SEMARNAT simplifies procedures and issues new forms to be used for submitting applications in Mexico

Galicia - El 24 de abril de 2025 se publica el «Acuerdo por el que se hacen públicas las medidas de simplificación administrativa aplicadas y se emiten y modifican los formatos de los procedimientos a cargo de la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (el "Acuerdo"). Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales se emiten y modifican» (el "Acuerdo") fue publicado en el Diario Oficial de la Federación (el «DOF»). El Acuerdo alienta a los interesados a optar por las notificaciones electrónicas y pretende reducir el uso de papel al permitir que la documentación se presente a través de medios electrónicos (por ejemplo, USB). Asimismo, proporciona los formatos actualizados que deberán utilizarse para la presentación de solicitudes ante la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT). Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales) («SEMARNAT»).

In this regard, the implications and scope of the Agreement are outlined below:

I. New application forms
Within 15 business days from the publication of the Agreement in the DOF, that is, as of May 9, 2025, interested parties must use the new forms for the following procedures:
▪ Authorization for the exploitation of timber forest resources on forest lands or preferably forest lands, modalities A, B, C and D.
▪ Application for certificates of registration in the National Forestry Registry (Registro
Forestal Nacional).
▪ Notice of modification of registered data in the National Forestry Registry.
▪ Notice of withdrawal of the environmental impact authorization.
▪ Notice of no requirement of environmental impact authorization.
▪ Notice of change of ownership of the environmental impact authorization.
▪ Registration as hazardous waste generator.
▪ Remediation proposal modalities A and B.

The new SEMARNAT forms can be found at the following link. Once the Agreement enters into force, they will also be available on the official website of SEMARNAT and in the National Catalogue of the National Commission for Regulatory Improvement (Comisión Nacional de Mejora Regulatoria).

II. Administrative simplification measures
In order to simplify the submission of procedures and reduce response times for the interested parties, SEMARNAT has established the use of electronic means in the following cases:
a. Electronic notifications: Applicants may manifest their consent to receive notifications via e-mail, in terms of the provisions of article 35, Section II of the Federal Law of Administrative Procedure (Ley Federal de Procedimiento Administrativo). It is important to mention that, with regard to the procedures submitted prior to the publication of the Agreement, and that require the notifications to be made via e-mail, the interested parties may expressly request this from SEMARNAT.
b. Use of electronic storage media (USB): The Agreement indicates that, with regard to the procedures listed above, the documents evidencing the legal representative’s authority, incorporation deeds, official IDs, documents proving ownership, possession, or use of the land subject to the request, plans, the forest management program, scheduled programs, the document evidencing the types of fuel to be incinerated, the hazardous industrial waste identification table, insurance, or guarantees may be submitted via USB.
The implementation of new forms and the possibility of conducting procedures electronically expedite their submission and reduce compliance costs, while also aligning with SEMARNAT’s objectives of modernization and sustainability.

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