EPA PETROLEUM DEPARTMENT
An Authority dedicated to continuously improving and conserving the country environment.The EPA is an implementing Authority , a regulatory body and catalyst for change towards sound environmental stewardship.
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Years of Experience of Environmental Protection
The Environmental Protection Authority is the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in Ghana.
The Environmental Protection Authority is the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in Ghana. It’s our job to make sure that air, land and water are looked after by everyone in today’s society, so that tomorrow’s generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world. We have more than 30 years of history behind us. We have offices across Ghana working on and carrying out Government policy, inspecting and regulating businesses and reacting when there is an emergency such as a pollution incident. A 13-member board of directors, appointed by the President of Ghana, supervises our operations.
PREAMBLE With the advent of oil and gas development in Ghana, the EPA has created a Petroleum Department within its organizational set up at the Head Office to meet the challenges that this sector has brought. At the same time, the EPA is also strengthening its Western Regional office so as to keep up with the pace of development in that region due to the oil find in close proximity to the region. The purpose of these actions is to build environmental and social management capacity within EPA (as differentiated from the general (regular) regulatory / permitting mandate) The functions of the Petroleum Department include:
In view of the above, the Authority would need to enhance its human resource base and develop capacity of the staff to meet the environmental challenges associated with oil and gas development.
Our Mission
The Mission of the EPA is to co-manage, protect and enhance the country's environment in particular as well as seek common solutions to global environmental problems.
The mission of the Authority is generally to be achieved through an integrated environmental planning and management system established on a broad based public participation, efficient implementation of appropriate programmes and technical services; giving good council on environmental problems as well as effective and consistent enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. The EPA is an implementing Authority, a regulatory body and catalyst for change towards sound environmental stewardship.
The mission of the Authority is generally to be achieved through an integrated environmental planning and management system established on a broad based public participation, efficient implementation of appropriate programmes and technical services; giving good council on environmental problems as well as effective and consistent enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. The EPA is an implementing Authority, a regulatory body and catalyst for change towards sound environmental stewardship.
Our Vission
An Agency dedicated to continuously improving and conserving the countryfs environment. A country in which all sections of the community value the environment and strive to attain environmentally sustainable development, with sound and efficient resource management, taking into account social and equity issues.
1. UPSTREAM UNIT
This Unit shall be responsible for:
Receipts and approvals of applications for permit for bunkering, seismic surveys, drilling of wells, field development, production, transportation of crude, building of pipelines to transport bulk crude and gas in collaboration with EAA, Field Operations and CCMC. The UNIT shall also be responsible for development of checklists for inspections and monitoring of upstream petroleum operations and review of monitoring reports and other related reports
Receipts and approvals of applications for permit for bunkering, seismic surveys, drilling of wells, field development, production, transportation of crude, building of pipelines to transport bulk crude and gas in collaboration with EAA, Field Operations and CCMC. The UNIT shall also be responsible for development of checklists for inspections and monitoring of upstream petroleum operations and review of monitoring reports and other related reports
2. DOWNSTREAM UNIT
This Unit shall be responsible for:
Receipt and approvals for applications for permit for oil refining, power plants, gas processing plants, pipelines to transport refined petroleum products, LPG/LNG plants The Unit shall also develop checklist for monitoring and inspection of downstream petroleum operations
Receipt and approvals for applications for permit for oil refining, power plants, gas processing plants, pipelines to transport refined petroleum products, LPG/LNG plants The Unit shall also develop checklist for monitoring and inspection of downstream petroleum operations
3. DATA MANAGEMENT UNIT
- Effective environmental management will be facilitated by a modern environmental information management system (EIM). The Government of Norway through the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research is providing marine reconnaissance surveys to collect offshore environmental baseline data in an area of up to 1,300 meter depth and 60 nautical miles offshore. The EPA permits for oil and gas development require regular monitoring reports from the operators. These and other data sources, including historic data such as the EPA 2004 eEnvironmental Sensitivity Atlas of the Coastal Areas of Ghanaf, are critical in developing a composite understanding of the petroleum sector impacts in the area-of-influence. Local environmental information management capacity to collate, store and map data is critical to effective environmental management..
- Gathering, processing and management of petroleum related data.
- Update of environmental sensitivity database and maps
- Update of oil and gas website
- Liaise between the department, FO, EQ and EIDM on data generation, utilization and reporting
4. EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT
This Unit shall be responsible for:
The maintenance of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) and ensures that all actionable areas enumerated in the NOSCP for the Agency are implemented. It shall also ensure that all oil installations have their contingency plans prepared and have in stock adequate response equipment to handle spills emanating from their facilities. It shall also ensure rapid response to oil and gas related pollution emergency response.
The maintenance of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) and ensures that all actionable areas enumerated in the NOSCP for the Agency are implemented. It shall also ensure that all oil installations have their contingency plans prepared and have in stock adequate response equipment to handle spills emanating from their facilities. It shall also ensure rapid response to oil and gas related pollution emergency response.
WE ARE TRUE TO OURSELVES, AND COMMITTED TO ALWAYS PERFORM AT OUR BEST.
EPA's Corporate Objectives
EPA seeks to:
- Create awareness to mainstream environment into the development process at the national, regional, district and community levels;
- Ensure that the implementation of environmental policy and planning are integrated and consistent with the countryfs desire for effective, long-term maintenance of environmental quality;
- Ensure environmentally sound and efficient use of both renewable and nonrenewable resources in the process of national development;
- Guide development to prevent, reduce, and as far as possible, eliminate pollution and actions that lower the quality of life;
- To apply the legal processes in a fair, equitable manner to ensure responsible environmental behaviour in the country;
- Continuously improve EPAfs performance to meet changing environmental trends and community aspirations;
- Encourage and reward a commitment by all EPA staff to a culture based on continuous improvement and on working in partnership with all members of the Ghanaian community
- Continuously improve EPAfs performance to meet changing environmental trends and community aspirations;
- To apply the legal processes in a fair, equitable manner to ensure responsible environmental behaviour in the country;
- Guide development to prevent, reduce, and as far as possible, eliminate pollution and actions that lower the quality of life;
- Ensure environmentally sound and efficient use of both renewable and nonrenewable resources in the process of national development;
- Ensure that the implementation of environmental policy and planning are integrated and consistent with the countryfs desire for effective, long-term maintenance of environmental quality;
EPA's Regional Offices
We have offices in all the 10 administrative regions of Ghana. However, the Greater Accra Region has been divided into Accra West and Accra East due to concentration of Industries and other activities in the region. Likewise a zonal office has been created in the Western Region at Tarkwa due to the numerous mining activities in that area. These Regional Offices are:
- EPA Ashanti
- EPA Brong Ahafo
- EPA Central
- EPA Eastern
- EPA Accra East
- EPA Accra West
- EPA Northern
- EPA Upper East
- EPA Upper West
- EPA Volta
- EPA Western
- EPA Tarkwa
- EPA Western
- EPA Volta
- EPA Upper West
- EPA Upper East
- EPA Northern
- EPA Accra West
- EPA Accra East
- EPA Eastern
- EPA Central
- EPA Brong Ahafo
Statutory Function Of EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana, established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490), serves as a pivotal authority in safeguarding the nation’s environment. Here’s a concise overview of its key functions:
- Policy Advisory:Advises the government on environmental policies and recommends measures to protect the environment.
- Coordination: Bridges communication and activities between various environmental bodies and the Ministry, including managing industrial waste and pollution.
- Pollution Control: Issues permits, abatement notices, and standards to regulate air, water, land, and noise pollution while ensuring compliance with environmental impact assessments.
- Collaboration: Partners with local and international agencies to tackle environmental issues and share knowledge.
- Research & Education: Promotes research, studies, and public awareness campaigns to maintain ecological balance and emphasize the environment’s significance.
- Database Management:Develops and maintains a comprehensive environmental database for public information.
- Enforcement & Development: Imposes levies, conducts investigations, and oversees development projects to ensure environmental sustainability.
The EPA’s efforts reflect its commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Ghana.
- Enforcement & Development: Imposes levies, conducts investigations, and oversees development projects to ensure environmental sustainability.
- Database Management:Develops and maintains a comprehensive environmental database for public information.
- Research & Education: Promotes research, studies, and public awareness campaigns to maintain ecological balance and emphasize the environment’s significance.
- Collaboration: Partners with local and international agencies to tackle environmental issues and share knowledge.
- Pollution Control: Issues permits, abatement notices, and standards to regulate air, water, land, and noise pollution while ensuring compliance with environmental impact assessments.
- Coordination: Bridges communication and activities between various environmental bodies and the Ministry, including managing industrial waste and pollution.
