Uprawnienia starosty w zakresie ochrony środowiska
Permissions of the District Governor for Environmental Protection

Summary/Abstract: The administrative reform, which entered into force on 1 January 1999, introduced a three-tier administrative division of Poland into: commune, district, province. The aim of the reform was to reduce the number of provinces from 49 to 16 and restore districts (liquidated in 1975). In accordance with the Act of 5 June 1998 on district self-government (OJ 1998 No. 91 item 578) district authorities are: district council and district administration. The position of chairman of the district administration has been entrusted to the district governor, who, although not an organ of the district according to the aforementioned act, has been recognized as an organ from the functional side. Many acts of a statutory rank of a particular nature entrust the district governor numerous competences and provide the ability to carry out activities directly affecting environmental protection. His powers can be mentioned here in the scope of: waste management, building law, spatial planning and management, geology and mining, as well as hunting and inland fishing law. The position of the district governor as an environmental protection authority is identified by the act of 27 April 2001, the environmental protection law. The role of district governor in the scope of: water, air and soil protection against pollution is particularly important for ensuring the conservation of the Earth's natural resources in a non-deteriorated condition. The constitutional principle of environmental protection imposes on the public authorities the obligation to care for the environment. The maintenance of current natural resources and the protection of agricultural and forest land against pollution is only possible in the prevention of negative effects of environmental degradation affecting the health of humans and animals. The aim of this paper is to present the powers of the district governor as a district organ in the field of environmental protection.

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