The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

NEWLY released regulations to introduce spot fines for environmental infractions drew praise from leading environmentalist Joseph Darville yesterday.

Mr Darville said the legislation is “way, way overdue” given the damage pollution causes.

Under the Environmental Planning and Protection (Spot Fines) Regulations, 2024, which were tabled in the House of Assembly last week, authorities will be able to issue spot fines ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for various environmental infractions.

“I think this is long overdue because they have no regard for our territorial waters,” Mr Darville said yesterday, referring to polluters. “Not only that, but they, like Carnival Cruiseline did, they dump black water, which is from the toilets, and grey water, which is from cleaning dishes, so they’d dump everything if they had the chance to do it.”

In 2019, a US court reported that Carnival cruise ships dumped half a million gallons of treated sewerage in Bahamian waters in 2017.

Though the regulations’ penalties only allow the government to issue spot fines up to $20,000, Mr Darville noted that this is just the start.

“We have to begin somewhere, so even if we have to adjust the fines later on, that’s fine, but people have to be warned they have no right to pollute our environment whether it’s the land or the sea,” he said.

Under the regulations, law enforcement officers could issue a $1,000 spot fine for the unauthorised use of single-use plastic bags, utensils, and styrofoam food containers.

Obstructing environmental officers or assaulting officers executing their duty could result in a $5,000 fine.

A $10,000 fine could be issued for beginning project works without approval of a Certificate of Environmental Clearance, not complying with a Closed Area Order, or falsifying or providing misleading information.

A $15,000 fine could be issued for breaching a scientific research permit, unlawfully exporting or transferring biological resources and failing to comply with any condition specified in a permit.

Damaging coral reefs, failing to comply with a notice of non-protected wildlife, not complying with environmentally sensitive areas and species orders, not complying with a Pollution Control Permit, discharging hazardous substances in Bahamian waters, conducting research without a Scientific Research Permit, damaging the environment, unlawfully possessing biological resources, not complying with conditions specified in a certificate of environmental clearance and soliciting unauthorised confidential information could all incur a spot fine of $20,000.