This Law shall regulate public relations in the environmental protection field, define the main rights and duties of legal and natural persons preserving biological diversity characteristic to the Republic of Lithuania, ecological systems and landscape, ensuring healthy and clean environment, rational use of natural resources in the Republic of Lithuania, its territorial waters, continental shelf and economic zone (art. 2).
The text of this Act is divided into 8 Chapters: General provisions (I); Rights and duties of citizens and public organizations of the Republic of Lithuania (II); Use and registration of natural resources (III); Regulation of economic activities (IV); System for monitoring the condition of the environment and for limiting negative environmental impacts (V); The economic mechanism of environmental protection (VI); The state control of environmental protection and liability (VII); International cooperation of the Republic of Lithuania in the field of the environmental protection (VIII).
Chapter I sets forth the objectives and principles of the Law, and describes the institutions responsible for its implementation. The Law is intended to guarantee the right of Lithuanians to a healthy and safe environment, the harmonic development of society and nature, and the preservation of species and habitats. All other laws regarding environment or natural resources are to be adopted on the basis of this Law. Overall policy goals are to be set by the Supreme Council of the Republic, while the administration of environmental protection is vested, "pursuant to their competence," in (i) the Department of Environmental Protection (DOEP), (ii) the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (presumably referring to government bodies other than the Department of Environmental Protection, although this is not specified), and (iii) Local Governments. Functions for each of these bodies are listed. Chapter II establishes the rights and duties of citizens and public organizations. These include public rights to relevant information, to participation and to insist that laws are enforced, and concomitant obligations on the state to guarantee the rights of citizens and public organizations. Chapter III deals with the utilization and registration of natural resources.
Among other provisions, it imposes an obligation on the users of natural resources to evaluate the environmental impact of use, to take measures to eliminate and mitigate such impacts and to "redeem the damages caused by unlawful activities which have hazardously affected the environment". Chapter IV is entitled "Regulations of Economic Activities". It requires the preparation of an environmental impact assessment prior to the issuance of state approval to engage in "economic activities". Construction projects will require "project documentation", setting forth rational use plans for natural resources and plans for complying with environmental quality norms. Operation of the project must be in compliance with the approved plans. Special rules are set forth concerning toxic chemicals, radioactive matter, microorganisms, waste management, and emergency situations. Chapter V deals with monitoring, and Chapter VI addresses various financing mechanisms to be used in environmental regulation, including the establishment of a State Fund for Environmental Protection. Such mechanisms are not established by the Law itself, but are listed as the appropriate focus of future laws and regulations. Subsequent chapters deal with compensation and international cooperation.