Centre Expands Coastal Storage List to 26 Petroleum and Chemical Products Under CRZ Rules

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has expanded the list of petroleum and chemical products permitted for receipt and storage in eligible Coastal Regulation Zone areas, adding three industrial products to Annexure-II of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019.

The amendment adds Linear Alkyl Benzene, N-Paraffin and Carbon Black Feedstock to the approved list, increasing the number of listed products from 23 to 26. The permission does not extend to CRZ-IA, the most environmentally sensitive category under the coastal regulatory framework.

Three New Products Added to Annexure-II

The final amendment places Linear Alkyl Benzene as serial number xxiv, N-Paraffin as xxv and Carbon Black Feedstock as xxvi in Annexure-II of the CRZ Notification, 2019. Bitumen remains listed at serial number xxiii.

The change creates a regulatory route for the receipt and storage of these three products within eligible coastal areas. Such facilities are particularly relevant to industries that depend on ports for the import, export or bulk movement of petroleum and chemical feedstocks.

What the Three Products Are Used For

Linear Alkyl Benzene, commonly known as LAB, is an important industrial feedstock used extensively in the manufacture of detergents and cleaning products. Its availability close to port-based industrial infrastructure can be important for large chemical and petrochemical supply chains.

N-Paraffin is another industrial feedstock associated with petrochemical processing and the production of substances including Linear Alkyl Benzene. Carbon Black Feedstock is used in the manufacture of carbon black, an industrial material widely required in products such as tyres, rubber goods and other manufacturing applications.

CRZ-IA Remains Outside the New Permission

The amendment specifically excludes CRZ-IA from the newly permitted storage activities. This is an important environmental safeguard because CRZ-IA covers ecologically sensitive areas and coastal features that play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the coastline.

Such areas include sensitive ecosystems and habitats associated with mangroves, coral reefs, sand dunes, biologically active mudflats, seagrass beds and important wildlife habitats. The regulatory framework provides these areas with a higher degree of protection because of their ecological value and their role in coastal resilience.

The amendment therefore does not amount to unrestricted permission to establish chemical storage facilities throughout India’s coastline. It expands the range of products that may be received and stored in eligible CRZ areas while maintaining the existing exclusion applicable to CRZ-IA.

State Coastal Authorities Had Sought the Change

The amendment follows representations made by various State Coastal Zone Management Authorities seeking permission for the receipt and storage of Linear Alkyl Benzene, N-Paraffin and Carbon Black Feedstock in CRZ areas outside CRZ-IA.

The proposal was subsequently examined by the Expert Appraisal Committee for Industry-II. The committee considered the products for inclusion in the list contained in Annexure-II of the CRZ Notification, 2019.

The matter was also placed before the sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee dealing with Coastal Regulation Zone clearances. After deliberation, the committee recommended that receipt and storage of the three products could be considered permissible in CRZ areas other than CRZ-IA.

National Coastal Zone Management Authority Backed the Proposal

The proposal was subsequently considered by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority during its 48th meeting on 26 September 2025.

According to the final notification, the NCZMA considered the hazardous characteristics of the three products to be comparatively lower than those of products already permitted under Annexure-II. The authority unanimously recommended their inclusion for receipt and storage in eligible CRZ areas while retaining the exclusion for CRZ-IA.

This recommendation provided the basis for the Ministry to move ahead with the formal amendment process.

Draft Amendment Was Issued in May 2026

Before finalising the change, the Ministry issued draft notification G.S.R. 410(E) on 26 May 2026. The draft proposed adding the same three products to Annexure-II and invited objections and suggestions from persons likely to be affected.

A 60-day consultation period was provided under the Environment Protection Rules. The Central Government considered the objections and suggestions received during this process before issuing the final amendment.

The final notification has been issued under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Environment Protection Rules, 1986, which provide the statutory basis for regulating activities within designated coastal areas.

Why Coastal Storage Matters to Industry

Many petroleum, petrochemical and chemical industries depend on ports because large quantities of raw materials and feedstocks are transported by sea. Locating approved storage infrastructure near ports can reduce the need to move bulk industrial materials over long distances before they reach processing facilities.

The inclusion of additional products in Annexure-II can therefore support coastal industrial and logistics infrastructure where such activities comply with the applicable CRZ framework and other regulatory requirements.

The amendment is especially relevant to port-linked petrochemical supply chains that handle bulk feedstocks entering or leaving the country through coastal terminals.

Environmental Restrictions Continue to Apply

Adding a product to Annexure-II should not be interpreted as removing the wider environmental controls governing coastal development. The CRZ framework continues to determine where activities may take place and which categories of coastal land receive greater protection.

Individual projects remain subject to applicable environmental, coastal, safety and other statutory requirements. The amendment changes the list of products eligible for receipt and storage; it does not remove the regulatory framework governing the location and operation of such facilities.

This distinction is important because the amendment seeks to accommodate industrial requirements without extending the permission into CRZ-IA areas identified for higher ecological protection.

CRZ Framework Continues to Balance Industry and Coastal Protection

The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019 replaced the earlier 2011 framework and regulates development and economic activity along designated coastal stretches while providing special protection to ecologically sensitive areas.

The latest amendment represents a targeted modification rather than a broader relaxation of coastal regulation. Three additional industrial products have been incorporated into the existing approved list following representations from state authorities, technical examination, NCZMA consideration and public consultation.

The result is a larger list of 26 petroleum and chemical products that can be considered for receipt and storage in eligible CRZ areas, while CRZ-IA remains explicitly outside the scope of the new permission.

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References

Government of India, eGazette — Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, “Amendment in Annexure 2 of the CRZ Notification 2019,” Gazette ID CG-DL-E-24092026-276460, published 24 September 2026.
Official eGazette record

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change — Notification G.S.R. 832(E), dated 22 September 2026, further amending Annexure-II of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019.

Government of India, eGazette — Draft Notification G.S.R. 410(E), dated 26 May 2026, proposing inclusion of Linear Alkyl Benzene, N-Paraffin and Carbon Black Feedstock in CRZ areas excluding CRZ-IA.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change — Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019, G.S.R. 37(E), dated 18 January 2019.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

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