Authority to audit logging sites

THE Conservation and Environment Protections Authority (Cepa) will be conducting audits on logging sites to assess whether operations are meeting requirements of permits.
Minster for Environment and Conservation Wera Mori said they would be working with the Forest Authority to fund the operation.
Mori said the areas for assessment included Northern, Western, New Ireland and West New Britain.
“Logging has been a great concern not only by provincial governments but also from a lot of citizens of this country from all walks of life,” he said.
“My department is responsible for managing the permits that includes the granting and managing and auditing the permits to ensure that all operators of logging companies in this country operate within the permits.
“We will soon, as funding becomes available, be visiting a lot of provinces and if need be, we are going to withdraw their permits if they don’t operate within the requirements outlined in their permits.
“Our staff will now start making visitations to project sites where logging is taking place.”
Mori said there were issues raised about the project site management bill which he had assured the country would be tabled in Parliament.
“What we are doing now is to ride on that and we are putting a trust fund to ensure that all funds received will be kept in trust funds so that we can manage and support a lot of the conservation areas.”