The State environmental Service (SES) is a direct administration institution under the supervision of the Minister for Climate and Energy.
The SES was established on 1 January 2005.
The purpose of the operation of the SFS is to ensure that the laws and regulations in the field of environmental protection, radiation safety and nuclear safety and the use of natural resources are observed, as well as to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and energy.
SES has the following functions:
- to perform State control of environmental protection and utilisation of natural resources in the territory of Latvia, the continental shelf and the economic zone of the Republic of Latvia of the Baltic Sea in accordance with the procedures specified in regulatory enactments regulating environmental protection;
- control fishing carried out by Latvian fishing vessels in international waters of European Union Member States, non-European Union countries and international waters in accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and regulations governing fishing;
- to perform supervision and control of radiation safety and nuclear safety in accordance with the procedures specified in regulatory enactments regulating radiation safety and nuclear safety.
The SES shall perform the tasks specified in the regulatory enactments regulating environmental protection, as well as:
- control compliance with the requirements specified in regulatory enactments regarding extraction and utilisation of natural resources, nature protection, emission of pollutants into the environment, management of hazardous and municipal waste, management of packaging waste, activities with chemical substances and mixtures, as well as regarding radiation safety and nuclear safety;
- permits (licences), technical regulations and other administrative enactments for the use of natural resources and the performance of polluting activities shall be issued and co-ordinated in accordance with the procedures specified in regulatory enactments regulating environmental protection and radiation safety and nuclear safety;
- inform the public regarding the activities of the Service and provide environmental information at the disposal of the Service to the public;
- participates in emergency management;
- organise air monitoring and monitoring of surface and groundwater within the framework of projects financed by European Union funds;
- organise remediation of historically contaminated sites;
In order to ensure the performance of functions and tasks, the SES shall:
- co - operate with other direct administration institutions, local governments and their institutions, non-governmental organisations, institutions of other countries and international organisations, as well as participate in transnational co-operation programmes and projects in accordance with the competence thereof;
- is entitled to request and receive free of charge from State and local government institutions, as well as in cases specified in external regulatory enactments from private individuals the information and documents necessary for the performance of service tasks;
- is entitled to inspect compliance with regulatory enactments regarding environmental protection and utilisation of natural resources at any establishment;
- make proposals for the development of draft laws and regulations
The by-law of the State environmental Service was adopted on 23 November 2004 and entered into force on 1 January 2005.