The Regional Environment Inspectorate, hereinafter referred as IRA, was created by Regional Regulatory Decree nº 13/2007/A, of May 16 and was established in February 2008. Since that date, the IRA has undergone some changes in its structure organic, as well as in the assigned competencies.
Currently, the IRA is a service of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action (SRAAC), as provided for by Regional Regulatory Decree No. 3/2024/A, of April 11, which approves the organization of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores. The IRA is governed by SRAAC organic, published by Regional Regulatory Decree nº 14/2024/A, of October 21, which defines it as a service endowed with administrative autonomy.
IRA's mission is to ensure compliance with legality in the areas of environmental quality, waste management, conservation of nature and biodiversity, water resources, without prejudice to the specific competencies of other services.
The IRA is responsible for:
a) Ensure that inspection actions are carried out to verify compliance with legal and regulatory standards in matters of environmental impact, waste, nature conservation, as well as water resources, in establishments, spaces, locations or activities subject to them, without prejudice to the competences of other services;
b) Perform the functions of supervisory authority for radiological protection and monitoring of indoor air quality in buildings, in accordance with the applicable legislation in force;
c) Issue technical opinions and recommendations to those responsible for establishments, locations or activities focusing on the assigned areas of competence;
d) Notify those responsible, within the scope of the inspection actions carried out and other functions performed, so that, within a certain period, they adopt measures to prevent, correct or eliminate situations of serious danger to health, safety of people, property and the environment environment, as well as other measures aimed at complying with legislation in the assigned areas of competence;
e) Initiate, instruct and decide environmental infringement proceedings, in relation to infractions of which it becomes aware, in accordance with the legislation relating to administrative environmental infractions, as well as in other cases provided for by law, in the assigned areas of competence;
f) Propose or order the embargo and demolition of works, as well as put an end to other actions carried out, in disagreement with the legal norms affecting the areas of respective competence;
g) Develop the diagnosis of situations of environmental vulnerability and propose preventive measures to combat them;
h) Issue an opinion on draft legal and regulatory diplomas focusing on the fields of its mission, as well as prepare studies of a legal nature that aim at the coherence and rationality of the various diplomas in the areas of its competence;
i) Ensure the performance of other tasks that, within the scope of their area of competence, are delegated, distributed or committed under their responsibility.
Constitutive Documents:
Regional Regulatory Decree No. 14/2024/A, of October 21st
Approves the organizational structure and management staff of the Regional Secretariat for Environment and Climate Action