Law 14.595/23 was published today, which establishes new deadlines and conditions for joining the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA). According to the current provisions, owners and possessors of rural properties with an area above four fiscal modules, who register them in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) by December 31, 2023, will be able to join the PRA.
The CAR consists of a nationwide electronic public registry, mandatory for all rural properties, with the purpose of integrating environmental information on rural properties and possessions.
It is important to highlight that the registration of the rural property in the CAR is a mandatory condition for entry into the PRA. Adherence to the program must be requested by the owner or possessor of the rural property within one year from notification by the competent body.
Furthermore, in the period between the publication of Law 14.595/23 and the expiration of the period for the interested party to join the PRA, there will be no fines for irregular suppression of vegetation in areas of permanent preservation, legal reserves or areas of restricted use. This is provided that the term of commitment signed when joining the program is being fulfilled.
Other provisions that appeared in the text approved by the National Congress were vetoed by the President of the Republic. These vetoes can be rejected by parliamentarians, as long as it is by the will of the absolute majority among deputies and senators. This vote takes place in a joint session, but the votes are tallied in one of the legislative houses.
Legal definitions:
• Permanent Preservation Area - APP: protected area, covered or not by native vegetation, with the environmental function of preserving water resources, the landscape, geological stability and biodiversity, facilitating the gene flow of fauna and flora, protecting the soil and ensuring the well-being of populations human.
• Legal reserve: area located within a rural property or possession, delimited under the terms of art. 12, with the function of ensuring the sustainable economic use of the natural resources of the rural property, assisting the conservation and rehabilitation of ecological processes and promoting the conservation of biodiversity, as well as the shelter and protection of wild fauna and native flora .
• Restricted use areas: wetlands and swamp plains; and areas with a slope between 25º and 45º.
Find out more about CAR
The Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) is an electronic public registry, mandatory for all rural properties in Brazil, established by Law 12.651/12.
The main objective of the CAR is to create an environmental census of the country, providing a detailed view of land use and vegetation cover in rural properties. Using the data provided by rural landowners, the government can plan strategies for environmental conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
The registration process requires the owner to provide detailed information about the property, including the delimitation of permanent preservation areas (APP), legal reserve (RL), forest remnants and other forms of native vegetation, in addition to consolidated areas. This information is analyzed and validated by competent environmental bodies.
It is worth mentioning that registration with the CAR is a mandatory condition for rural landowners to join the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA).
Find out more about PRA
The Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) is an initiative established by Law 12.651/12, popularly known as the Forest Code. The main objective of the PRA is to establish guidelines and procedures for the recovery of degraded areas and the regularization of permanent preservation areas (APPs), legal reserves (RL) and restricted use.
Owners of rural properties who illegally deforested until July 22, 2008 have the opportunity to join the program. Through the PRA, they are committed to recovering native vegetation in these areas, contributing to the recovery of ecosystems and environmental sustainability.
The Environmental Regularization program is implemented at the state level, following general guidelines defined at the federal level. Rural owners who join the PRA have access to benefits such as the suspension of sanctions, the possibility of regularizing their land status and access to rural credit. Furthermore, the program offers technical and financial support to carry out environmental recovery actions.