Section 51: Power to prohibit a proponent

(1) Where the Agency, after the appraisal of the President's assessment of the environmental effects of a project referred to in sections 47 (1), 48 (1) or 49 (1) or (2) of this Act, the President may by Order published in the Gazette, prohibit the proponent of the project from doing any act or thing that would commit the proponent to ensuring that the project is carried out in whole or in part until the assessment is completed and the Agency is satisfied that the project is not likely to cause any serious adverse environmental effects or that any such effects shall be mitigated or are justified in the circumstances.
(2) Where a review panel established to assess the environmental effects of a project referred to in subsection 47 (1), 48 (1) or 49 (1) or (2) of this Act submits a report to the Agency indicating that the project is likely to cause any serious adverse environmental effects, the Agency may prohibit the proponent of the project from doing any act or thing that would commit the proponent to ensure that the project is carried out in whole or in part until the Agency is satisfied that such effect have been mitigated.