240213002816 - Application for an Environmental Clearance Certificate for the Continued Operation of the Existing Ekwatho Service Station, Oshivelo, Oshikoto Region

Following the discovery that most fuel stations were built before the Environmental Management Act No. 7 of 2007 and its Environmental Assessment Regulations of 2012 was promulgated, efforts are being made to comply with Namibian environmental laws. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism: Department of Environmental Affairs (MET: DEA) requires that Engen Namibia (Pty) Ltd obtain an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) for its fuel facilities. Engen Namibia (Pty) Ltd has thus embarked on the process of regularizing all of its fuel retail service stations throughout the country. Engen submitted an application for an Environmental Clearacence Certificate for the Ekwatho Service Station in 2017. The accompanying assessment carried out then found that the service station was not complying to environmental pollution control, and that major installation upgrading and control measures were to be implemented. It is against this background that the application for the ECC was not approved by the Environmental Commissioner with the recommendation and advise to commission the upgrades and re-submit the application. Engen Namibia (Pty) Ltd has subsequently embarked on an extensive upgrading project for the installations to be in accordance with applicable SABS/SANS. standards, Namibian legislation of petroleum and fuel retail facilities as well as Engen site guidelines. The work covered all major defects pointed out earlier. Engen has now appointed Environam Consultants Trading (ECT) to re-submit the application for the ECC on its behalf