This guide is to be used by literate community members to tell community people about how they can have their say on projects that affect them and their environment, such as mining, agriculture, or forestry projects. The guide also talks about the laws that protect the environment (Environmental Protection Agency Act of 2002, the Environment Protection and Management Law of 2003, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedural Guidelines of 2006).
The guide will help local people to know how the EIA Permit process works. They will get to learn about what they can do in the EIA process. They will also learn about the role of other groups such as the government and NGOs.
Members of local communities often know very much about places and resources that are important to them. They also may have a way of knowing how project activities can affect the water, land, forest and air around them. The constitution of Liberia and EPA’s laws allows for people to work with the Government so that their concerns are considered in the EPA permit process. This guide is intended to help community people work with companies and the Government to make sure that their environment is protected during and after companies operation.