By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, May 6, 2026: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to responsible investment while cautioning against projects that harm the environment, jeopardize public health, exploit communities, or ignore legal requirements.
The agency said environmental compliance is not a barrier to investment; rather, it is a condition for sustainable investment. It added that companies that comply with environmental regulations will find in the EPA a professional regulator, while those that violate the law will face enforcement actions.
The EPA noted that it is strengthening environmental governance in Liberia by improving enforcement, expanding monitoring, developing regulations, issuing corrective directives, requiring restoration, and increasing public access to environmental information.
According to the agency’s Executive Director, Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, in a statement issued on May 5, 2026, these actions are necessary because Liberia’s environment is one of the country’s greatest national assets.
He further stated that Liberia’s rivers, wetlands, forests, biodiversity, coastal zones, soils, and air are not merely natural resources but the foundation of public health, food security, livelihoods, climate resilience, and national development.
The EPA also called on all companies operating in Liberia to review their environmental permits, Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental and Social Management Plans, monitoring systems, emergency response procedures, wastewater treatment facilities, chemical management systems, tailings and waste storage arrangements, community engagement systems, and reporting obligations.
Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized that compliance should not begin after an incident, adding that it must be built into daily operations.
The EPA further urged communities to remain vigilant and report environmental violations. Community members are often the first to observe pollution, illegal mining, chemical spills, fish deaths, unusual water discoloration, dust, smoke, noise, land degradation, wetland destruction, and unsafe industrial activities.
The statement added that public reporting supports enforcement, but reports must be made responsibly and based on facts. The agency said it will continue working with county authorities, local leaders, civil society organizations, and national institutions to respond to credible reports.
Addressing the Liberian people, Dr. Yarkpawolo said, “The environment belongs to all of us, and protecting it requires government action, corporate responsibility, community vigilance, and public cooperation. The EPA will continue to act with science, transparency, fairness, and firmness. We will continue to protect the rights of communities, safeguard ecosystems, and uphold the laws of the Republic of Liberia.”
