Pollution Control Act

The Pollution Control Act of 1981 establishes a legislative framework to protect the outdoor environment against pollution and to reduce existing pollution, to reduce the quantity of waste and to promote better waste management. The Act applies to sources of pollution and of waste within the realm, to any threat of pollution within the realm and to sources of pollution or any threat of pollution within the Economic Zone of Norway if the source of pollution is a Norwegian vessel or installation, or otherwise to the extent decided by the King. It also applies to exploration for and production and utilization of natural subsea resources on the Norwegian part of the continental shelf, including decommissioning of facilities.
§ 9. The pollution control authority may:

• establish emission limit values or complete or partial prohibition for different types of pollution;
• establish threshold limit values for the different types of pollution and the measures that shall be taken if these values are exceeded;
• regulate how permanent and temporary installations are constructed and managed to prevent pollution;
• establish quality requirements for pollution control equipment; and
• require that personnel operating an enterprise that may involve pollution have specific qualifications. 

§ 11. The pollution control authority may on application issue a permit for any activity that may lead to pollution.
§ 13. Any person planning any activity that may involve major pollution problems must notify the pollution control authority and carry out a public environmental impact assessment. 
§ 15. When an environmental impact statement is available, the pollution control authority and the applicant shall hold a public hearing to discuss the possible pollution impact of the activity. 

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