-exist in productive harmony; (d) to improve and coordinate consistently with other essential considerations of national policy, governmental plans, functions, and programs and resources, so as to prevent, as far as practicable, any degradation or impairment of the environment; (e) to regulate individual and collective human activity in such manner as will ensure to the people safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings; (f) to attain the widest possible range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation or impairment thereof and other undesirable consequences to the health and safety of the people; and (g) to preserve important historical, cultural and natural aspects of the nation’s culture and heritage, maintaining at the same time an environment which supports multiplicity and variety of individual choice.