# Law No. 8851 of January 31, 1994

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647427](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647427)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-8851-of-january-31-1994

## Summary
**Law No. 8851 of January 31, 1994** is a Brazilian federal statute officially titled "Lei nº 8851, de 31 de janeiro de 1994." It establishes the **Master Plan for the Development of the São Francisco Valley** (*Plano Diretor para o Desenvolvimento do Vale do São Francisco*, or PLANVASF), creating a framework for the regional development of the São Francisco River basin. Promulgated by President Itamar Franco, the law applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil and was published in the capital, Brasília.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 8851, de 31 de janeiro de 1994
- **Type of Instrument:** Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 8851/1994
- **Date of Publication:** January 31, 1994
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** Itamar Franco (President of Brazil)
- **Method of Enactment:** Promulgation
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federal)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Main Subject:** Creation (institutes the PLANVASF development plan)
- **Law Digest Summary:** INSTITUI O PLANO DIRETOR PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DO VALE DO SÃO FRANCISCO (PLANVASF). (Institutes the Master Plan for the Development of the São Francisco Valley)
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-01-31;8851
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l8851.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **WikiProject Membership:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 8851/1994?**
The law creates the Master Plan for the Development of the São Francisco Valley (PLANVASF). Its stated main subject is "creation," referring to the establishment of this strategic regional development framework.

**Who signed Law No. 8851 into force?**
The statute was promulgated by Itamar Franco, acting in his capacity as the head of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, on January 31, 1994.

**What is the legal classification of this instrument?**
Law No. 8851 is formally classified as a "statute"—a formal written document that creates law. As a federal statute, it is a subclass of a written work, a legal document, and a rule.

**How is the law officially cited and identified?**
The legal citation is Lei nº 8851/1994. It also has a structured identifier known as the LexML Brazil ID, which is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-01-31;8851`.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 8851 of January 31, 1994, represents a formal legislative action to structure and guide the development of a critical region in Brazil—the São Francisco Valley. By instituting PLANVASF, the law provides a legal mandate and framework for coordinating economic, social, and environmental initiatives within the São Francisco River basin, a region vital to the country's agriculture, energy, and water resources. As a federal statute, it serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law, ensuring that the government's strategic vision for the region is documented, accessible, and enforceable. Its existence underscores the role of legislation in implementing long-term public policy and regional planning.

## Notable For
- **Establishment of PLANVASF:** Specifically created the Master Plan for the Development of the São Francisco Valley, a key instrument for regional policy.
- **Enactment by Itamar Franco:** Promulgated during the presidency of Itamar Franco, marking a legislative action of his administration.
- **Federal Jurisdiction:** A federal law applicable to the entire Federative Republic of Brazil, specifically targeting the São Francisco Valley region.
- **Public Accessibility:** As a statute, it is part of the public domain, ensuring unrestricted public access to the legal text governing regional development.

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Definition
Law No. 8851 is an instance of a **statute**, a formal written document that creates law. Within legal classifications, a statute is considered a subclass of a "written work," "document," and "rule." It functions as the manifestation of statutory law, composed of legal norms and created through the legislative process. This law specifically institutes a master plan, identifying its main subject as "creation."

### Promulgation and Authority
The statute was enacted via **promulgation** by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The specific individual responsible was **Itamar Franco**, who served as the promulgating authority on **January 31, 1994**. The law was officially published in **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil.

### Geographic and Jurisdictional Scope
The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil** and is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**. Its provisions are focused on the **São Francisco Valley**, targeting the development of the region associated with the São Francisco River basin. The country of Brazil, as the origin of this law, declared its independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822, and operates as a federal republic with Brasília as its capital.

### Official Identifiers and Accessibility
For citation and digital archiving purposes, the law carries the legal citation **Lei nº 8851/1994** and the LexML Brazil ID **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-01-31;8851**. The full text of the law is publicly available online at the official government portal: **https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l8851.htm**. It is tracked and organized within the **WikiProject Brazilian Laws** on knowledge platforms.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-01-31;8851)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=8851&ano=1994&data=31/01/1994&ato=e28kXSE50dJpWT6d9)
3. LexML Brasil