The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) is raising concern over the growing number of excavators and dredges being brought into and moved around Liberia, warning that many of the machines are ending up in illegal mining sites and causing serious environmental damage.
In a statement issued Thursday in Monrovia, the EPA said although heavy equipment is needed for road construction and other development projects, a large number of the machines are now being used in forests, wetlands, rivers, and creeks for unregulated mining activities.
According to the Agency, its ongoing environmental compliance monitoring across the country has uncovered widespread illegal mining operations involving excavators and dredges in several counties, including Gbarpolu, Grand Kru, Lofa, and Rivercess.
The EPA said many of the machines are first seen parked in areas around the Japanese Freeway, Robertsfield Highway, and Sinkor before later being transported into remote mining communities, often at night.
“Many machines have been moved into rural communities, forested landscapes, riverbanks, wetlands, and illegal mining areas where they contribute to land destruction, river diversion, water pollution, forest degradation, and threats to local livelihoods,” the EPA stated.
One of the most alarming discoveries, according to the Agency, is the presence of nineteen active dredges along the Tuma River in Gbarpolu County, where there are also reports of mercury being used in mining operations.
The EPA said its monitoring teams also found cases of illegal mining without environmental permits, open mining pits, deforestation, river diversion, and contamination of freshwater sources.
The Agency warned that dredging in rivers and waterways without proper controls is destroying aquatic habitats, muddying water sources, affecting fish populations, and creating long-term health and environmental risks for nearby communities.
“Such mining practices often occur without Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, without EPA permits, without rehabilitation plans, and without accountability for the damage left behind,” the statement said.
The EPA disclosed that it has already fined and shut down several operators for environmental violations, but admitted the problem is becoming difficult to contain.
The Agency also expressed concern that Class C licenses, which are intended for small-scale and artisanal miners, are increasingly being used to support mechanized mining operations involving heavy equipment.
In response, the EPA is calling for stronger national measures to control the importation, registration, transport, and use of excavators and dredges across the country.
Among the recommendations are mandatory environmental clearance before the importation of excavators and dredges, compulsory registration of all heavy equipment, and a national tracking system to monitor where the machines are being taken and used.
The EPA is also proposing stricter controls on dredging activities in rivers and waterways, including possible suspension of operations that do not meet environmental standards.
Additionally, the Agency wants stronger cooperation among government institutions to monitor and intercept illegally transported equipment and hold owners, operators, transporters, financiers, and users accountable for environmental destruction.
The EPA said damaged rivers, forests, wetlands, and farmlands should be restored at the expense of those responsible.
The Agency also pledged to intensify environmental monitoring and enforcement activities nationwide, including shutdowns, fines, restoration orders, and possible prosecution where necessary.
At the same time, the EPA is encouraging citizens, community leaders, local authorities, youth groups, civil society organizations, and the media to help report illegal mining activities and suspicious movement of heavy equipment.
“Liberia’s forests, rivers, wetlands, and biodiversity are national assets essential to food security, water supply, climate resilience, livelihoods, and the well-being of current and future generations. Reckless destruction in pursuit of short-term private gain cannot be tolerated,” the EPA said.
The Agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Liberia’s environment while supporting responsible and lawful investment across the country.
