On Friday, August 14, there will be a regular meeting of the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management. Members of parliament will consider two draft laws, a resolution to appeal to the international community, as well as working issues.
This is stated in a notice on the website of the Environmental Committee.
Restoration of River Flow via New Regulations for Hydraulic Structures
The main document to be considered by the committee is draft law No. 15370-1 "On Amendments to the Water Code of Ukraine Regarding the Preservation of River Flow and Protection from Pollution." The draft was initiated by former Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko.
The document concerns hydraulic structures – their registration, inspection, and the procedure for demolition if they hinder the free flow of rivers and worsen their hydrological regime. In addition to changes and additions to definitions, the draft law introduces a separate article into the Water Code on restoring the free flow of rivers. It addresses the measures to be taken by the central authority, river inspections, and the procedure for demolishing ownerless hydraulic structures.
The Environmental Committee is also expected to provide its proposals on another document in this field – No. 15390 "On Amendments to the Civil Code of Ukraine Regarding the Acquisition of Ownership Rights to Ownerless Real Estate Objects That Hinder the Free Flow (Continuity) of Rivers, Worsen Their Hydrological Regime, and Morphological Conditions." This draft was initiated by the head of the Environmental Committee, Oleh Bondarenko.
Despite the rather comprehensive explanatory note, which offers similar motivation as the previous document, the text of the document proposes only to supplement Article 335 of the Civil Code with part 6. It states that "the specifics of acquiring ownership rights to ownerless real estate objects that hinder the free flow of rivers, worsen their hydrological regime and morphological conditions, shall be determined by law."
Development of Shelter Networks
The Environmental Committee of the Verkhovna Rada is also to provide its proposals regarding the draft resolution No. 15453. This document is an appeal to the parliaments and governments of foreign states, international organizations, and international parliamentary assemblies to join the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition in order to support the development of the infrastructure for the Civil Protection Shelter Fund in Ukraine. In essence, this is a call to join in financing the construction and modernization of shelters.
Additional Issues
During the meeting, parliamentarians plan to consider proposals for the agenda of the upcoming session of the Verkhovna Rada, as well as the work plan for the period of the 16th parliamentary session.
EcoPolitic reported that two new draft laws aimed at strengthening liability for environmental crimes had been registered on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. These drafts concern ecocide and violations of water resource protection regulations. The crime of ecocide entails liability up to life imprisonment.
