China and the Environment: Air Pollution and the Secrecy Concerns by local and some national-level officials about public reaction to news of the worsening of environmental conditions has delayed implementation of the 1989 PRC Environmental Law which requires regular environmental reports by all levels of government until 1997. The 1989 PRC Environmental Law stipulates “The departments with administrative responsibility for environmental protection of the State Council, each province, autonomous region and municipality directly subject to the central government …showed first 75 words of 897 total…

…showed last 75 words of 897 total…from the central government but these are not always followed closely. Some of these circulars are confidential orders or regulations that can only be read by people at or above a certain level. Restrictions on journalism and the free flow of information sometimes make it hard for the central government to understand local conditions in detail. NEPA and the NPC Environment committee send out survey teams to study the implementation of environmental laws and regulations.