Penalties for environmental pollution rise by degree of magnitude in Russia

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 8, 2013) Penalties for violating the rules of water use and harmful emissions in Russia, which aim to stimulate energy conservation and environmentally clean technologies, have grown by a degree of magnitude, the Russian Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said in a press release.

The administrative fine for violating water use rules when taking water without water withdrawals and when discharging wastewater into water bodies has risen from 1,500-2,000 rubles to 10,000-20,000 rubles for officials. Entrepreneurs will pay 20,000-30,000 rubles for violating these rules, instead of the previous 1,500-2,000 rubles. The fine for corporations has skyrocketed by 400%-700% to 80,000-100,000 rubles.

The administrative penalty for harmful emissions into the atmosphere has been raised 900% to 40,000-50,000 rubles for officials, 50-fold to 30,000-50,000 rubles for entrepreneurs and 400% to 180,000-250,000 rubles for corporations.

For violating the terms of special harmful emission permits, officials will now pay a fine of 10,000-20,000 rubles instead of 3,000-4,000 rubles, while corporations will have to pay 80,000-100,000 rubles instead of 30,000-40,000 rubles.

Entrepreneurs who engage in economic activity without legal personality will also be asked to pay an administrative fine for violating these special permits. For them, the penalty will range from 30,000 to 50,000 rubles.

These higher penalties are enshrined in a federal law drafted by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and later refined jointly with State Duma deputies and signed by President Vladimir Putin.