STJ reaffirms validity of R$29 billion in environmental fines applied by Ibama

Here is a short summary of the provided document:

Summary: The Superior Tribunal of Justice (STJ) reiterated the legality of notification by advertisement for environmental offenders to submit their final arguments in administrative proceedings of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama). This decision confirms the validity of R$ 29.1 billion in environmental fines applied by Ibama, after a previous government decision created a loophole to annul them due to prescription. The ruling aligns with the position taken by the Second Turm in November, resolving the issue in the tribunal. The notification by advertisement was previously deemed invalid by the then-Ibama president for penalties applied between 2008 and 2019, but the STJ's decision maintains the procedure's validity, ensuring the validity of over 180,000 proceedings with fines exceeding R$ 29 billion.