This month’s tracker reflects key initiatives from February 16 – March 15, 2018.

Welcome to the new format of the Tracker! Because many of our readers have interests in a wide variety of environmental fields, we have expanded our coverage. While we will no longer be including summaries, we will now provide links to our sources.

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¡Gracias!

 Maddie Kadas, Latin American Environmental Practice Leader

REGIONAL NEWS

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

• Latin America and the Caribbean adopts its first binding regional agreement to protect rights of access in environmental matters. (article)

WASTE

• Inauguration of the regional cooperation project on electronic waste management in Latin American countries.

ARGENTINA

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 0371-D-2018, Establishing strategies and instruments for the adaptation to global climate change and the mitigation of greenhouse gases. 

ENERGY

• Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 0455-D-2018, Establishing tax exemptions for the import of inputs used for the production of wind and solar energy infrastructure. 
• Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 0455-D-2018, Establishing tax exemptions for the import of inputs used for the production of wind and solar energy infrastructure. 

LAND MANAGEMENT

• Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 0071-D-2018, Establishing minimum environmental protection measures for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).

MINING

• Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 0469-D-2018, Establishing minimum environmental protection measures for mining activities.

OIL & GAS

• Senate Bill No. 174/18, Eliminating the exploitation of hydrocarbons through hydraulic fracturing techniques and offshore hydrocarbons. 

WASTE

• Senate Bill No. 356/18, Establishing minimum environmental protection measures for the management of packaging wastes. 

• Senate Bill No. 298/18, Creating a zero trash program. 

WATER

• Senate Bill No. 355/18, Declaring access to potable water a human right.

BRAZIL

CHEMICALS

• Brazilian Institute of the Environment & Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), Normative Instruction No. 5/2018, Regulating the environmental control of potentially polluting activities related to substances subject to control and elimination according to the Montreal Protocol.

• Brazilian Institute of the Environment & Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), Normative Instruction No. 4/2018, Regulating the control of imports of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and mixtures containing HCFCs in accordance with Decision XIX / 6 of the Montreal Protocol. 

ENFORCEMENT

• Brazilian Institute of the Environment & Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), Normative Instruction No. 6/2018, Regulating the necessary procedures for the conversion of fines to services of preservation, improvement, and recovery of the environment. 

FORESTRY

• Brazilian Supreme Court declares most of the provisions from the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012) constitutional. 

OIL & GAS

• Brazilian Institute of the Environment & Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), Normative Instruction No. 8/2018, Pushing back the effective date of IBAMA Normative Instruction No. 1/2018, which establishes guidelines for the environmental conditions of use and disposal of fluids, gravel, and cement pastes in well drilling and oil and gas production, to June 30, 2018.

PACKAGING & LABELING

• Senate Bill No. 92/2018, Providing for the mandatory use of biodegradable materials in the composition of disposable utensils intended for the packaging and handling of ready-to-eat foods.  
• São Paulo Bill No. 118/2018, Requiring State commercial establishments to use straws made from biodegradable or similar materials.

WASTE

• Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 9791/2018, Amending national legislation to promote the reduction of solid waste generation, especially on Brazilian beaches.
• Senate Bill No. 93/2018, Mandating reverse logistics systems and materials recycling for manufactured products.
• Senate Bill No. 90/2018, Requiring solid waste management plans to include information on recyclable solid waste provided to collectors.

CHILE

ENERGY

• Resolution No. 22.334/2018, Reducing the minimum size requirements of certification marking on cellular chargers. 

OIL & GAS

• Bill No. 11.626/08, Modifying national legislation to more specifically regulate hydraulic fracturing through added definitions and environmental impact assessment requirements

WATER

• Water Resources Committee in Chamber of Deputies approves the disposal of treated wastewater for use in irrigation and mining operations.

COLOMBIA

BIODIVERSITY

• Resolution No. 0256/2018 and accompanying Manual of Environmental Compensation for Biotic Components (flora, fauna, vegetation cover, and general landscape).

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Colombia initiates the development of its National Electric Mobility Strategy.

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Resolution No. 686/2018, Establishing technical specifications for toys and their accessories that are manufactured, imported, and sold in Colombia.

OIL & GAS

• Resolution No. 40184/2018, Setting required biofuel mixture percentage.
• Resolution No. 40185/2018, Setting required alcohol fuel mixture percentage. 

WASTE

• Resolution No. 0316/2018, Establishing provisions for the management of used cooking oils.

WATER

• Draft Decree regulating Law No. 373/1997 on the Efficient Use and Water Savings Program (PUEAA).

COSTA RICA

AGRICULTURE

• Draft Regulation for the Import, Export, and Sale of Seeds.

BIODIVERSITY

• Costa Rica presents the First Official Report on the State of the Environment.

MEXICO

AIR

• NOM-044-SEMARNAT-2017, Establishing maximum permissible limits for the emission of certain pollutants from new diesel fuel engines intended for use in heavy vehicles and heavy vehicles that use such engines.
• NOM-045-SEMARNAT-2017, Establishing maximum permissible limits of opacity, testing procedures, and technical characteristics of measuring equipment.
• PROY-NOM-022-SSA1-2017, Establishing criteria to evaluate ambient air quality with respect to sulfur dioxide (SO2).

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

• Senate bill promoting the implementation of environmental management systems and programs related to sustainability in companies of any kind within Mexico.

ENERGY

• Mexico officially joins the International Energy Agency as the 30th member country.
• NOM-028-ENER-2017, Setting energy efficiency limits and test methods for general use lamps.
• Chamber of Deputies bill amending the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection, in terms of light pollution.

LAND MANAGEMENT

• Chamber of Deputies bill amending the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection, in terms of environmental impact assessments.

OIL & GAS

• NOM-004-ASEA-2017, Establishing specifications for the operation of Gasoline Vapor Recovery Systems used for the control of emissions from public gasoline service stations.
• NOM-007-ASEA-2016, Establishing specifications for the transport of natural gas, ethane, and gas associated with mineral coal through pipelines.
• Draft Notice that extends the validity of NOM-EM-005-ASEA-2017, which establishes that criteria for classifying special management wastes in the Hydrocarbons Sector and determines which are subject to management plans, six months until May 2, 2018.
• Chamber of Deputies bill amending various provisions of the Law of the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector.

PACKAGING & LABELING

• NOM-144-SEMARNAT-2017, Establishing phytosanitary measures and internationally recognized trademark requirements for wooden packaging used in the international trade of goods and merchandise.
• PROY-NOM-189-SSA1 / SCFI-2016, Establishing specification for packaging and labeling household cleaning products.

RESTRICTED SUBSTANCES

• Chamber of Deputies bill amending the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection to prohibit the application of lead paint in certain use circumstances.

WASTE

• Chamber of Deputies bill amending the General Law for the Prevention and Integrated Management of Wastes to introduce as a principle and for purpose of the public utility, the use of urban solid waste for the generation of electric power.
• Chamber of Deputies bill regulating the import and sale of dry cell batteries.

WATER

• Draft modifications to PROY-NOM-008-CONAGUA-2017, Establishing specifications and test methods for showers used for body cleaning.

PERU

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Unicameral Congress approves Draft Framework Law on Climate Change. (article)

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