Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (Chairman Order No. 9) Central government portal www.gov.cn 2014-04-25 07:02 Source: Xinhua News Agency [Font: large, medium and small ]print this page share Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 24. Order of the President of the People's Republic of China No. 9 The "Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" has been revised and adopted by the Eighth Session of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on April 24, 2014. The revised "Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China" will now be revised. Announcement, effective from January 1, 2015. President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping April 24, 2014 Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (Adopted at the eleventh meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People's Congress on December 26, 1989, and revised at the eighth meeting of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People's Congress on April 24, 2014) content Chapter 1 General Provisions Chapter II Supervision and Administration Chapter 3 Protection and Improvement of the Environment Chapter 4 Prevention and Control of Pollution and Other Public Hazards Chapter V Information Disclosure and Public Participation Chapter VI Legal Liability Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions Chapter 1 General Provisions Article 1 This Law is formulated for the purpose of protecting and improving the environment, preventing and controlling pollution and other public hazards, safeguarding public health, promoting the construction of ecological civilization, and promoting sustainable economic and social development. Article 2 The term "environment" as used in this Law refers to the totality of various natural and artificially transformed natural factors that affect human survival and development, including atmosphere, water, ocean, land, minerals, forests, grasslands, wetlands, and wildlife. , natural relics, cultural relics, nature reserves, scenic spots, cities and villages, etc. Article 3 This Law shall apply to the territory of the People's Republic of China and other sea areas under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China. Article 4 The protection of the environment is the basic national policy of the country. The state adopts economic and technological policies and measures that are conducive to saving and recycling resources, protecting and improving the environment, and promoting harmony between man and nature, so as to coordinate economic and social development with environmental protection. Article 5 Environmental protection adheres to the principles of protection priority, prevention first, comprehensive management, public participation, and responsibility for damage. Article 6 All units and individuals have the obligation to protect the environment. Local people's governments at all levels shall be responsible for the environmental quality of their respective administrative regions. Enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators shall prevent and reduce environmental pollution and ecological damage, and shall be liable for the damages caused in accordance with the law. Citizens should enhance their awareness of environmental protection, adopt a low-carbon and frugal lifestyle, and consciously fulfill their environmental protection obligations. Article 7 The state supports the research, development and application of environmental protection science and technology, encourages the development of the environmental protection industry, promotes the construction of environmental protection informatization, and improves the level of environmental protection science and technology. Article 8 The people's governments at all levels shall increase the financial investment in protecting and improving the environment, preventing and controlling pollution and other public hazards, and improving the use efficiency of financial funds. Article 9 The people's governments at all levels shall strengthen the publicity and popularization of environmental protection, encourage grass- roots self-governing mass organizations, social organizations, and environmental protection volunteers to carry out publicity of environmental protection laws and regulations and environmental protection knowledge, so as to create a good atmosphere for environmental protection. Education administrative departments and schools shall incorporate environmental protection knowledge into school education content to cultivate students' awareness of environmental protection. The news media shall carry out publicity of environmental protection laws and regulations and environmental protection knowledge, and conduct public opinion supervision on environmental violations. Article 10 The competent department of environmental protection under the State Council shall exercise unified supervision and administration over the national environmental protection work; the competent department of environmental protection of the local people's governments at or above the county level shall exercise unified supervision and administration of the environmental protection work in their respective administrative regions. The relevant departments of the people's governments at or above the county level and the environmental protection departments of the military shall supervise and administer the environmental protection work such as resource protection and pollution prevention and control in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws. Article 11 The units and individuals who have made outstanding achievements in protecting and improving the environment shall be rewarded by the people's government. Article 12 Every June 5th is Environment Day. Chapter II Supervision and Administration Article 13 People's governments at or above the county level shall incorporate environmental protection work into their national economic and social development plans. The competent department of environmental protection under the State Council shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate a national environmental protection plan in accordance with the national economic and social development plan, submit it to the State Council for approval and publish it for implementation. The competent department of environmental protection of the local people's government at or above the county level shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate the environmental protection plan for its administrative region in accordance with the requirements of the national environmental protection plan, submit it to the people's government at the same level for approval, and promulgate it for implementation. The content of the environmental protection planning shall include the goals, tasks, safeguard measures, etc. of ecological protection and pollution prevention and control, and shall be linked with the planning of main functional areas, the overall planning of land use, and urban and rural planning. Article 14 The relevant departments of the State Council and the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, in formulating economic and technological policies, fully consider the impact on the environment and listen to the opinions of relevant parties and experts. Article 15 The competent department of environmental protection under the State Council shall formulate national environmental quality standards. The people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate local environmental quality standards for items not specified in the national environmental quality standards; standard. The local environmental quality standards shall be reported to the competent department of environmental protection under the State Council for the record. The state encourages the conduct of environmental benchmarking studies. Article 16 The competent department of environmental protection under the State Council shall formulate national pollutant discharge standards in accordance with national environmental quality standards and national economic and technical conditions. The people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate local pollutant discharge standards for items not specified in the national pollutant discharge standards; local pollutant discharge standards. The local pollutant discharge standards shall be reported to the competent environmental protection department of the State Council for the record. Article 17 The state establishes and improves the environmental monitoring system. The competent department of environmental protection under the State Council shall formulate monitoring specifications, organize monitoring networks in conjunction with relevant departments, make unified plans for the establishment of national environmental quality monitoring stations (points), establish monitoring data sharing mechanisms, and strengthen the management of environmental monitoring. The establishment of various environmental quality monitoring stations (points) in relevant industries and professions shall comply with the requirements of laws and regulations and monitoring specifications. Monitoring agencies shall use monitoring equipment that conforms to national standards and abide by monitoring norms. Monitoring agencies and their responsible persons are responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of monitoring data. Article 18 People's governments at or above the provincial level shall organize relevant departments or entrust professional institutions to investigate and evaluate environmental conditions, and establish a monitoring and early warning mechanism for environmental resource carrying capacity. Article 19 To formulate relevant development and utilization plans, and to construct projects that have an impact on the environment, an environmental impact assessment shall be carried out according to law. Development and utilization plans without environmental impact assessment according to law shall not be organized and implemented; construction projects without environmental impact assessment according to law shall not start construction. Article 20 The state establishes a coordination mechanism for joint prevention and control of environmental pollution and ecological damage in key regions and river basins across administrative regions, and implements unified planning, unified standards, unified monitoring, and unified prevention and control measures. The prevention and control of cross-administrative regional environmental pollution and ecological damage other than those specified in the preceding paragraph shall be resolved through coordination by the people's government at a higher level, or by the relevant local people's government through consultation. Article 21 The state adopts policies and measures in finance, taxation, price, government procurement, etc. to encourage and support the development of environmental protection industries such as environmental protection technology and equipment, comprehensive utilization of resources and environmental services. Article 22 If enterprises, public institutions and other producers and operators further reduce pollutant discharge on the basis that pollutant discharge meets statutory requirements, the people's government shall adopt policies and procedures in the areas of finance, taxation, price, government procurement, etc. in accordance with the law. measures to encourage and support. Article 23 In order to improve the environment, enterprises, institutions and other producers and business operators shall, in accordance with relevant regulations, change production, relocate or close down, the people's government shall support them. Article 24 The competent department of environmental protection of the people's government at or above the county level and its entrusted environmental supervision agencies and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management have the right to conduct on-site inspections of enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that discharge pollutants. Check. The inspected shall truthfully report the situation and provide necessary information. Departments, institutions and their staff members that conduct on-site inspections shall keep business secrets for the inspected. Article 25 Where enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators violate laws and regulations to discharge pollutants and cause or may cause serious pollution, the competent environmental protection department of the people's government at or above the county level and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall, The facilities and equipment that cause the discharge of pollutants can be sealed up and seized. Article 26 The state implements an environmental protection target responsibility system and an assessment and evaluation system. The people's government at or above the county level shall include the completion of environmental protection objectives into the assessment content of the departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management of the people's government at the same level and their responsible persons, and the people's governments at lower levels and their responsible persons, as an important basis for their assessment and evaluation. . The results of the assessment shall be made public to the public. Article 27 People's governments at or above the county level shall report to the people's congress at the same level or the standing committee of the people's congress on the environmental status and the completion of environmental protection goals every year, and shall promptly report to the standing committee of the people's congress at the same level in the event of major environmental incidents report and accept supervision in accordance with the law. Chapter 3 Protection and Improvement of the Environment Article 28 Local people's governments at all levels shall, in accordance with environmental protection objectives and governance tasks, take effective measures to improve environmental quality. The relevant local people's governments in key regions and river basins that have not met the national environmental quality standards shall formulate plans for meeting the standards within a time limit, and take measures to meet the standards on time. Article 29 The state delineates ecological protection red lines in key ecological function areas, ecologically sensitive areas and fragile areas, and implements strict protection. The people's governments at all levels are responsible for the representative areas of various types of natural ecosystems, the natural distribution areas of rare and endangered wild animals and plants, the important water conservation areas, the geological structures of great scientific and cultural value, the famous karst caves and the fossil distribution areas. , glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs and other natural relics, as well as cultural relics, ancient and famous trees, measures should be taken to protect them, and destruction is strictly prohibited. Article 30 The development and utilization of natural resources shall be developed rationally, biodiversity protection shall be ensured, ecological security shall be ensured, and relevant ecological protection, restoration and management plans shall be formulated and implemented in accordance with the law. The introduction of alien species and the research, development and utilization of biotechnology should take measures to prevent damage to biodiversity. Article 31 The state shall establish and improve the ecological protection compensation system. The state has increased financial transfer payments to ecologically protected areas. Relevant local people's governments shall implement ecological protection compensation funds to ensure that they are used for ecological protection compensation. The state guides the people's governments of beneficiary areas and ecological protection areas to make ecological protection compensation through consultation or in accordance with market rules. Article 32 The state strengthens the protection of the atmosphere, water, soil, etc., and establishes and improves the corresponding investigation, monitoring, evaluation and restoration systems. Article 33 The people's governments at all levels shall strengthen the protection of the agricultural environment, promote the use of new technologies for agricultural environmental protection, strengthen the monitoring and early warning of agricultural pollution sources, and coordinate relevant departments to take measures to prevent soil pollution and land desertification and salinization , barrenization, rocky desertification, land subsidence, and prevention and control of vegetation destruction, soil erosion, water eutrophication, water depletion, provenance extinction and other ecological disorders, and promote the comprehensive prevention and control of plant diseases and insect pests. The people's governments at the county and township levels shall improve the level of public services for rural environmental protection and promote comprehensive improvement of the rural environment. Article 34 The State Council and the coastal local people's governments at all levels shall strengthen the protection of the marine environment. The discharge of pollutants into the ocean, dumping of wastes, and construction of coastal and marine engineering shall comply with laws, regulations and relevant standards, and prevent and reduce pollution and damage to the marine environment. Article 35 Urban and rural construction shall combine the characteristics of the local natural environment, protect vegetation, water areas and natural landscapes, and strengthen the construction and management of urban gardens, green spaces and scenic spots. Article 36 The state encourages and guides citizens, legal persons and other organizations to use products and recycled products that are conducive to protecting the environment and reduce the generation of waste. State organs and other organizations using financial funds shall give priority to purchasing and using energy-saving, water-saving, material- saving and other products, equipment and facilities that are conducive to environmental protection. Article 37 Local people's governments at all levels shall take measures to organize the classified disposal and recycling of domestic waste. Article 38 Citizens shall abide by environmental protection laws and regulations, cooperate with the implementation of environmental protection measures, and classify and place domestic waste in accordance with regulations, so as to reduce the damage caused by daily life to the environment. Article 39 The state establishes and improves the environmental and health monitoring, investigation and risk assessment system; encourages and organizes research on the impact of environmental quality on public health, and takes measures to prevent and control diseases related to environmental pollution. Chapter 4 Prevention and Control of Pollution and Other Public Hazards Article 40 The state promotes cleaner production and resource recycling. Relevant departments of the State Council and local people's governments at all levels shall take measures to promote the production and use of clean energy. Enterprises should give priority to the use of clean energy, adopt processes and equipment with high resource utilization rate and low pollutant discharge, as well as comprehensive utilization technology of waste and harmless treatment technology of pollutants, so as to reduce the generation of pollutants. Article 41 The pollution prevention and control facilities in a construction project shall be designed, constructed and put into operation at the same time as the main project. Facilities for pollution prevention and control shall meet the requirements of the approved environmental impact assessment documents, and shall not be dismantled or left idle without authorization. Article 42 Enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that discharge pollutants shall take measures to prevent and control waste gas, waste water, waste residue, medical waste, dust, malodorous gas, radioactive substances and noise generated in production and construction or other activities , vibration, light radiation, electromagnetic radiation and other pollution and harm to the environment. Enterprises and institutions that discharge pollutants shall establish an environmental protection responsibility system to clarify the responsibilities of the person in charge of the unit and relevant personnel. Key pollutant discharge units shall install and use monitoring equipment in accordance with relevant state regulations and monitoring specifications, ensure the normal operation of monitoring equipment, and keep original monitoring records. It is strictly forbidden to illegally discharge pollutants by evading supervision through hidden pipes, seepage wells, seepage pits, perfusion or tampering or forging monitoring data, or abnormal operation of pollution prevention and control facilities. Article 43 Enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators that discharge pollutants shall pay pollutant discharge fees in accordance with relevant state regulations. Sewage discharge fees shall be used exclusively for the prevention and control of environmental pollution, and no unit or individual shall withhold, occupy or use it for other purposes. Where environmental protection tax is levied in accordance with the law, no pollution discharge fee shall be levied. Article 44 The state implements a total discharge control system for key pollutants. The key pollutant discharge total control indicators are issued by the State Council and implemented by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government. While implementing the national and local pollutant discharge standards, enterprises and institutions shall abide by the total discharge control indicators of key pollutants that have been decomposed and implemented to their own units. For areas that exceed the national key pollutant discharge total control targets or fail to meet the environmental quality targets set by the state, the environmental protection department of the people's government at or above the provincial level shall suspend the examination and approval of the environmental impact assessment of construction projects that add the total discharge of key pollutants. document. Article 45 The state implements a pollutant discharge permit management system in accordance with the law. Enterprises, institutions, and other producers and operators that implement pollutant discharge permit management shall discharge pollutants in accordance with the requirements of the pollutant discharge permit; those without a pollutant discharge permit shall not discharge pollutants. Article 46 The state implements an elimination system for processes, equipment and products that seriously pollute the environment. No unit or individual may produce, sell or transfer or use processes, equipment and products that seriously pollute the environment. The introduction of technologies, equipment, materials and products that do not comply with my country's environmental protection regulations is prohibited. Article 47 The people's governments at all levels and their relevant departments and enterprises and institutions shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Emergency Response Law of the People's Republic of China, do a good job in risk control, emergency preparedness, emergency response and post-mortem environmental emergencies. recovery etc. The people's government at or above the county level shall establish a public monitoring and early warning mechanism for environmental pollution, and organize the formulation of early warning plans; when the environment is polluted and may affect public health and environmental safety, it shall publish early warning information in a timely manner in accordance with the law, and initiate emergency measures. Enterprises and institutions shall formulate contingency plans for environmental emergencies in accordance with relevant state regulations, and report them to the competent environmental protection department and relevant departments for the record. When environmental emergencies occur or may occur, enterprises and institutions shall take immediate measures to deal with them, promptly notify the units and residents who may be endangered, and report to the competent department of environmental protection and relevant departments. After the emergency response to an environmental emergency is over, the relevant people's government shall immediately organize an assessment of the environmental impact and loss caused by the incident, and promptly announce the assessment results to the public. Article 48 The production, storage, transportation, sale, use and disposal of chemicals and articles containing radioactive substances shall comply with relevant state regulations to prevent environmental pollution. Article 49 The people's governments at all levels and their agriculture and other relevant departments and institutions shall guide agricultural producers and operators to scientifically plant and breed, scientifically and rationally apply agricultural inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers, and scientifically dispose of agricultural film, crop straws and other agricultural wastes. , to prevent agricultural non-point source pollution. It is forbidden to apply solid waste and waste water that do not meet agricultural standards and environmental protection standards into farmland. When applying agricultural inputs such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers and irrigating, measures shall be taken to prevent heavy metals and other toxic and harmful substances from polluting the environment. The site selection, construction and management of livestock and poultry farms, breeding communities, and designated slaughtering enterprises shall comply with relevant laws and regulations. Units and individuals engaged in livestock and poultry breeding and slaughtering shall take measures to scientifically dispose of livestock and poultry manure, corpses, sewage and other wastes to prevent environmental pollution. The people's government at the county level is responsible for organizing the disposal of rural domestic waste. Article 50 The people's governments at all levels shall allocate funds in their financial budgets to support the protection of rural drinking water sources, the treatment of domestic sewage and other wastes, the prevention and control of pollution from livestock and poultry breeding and slaughtering, the prevention and control of soil pollution, and the control of industrial and mining pollution in rural areas. Protection work. Article 51 The people's governments at all levels shall coordinate the construction of urban and rural sewage treatment facilities and supporting pipeline networks, environmental sanitation facilities such as the collection, transportation and disposal of solid wastes, facilities and sites for centralized disposal of hazardous wastes and other public facilities for environmental protection, and guarantee It works normally. Article 52 The state encourages taking out environmental pollution liability insurance. Chapter V Information Disclosure and Public Participation Article 53 Citizens, legal persons and other organizations have the right to obtain environmental information, participate in and supervise environmental protection in accordance with the law. The competent environmental protection departments of the people's governments at all levels and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall disclose environmental information in accordance with the law, improve the procedures for public participation, and provide convenience for citizens, legal persons and other organizations to participate in and supervise environmental protection. Article 54 The competent department of environmental protection under the State Council shall uniformly release the national environmental quality, monitoring information on key pollution sources and other major environmental information. The competent environmental protection departments of the people's governments at or above the provincial level regularly issue bulletins on environmental conditions. The competent environmental protection department of the people's government at or above the county level and other departments with the responsibility of environmental protection supervision and management shall disclose the environmental quality, environmental monitoring, environmental emergencies, environmental administrative licensing, administrative penalties, collection and use of pollutant discharge fees, etc. in accordance with the law. information. The competent environmental protection department of the local people's government at or above the county level and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall record the environmental violation information of enterprises, institutions and other producers and operators in the social integrity file, and promptly publish the list of violators to the public. Article 55 Key pollutant discharging entities shall truthfully disclose to the public the names of their main pollutants, discharge methods, discharge concentration and total amount, conditions of excessive discharge, as well as the construction and operation of pollution prevention and control facilities, and accept social supervision. Article 56 For a construction project for which an environmental impact report should be prepared according to law, the construction unit shall explain the situation to the potentially affected public and fully solicit opinions during the preparation. The department responsible for examining and approving the environmental impact assessment documents of the construction project shall, after receiving the environmental impact report of the construction project, disclose the full text of the report, except for matters involving state secrets and commercial secrets; if it is found that the construction project has not fully solicited public opinions, it shall instruct the construction unit to solicit public opinions. public opinion. Article 57 Citizens, legal persons and other organizations have the right to report to the competent environmental protection department or other department responsible for environmental protection supervision and management if they discover that any unit or individual is polluting the environment and destroying the ecology. Citizens, legal persons and other organizations have the right to report to their higher-level organs or supervisory organs if they find that local people's governments at all levels, competent environmental protection departments of people's governments at or above the county level, and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management fail to perform their duties in accordance with the law. The organ that accepts the whistleblower shall keep the relevant information of the whistleblower confidential and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the whistleblower. Article 58 For acts that pollute the environment, damage the ecology, and damage the public interests, social organizations that meet the following conditions may file a lawsuit in the people's court: (1) Register with the civil affairs department of the people's government at or above the city level with districts in accordance with the law; (2) Specialize in environmental protection public welfare activities for more than five consecutive years and have no illegal records. If a social organization that meets the provisions of the preceding paragraph files a lawsuit with the people's court, the people's court shall accept it according to law. A social organization that files a lawsuit shall not seek economic benefits through the lawsuit. Chapter VI Legal Liability Article 59 If enterprises, public institutions and other producers and operators illegally discharge pollutants and are fined and ordered to make corrections, if they refuse to make corrections, the administrative organ that makes the punishment decision according to law may, from the day following the day when the order to make corrections, be made in accordance with the law. The original penalty amount shall be punished continuously on a daily basis. The fines and penalties prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations in accordance with the provisions determined by factors such as the operating costs of pollution prevention and control facilities, direct losses or illegal gains caused by illegal acts. Local regulations may, according to the actual needs of environmental protection, increase the types of illegal acts that are punished continuously on a daily basis as specified in the first paragraph. Article 60 If enterprises, public institutions and other producers and business operators discharge pollutants in excess of the pollutant discharge standards or the total emission control indicators of key pollutants, the competent environmental protection department of the people's government at or above the county level may order them to take measures to restrict production or suspend production for rectification. and other measures; if the circumstances are serious, it shall be reported to the people's government that has the power to approve and shall be ordered to suspend business or close down. Article 61 If the construction unit starts construction without submitting the environmental impact assessment documents of the construction project according to the law or the environmental impact assessment documents are not approved, the department responsible for environmental protection supervision and management shall order it to stop the construction, impose a fine, and may order Restore. Article 62 If a key pollutant discharging unit does not disclose or does not disclose environmental information in violation of the provisions of this Law, the competent environmental protection department of the local people's government at or above the county level shall order it to disclose it, impose a fine, and make an announcement. Article 63 If an enterprise, public institution or other producer or business operator commits any of the following acts, which does not constitute a crime, in addition to being punished in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, the competent department of environmental protection of the people's government at or above the county level or other relevant departments shall punish the The case is transferred to the public security organ, and the person in charge and other persons directly responsible for it shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days; if the circumstances are relatively minor, it shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days: (1) The construction project fails to carry out environmental impact assessment according to law, and is ordered to stop construction and refuses to implement it; (2) Violating legal provisions, discharging pollutants without obtaining a pollutant discharge permit, and being ordered to stop discharging pollutants and refusing to execute; (3) Illegal discharge of pollutants by means of evading supervision through hidden pipes, seepage wells, seepage pits, perfusion, or tampering with or forging monitoring data, or by abnormal operation of pollution prevention and control facilities; (4) Production and use of pesticides whose production and use are expressly prohibited by the state, were ordered to make corrections, and refused to make corrections. Article 64 Anyone who causes damage due to environmental pollution and ecological destruction shall bear tort liability in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Tort Liability Law of the People's Republic of China. Article 65 Environmental impact assessment institutions, environmental monitoring institutions, and institutions engaged in the maintenance and operation of environmental monitoring equipment and pollution prevention and control facilities, commit fraud in relevant environmental service activities, and are responsible for the environmental pollution and ecological damage caused, except for In addition to being punished in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, they shall also bear joint and several liability with other responsible persons for causing environmental pollution and ecological damage. Article 66 The limitation period for filing a lawsuit for environmental damage compensation is three years, calculated from the time the party knows or should know that he has suffered damage. Article 67 The people's government at a higher level and its competent department of environmental protection shall strengthen the supervision over the environmental protection work of the people's government at a lower level and its relevant departments. Where relevant staff members are found to have violated the law and should be given sanctions in accordance with the law, a sanction recommendation shall be made to their appointment and removal authority or the supervisory authority. Where administrative penalties should be imposed in accordance with the law, but the relevant environmental protection departments do not impose administrative penalties, the environmental protection departments of the people's government at a higher level may directly make a decision on administrative penalties. Article 68 If the local people's governments at all levels, the competent departments of environmental protection of the people's governments at or above the county level, and other departments responsible for environmental protection supervision and management commit any of the following acts, the directly responsible persons in charge and other directly responsible persons shall be given penalties. Demerits, major demerits, or demotions are punished; if serious consequences are caused, the punishment of dismissal or dismissal shall be given, and the person in charge shall take the blame and resign: (1) granting an administrative license that does not meet the administrative licensing conditions; (2) Covering up environmental violations; (3) Failing to make a decision to order the suspension of business or closure according to law; (4) Failure to promptly investigate and deal with acts such as discharging pollutants in excess of the standard, discharging pollutants by evading supervision, causing environmental accidents, or failing to implement ecological protection measures and causing ecological damage; (5) Violating the provisions of this Law by sealing up or detaining the facilities and equipment of enterprises, public institutions and other producers and operators; (6) tampering, forging or instigating the tampering or forging of monitoring data; (7) Environmental information that should be disclosed in accordance with the law but has not been disclosed; (8) Withholding, occupying or diverting the levied sewage charges for other purposes; (9) Other illegal acts stipulated by laws and regulations. Article 69 Whoever violates the provisions of this Law and constitutes a crime shall be investigated for criminal responsibility according to law. Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions Article 70 This Law shall come into force on January 1, 2015.