The National Environment and
Planning Agency (NEPA) has initiated a series of stakeholders’
consultations to protect and preserve Kingston Harbour. This is the
latest in a series of efforts to tackle the pollution problems in
the harbour, which is the seventh largest natural harbour in the
world.
Already the Agency has met
with management representatives of thirty-five of forty industrial
and commercial enterprises which operate within the vicinity of the
harbour. These meetings marked the first step in the implementation
of the latest Kingston Harbour Initiative.
The Agency is now conducting
in-depth site assessments to identify the environmental impacts of
these enterprises on the harbour and to make recommendations for
implementation of pollution prevention devices and procedures.
Twenty-two (22) site assessments have been completed and enforcement
action taken against three entities found to be operating in breach
of environmental standards with deleterious impact on the harbour.
Some of the major issues identified during the assessments included
inadequate secondary containment for hazardous materials and
inadequate procedures in place for spill management and emergency
response, while most of the entities were not in possession of Fire
Certificates from the Jamaica Fire Brigade. Based on the
assessments, the Agency will further mandate the entities to
implement relevant corrective and pollution prevention measures to
significantly reduce their impact on the harbour. Enterprises found
polluting the environment may be required to apply for Environmental
Permits and Licences.
This is the latest in a
series of efforts to tackle the pollution problems in the harbour.
The Agency through its Ecosystems Management and Protected Areas
Branches are conducting parallel activities to protect the fragile
ecosystem in the area, including the Palisadoes strip. To this end,
the Agency has been replanting mangroves along the Palisadoes strip,
on the harbour side and has plans to install mooring buoys. In the
long-term, the Kingtson Harbour Initiative will also include
strategies such as awareness building, urban planning and ecosystems
management.
