This Act aims at achieving and maintaining such levels of air and water quality so as to protect human health and safety, and to, as much as possible, preventing injury to plant and animal life and property. For these purposes the Act makes provision for a coordinated Territory-wide program of air and water pollution prevention, abatement and control and a framework within which all values may be balanced in the public interest (sect. 2). The chairman of the Environmental Quality Commission, established under section 5, has the responsibility for the administration of this Chapter, which shall be carried out according to Rules, Orders, standards of air and water quality and classifications of the Commission. Powers and duties of the Commission are set out in section 6. Operators or owners of polluting sources may be required by the Commission to monitor and report on pollutants in accordance with section 8. The Commission may establish a system of air and water pollution permits and standards and fees and penalties relative to air pollution shall be paid into the Stationary Air Pollution Source Fund established under section 17 (sect. 15). Sections 16 to 50 deal with granting, variance, renewal, etc. of stationary air and water pollution permits. The Commission may issue a Violation Order in respect of violations of air pollution standards or rules. Section 67 prescribes penalties for the illegal pollution of water.
Environmental Quality Act.