The Environment Ministry will expand its nationwide reach Monday with the opening of nine regional offices to be manned by squads of local inspectors.

The nine strategically placed offices will make 45 regional environment inspectors available to implement policy, increase interaction on environmental issues and establish a greater presence at the local level.

One of the tasks the officers are expected to take on is a surge in illegal dumping, which has jumped from 274 cases in 1994 to 1,049 in 1999.

The officers will be empowered to conduct emergency on-site surveys and accept applications and other documents in lieu of the ministry. They will also be tasked with gathering and dispensing information at the regional level, as well as mingling with local citizens, businesses, governments and nongovernmental organizations.

The regional offices will be located in Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Niigata, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.

The new network will replace a similar system of 41 environment officers that was established by the then Management and Coordination Agency in 1974.