The National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill (the Bill) was introduced and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs (the Portfolio Committee), on 6 May 2012. The Bill is a composite amendment Bill, which seeks to amend five pieces of environmental legislation, namely the National Environmental Management Act, 1998, Act No.107 of 1998 (NEMA); the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004, Act No.10 of 2004 (NEMBA); the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004, Act No. 39 of 2004 (NEM:AIR QUALITY); the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Act, 2008, Act No. 62 of 2008 (NEMLA); and the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Amendment Act, 2003, Act No. 57 of 2009 (NEM: