Henrique Luís Roessler Environmental Foundation

The Henrique Luís Roessler Environmental Foundation (Fundação Estadual de Proteção Ambiental Henrique Luís Roessler), universally known by its acronym FEPAM, is the state environmental agency of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. It operates as a public foundation linked to the state's Secretariat of Environment and Infrastructure (Secretaria do Meio Ambiente e Infraestrutura), and its mandate covers environmental licensing, inspection, monitoring and the regulation of activities that affect air, water, soil and biodiversity across the state. FEPAM's public-facing work is organised around a broad catalogue of services. Through its online licensing system (Sistema Online de Licenciamento, SOL) and related platforms, the agency processes environmental licence applications, tracks compliance and issues declarations for activities that are exempt from licensing. It maintains specialised registries and programmes such as the state air-quality network (Ar do Sul), water-resource information (RS Água), a pesticide registry for Rio Grande do Sul (Cadastro de Agrotóxicos no RS), a hazardous-waste manifest system (MTR Online), and registries of accredited laboratories and environmental auditors. It also handles environmental complaints, public consultations and public hearings, and publishes technical reports and environmental legislation. The foundation is named after Henrique Luís Roessler, a figure associated with environmental protection in Rio Grande do Sul. Its headquarters are in Porto Alegre, the state capital, and it maintains regional offices, including a regional unit in Passo Fundo. As a state body, FEPAM does not compete commercially; its 'customers' are citizens, companies and municipalities seeking licences, permits and environmental information, and its authority derives from state environmental law. Because it is a government agency rather than a commercial enterprise, FEPAM's brand identity is tied to public service: transparency portals, service charters (Carta de Serviços), open data and citizen complaint channels are central to how it presents itself. Its website is hosted under the rs.gov.br state domain and carries the coat of arms of Rio Grande do Sul with the words 'utilidade pública' (public utility), underscoring its official status.

The Henrique Luís Roessler Environmental Foundation, known as FEPAM, is the environmental agency of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is a state public foundation linked to the state's environment secretariat, and it is named after Henrique Luís Roessler, a figure associated with environmental protection in the state. The foundation's institutional identity is closely tied to the broader development of Brazilian environmental law and to the state's environmental governance structure. As a state environmental agency, FEPAM's role grew alongside Brazil's environmental licensing framework, which requires permits for activities that may affect the environment. Over time the agency built a comprehensive set of public services: environmental licensing through the Sistema Online de Licenciamento (SOL), air-quality monitoring under the Ar do Sul programme, water-resource information through RS Água, a state pesticide registry (Cadastro de Agrotóxicos no RS), a hazardous-waste manifest system (MTR Online), and registries of accredited laboratories and environmental auditors. It also administers environmental complaints, public consultations and public hearings, and publishes technical reports and environmental legislation. FEPAM maintains its headquarters in Porto Alegre, the state capital, and operates regional offices, including a regional unit in Passo Fundo. Its website, hosted on the rs.gov.br state domain, presents a service charter (Carta de Serviços), transparency data, and a range of online systems for citizens, companies and municipalities. The site carries the coat of arms of Rio Grande do Sul with the words 'utilidade pública', reflecting its status as a public-utility state body. Because it is a government institution rather than a commercial company, FEPAM does not have a conventional corporate history of mergers, products or shareholders. Its history is instead one of evolving environmental regulation in Rio Grande do Sul, expanding digital service delivery, and periodic organisational changes within the state administration. The agency continues to be active, issuing licences, monitoring environmental quality and enforcing state environmental rules.

• FEPAM operates as the state environmental protection foundation of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

• Online licensing system (SOL) and related digital services are offered to citizens and companies

• Regional office in Passo Fundo resumes public service

• New ordinance changes rules for declaring activities not subject to environmental licensing

State environmental regulatory agency providing public licensing, monitoring and enforcement services in Rio Grande do Sul.

• Sistema Online de Licenciamento (SOL)

  Online system for environmental licensing processes.

• Ar do Sul – Qualidade do Ar

  State air quality monitoring programme.

• RS Água

  Water resource information service.

• Cadastro de Agrotóxicos no RS

  Registry of pesticides in Rio Grande do Sul.

• Sistema MTR Online

  Online hazardous waste manifest system.

• Sistema SISAUTO

  Online system listed among FEPAM services.

• Sistema DOF

  Online system listed among FEPAM services.

1. 1FEPAM - Fundação Estadual de Proteção Ambientalfepam.rs.gov.br
2. 2Henrique Luís Roessler Environmental Foundationwikidata.org