MINAS GERAIS ESTABLISHES NEW RULES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING
State Decree No. 49,298/2026, published on October 23, establishes transition rules for the application of the General Environmental Licensing Law (Federal Law No. 15,190/2025) in Minas Gerais and amends procedures set forth in state regulations.
Among the main changes, the following stand out:
▪️ TRANSITION RULES: maintenance of the currently applicable state procedures and classification criteria until the definition of the new typologies of activities subject to licensing, with immediate application of certain provisions of federal legislation.
▪️LICENSING EXEMPTION: provision for termination and filing of proceedings related to activities that become exempt, without prejudice to other environmental obligations and legally required authorizations.
▪️DEADLINES AND PROCEDURES: establishment of a deadline of up to four months to respond to requests for additional information, with the possibility of justified extension, in addition to the provision for administrative appeal against such requirements.
▪️LICENSES AND CONDITIONS: change in the validity periods of environmental licenses and provision for a specific procedure to request revision of conditions, including during the period of their applicability.
▪️CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP: regulation of the transfer or sharing of ownership of environmental licenses, with a 90-day deadline for filing the request, counted from the act that gave rise to it.
The decree also governs the application of the new rules to ongoing proceedings, provides for the resumption of proceedings suspended due to the requirement of a prior single permit for vegetation suppression in the Atlantic Forest biome, and preserves the validity of environmental licenses previously issued until the end of their respective terms, subject to the obligations applicable to them.
THE RULE ENTERS INTO FORCE 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION.
The changes represent a stage in adapting Minas Gerais environmental licensing to federal legislation. Their practical application requires attention to the transition rules and to the specific characteristics of each project and administrative proceeding.
