Section 72 of The Environmental Management Act 2000 allows for establishment of an Environmental Trust Fund for the purpose of funding the operations of the Authority.

The Environmental Trust Fund is a bit of a misnomer because the fund does not exist in a conventional sense. The EMA uses a system of historical cost accounting to record income received and its capital and revenue expenditure, and prepares its annual financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

The main sources of funding available to the Trust Fund are as follows:

• Annual appropriations from the Government of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
• Permit application fees and fees for services rendered.
• International grant funding and loan funds.

The EMA is authorised to use the Trust Fund to cover its operational expenses and fixed asset purchases, as well as expenditure on projects outlined in its annual work plan including:

• Incentive measures for reducing environmental pollution.
• Demonstration projects of innovative technologies toward the reduction of pollution.
• Emergency Response Activities including remediation of degraded sites.
• Public Awareness and education programmes to enhance understanding of national environmental protection and natural resource management issues.
• Trustees administer the Trust Fund.

These five Trustees are selected from the Board of Directors and designated to act in this capacity by the President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. The Trustees are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that proper accounting records are kept and for submitting the audited financial statements of the fund to the Board of Directors by three months after the end of the financial year