New in environmental damage legislation

By the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated 31.07.2023 No. 500, amendments have been made to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated 11.04.2022 No. 219 "On Tariffs for Determining the Amount of Damage Caused to the Environment and the Procedure for its Calculation".

The specified resolution introduces a new concept: "illegal extraction (removal) of mineral resources, other rocks as a result of unauthorized subsoil use in a volume exceeding 0.5 cubic meters or a mass exceeding 0.8 tons".

For the calculation of the amount of damage caused to the environment as a result of illegal extraction of mineral resources, tariffs have been established equal to 3 base units per cubic meter of illegally extracted (removed) mineral resource, other rock, or 1.8 base units per ton of illegally extracted (removed) mineral resource, other rock.

With such tariffs, the damage caused to the environment as a result of illegal extraction of sand in the volume of one dump truck with a carrying capacity of 20 tons will amount to approximately 1,332.00 rubles.

In addition, the resolution provides for an increasing coefficient of 2.5 in case of illegal extraction (removal) of mineral resources, other rocks on lands of environmental, health, recreational, historical and cultural designation, lands within the boundaries of natural territories subject to special and (or) special protection, as well as a coefficient of 2 in case of illegal extraction (removal) of strategic mineral resources or mineral resources of limited circulation.

The resolution entered into force on August 2, 2023.