Environmental groups yesterday called for stricter standards for environmental impact assessments (EIAs), saying that loosening requirements for solar projects could damage the environment.
The Ministry of Environment yesterday discussed draft amendments to the Standards for Determining Specific Items and Scope of Environmental Impact Assessments for Development Activities (開發行為應實施環境影響評估細目及範圍認定標準), with a focus on the assessment standards for photovoltaic development on hillsides and in environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands, intertidal zones, nature reserves and state plantations.
Environmental groups and the Government Watch Alliance held a news conference in front of the ministry before the discussion, saying that current standards lack an awareness of conservation and that EIAs are necessary.
Photo: CNA
The ministry should conduct at least four public hearings around Taiwan to reach a consensus among stakeholders, Government Watch Alliance spokesperson Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) said.
The draft amendments state that photovoltaic development projects covering an area less than 15 hectares would be exempted from EIAs and do not stipulate that a developer cannot apply for development permits under different company names, she said, adding that it would result in developers splitting the land into smaller pieces to evade EIAs.
The 15-hectare threshold is unreasonable, as pastures and campsites larger than 1 hectare are required to undergo assessments, City Forest Association, Taiwan chairman Chuang Chieh-jen (莊傑任) said.
Leopard Cat Association of Taiwan member Chen Chi-chung (陳祺忠) agreed that the threshold is not strict enough and suggested tightening assessment standards for photovoltaic development not only on hillsides, but also on non-urban land and regular agricultural districts.
Assessments should be mandatory for projects covering an area of 2 or more hectares on national or public land and land owned by state-owned or public companies, as these lands are currently exempted with approval from energy authorities, Chuang said.
Those covering less than 2 hectares should be exempted only if they are approved by forestry authorities — instead of energy authorities — to curb improper development of state plantations, he said, adding that it is unrealistic to expect energy authorities to impose tight controls.
Photovoltaic development in intertidal zones should be subject to EIAs regardless of scale, as most are important habitats for birds, Changhua Environmental Protection Union representative Jenny Wu (吳慧君) said.
The number of endangered bird species inhabiting the coastal wetlands in Changhua County dropped from 23 in 2019 to 12 in 2021, after a wind power development began in 2019 without doing EIAs and installed 14 turbines within 2.5km, she said.
The ministry would discuss whether to impose EIAs on smaller scale projects and those in intertidal zones, Department of Environmental Protection Director-General Tsai Meng-yu (蔡孟裕) said.
Photovoltaic development do not cause air and water pollution, and the amendments aim to resolve EIA-related issues based on regulations in other countries, he said, adding that developments covering an area less than 40 hectares are exempted in Japan.
Additional reporting by CNA
READY: The CGA said it closely monitored China’s maritime exercise, deployed vessels to shadow the Chinese ships one-on-one and set up emergency response centers Chinese navy and coast guard ships have returned to China, signaling the end of a massive maritime exercise, authorities said yesterday. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) released images it said showed Chinese vessels sailing north in rough seas past Taiwan on Thursday, on their way to China. “All the Chinese coast guard went back to China yesterday, so although they have not officially made any announcement, we consider it over,” CGA Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said. Beijing has not confirmed the drills and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not say whether the maneuvers had taken place when asked at a
People can take the Taipei MRT free of charge if they access it at Nanjing Sanmin Station or Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line between 12am and 6am on Jan. 1, the Taipei Department of Transportation said on Friday, outlining its plans to ease crowding during New Year’s events in the capital. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Taipei, with singer A-mei (張惠妹) performing at the Taipei Dome and the city government’s New Year’s Eve party at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the department said. As people have tended to use the MRT’s Blue or
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: As some roads would be fully or partially closed, people are advised to take the MRT, with services expanded to accommodate more riders This year’s Taipei Marathon, which has obtained its first gold label certification from World Athletics, is to be held from 5am to 1pm tomorrow and would have 28,000 participants. The race is to start from the Taipei City Plaza and would go through major roads throughout the city, with traffic control implemented from 6am to 2pm, officials said. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system and New Taipei City MRT Circle line would start operating at 5am on the day of the race, they said. The race would cover Renai Road, Xinyi Road, Hangzhou S Road, Aiguo east and west roads,
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
RSS