Licenciamento ambiental municipal no Estado da Paraíba: análise da região da sub-bacia do Rio Espinharas.

Abstract

Environmental licensing is an instrument established by the National Environmental Protection Agency (PNMA) used by public authorities to control and mitigate the environmental impact of potentially polluting activities. The role of municipalities in decentralizing this tool is secondary and lacks encouragement. In Paraíba, few municipalities are effectively responsible for environmental governance, including the licensing of activities with local impact. Based on the importance of municipalities as protagonists in environmental preservation and protection, the objective of this study was to analyze the model of municipalization of environmental licensing in the Espinharas River sub-basin region, highlighting its contribution to its expansion to other municipalities in Paraíba. The methodology used consisted of the legal interpretation of State Deliberation No. 5302/2022, of the Paraíba Environmental Protection Council, and Municipal Law No. 4064/2011, along with observation and application of forms within the environmental agency under investigation. The primary data were interpreted in light of Bardin's content analysis, using categorical analysis, which consists of three phases: organizing the analysis, coding, categorizing and processing the results, and inference and interpretation. The results indicated the need to improve state legislation regarding oversight of municipalities involved in licensing. The municipal law regulating environmental licensing needs to be updated and aligned with the provisions of other entities. Problems were identified in the municipality under study, such as the lack of a multidisciplinary team, as required by law, to work on licensing and inspection; the lack of a computerized environmental information system; limited training for technical staff; salary devaluation; and the lack of a job and salary plan for permanent professionals; and the lack of monitoring of all conditions for issued licenses. Based on the research, changes were proposed to the organization and management of the institution under study, as well as the formation of an intermunicipal public consortium with all municipalities in the region to work on environmental licensing and inspection.