Pinnan industrial project still has a long way to go

Officials with the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said yesterday that the first part of the environmental-impact assessment (EIA) for the Pinnan Industrial Complex (濱南工業區) project in Tainan County would not be completed until developers submitted more information.

Last December, the EIA review committee conditionally passed the project's assessment by excluding one of its most controversial components -- the industrial harbor -- and specified that this particular aspect of the plan would be the subject of a separate impact assessment.

In January, EPA officials said the assessment committee would finalize its review after receiving information requested from the developers, the Tuntex Group (東帝士) and Yieh-loong Group (燁隆). The developers, however, have not sent the EPA a final version of their plans. On Dec. 12, the EPA told developers to send it as soon as possible.

"The administrative procedure for finalizing the EIA report will not be completed until we have received a final version," said Ni Shih-piao (倪世標), director-general of the EPA's Bureau of Comprehensive Planning.

The project, listed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 1993 as one of several essential national projects, includes a petrochemical plant and a steel-making facility near the mouth of the Tsengwen River (曾文溪).

By the end of last year, the EPA's assessment committee had convened a total of 66 meetings to eliminate controversial points surrounding the project. Since 1993, conservationists have protested against the usage of Chiku Lagoon (七股濕地), which is a wintering site for endangered black-faced spoonbills.

Additionally, a local political struggle has split residents into two groups -- one which supports the project and another which prefers promoting the lagoon as an ecological tourism spot.

Ni said that a previous argument between the EIA committee and the developers revolved around how much of the Chiku Lagoon area would be used for industrial purposes. The assessment committee insisted that only 5 percent of the area was allowed to be used for an industrial harbor, while developers demanded access to 29 percent of the lagoon area for establishing not only the harbor but also factory buildings.

In addition, Ni said, the committee asked developers to come up with solutions to expected water-shortage problems.

The complex requires 190,000 tonnes of fresh water per day, while the government would be able to supply only 80,000 tonnes. per day

"Even if the first part of the EIA for the project is passed, developers still have a long way to go," Ni said.

The first part of the development project, if finalized by the EPA, must still receive approval from the Ministry of the Interior and the economic affairs ministry.

In the future, Ni said, the Pinnan project's feasibility relies on two new EIA reports. The economic affairs ministry's Industrial Development Bureau is in charge of building the industrial harbor, while the two developers are responsible for a seawater desalination project which would produce at least 110,000 tonnes of fresh water per day.

After being re-elected as Tainan County commissioner on Dec. 1, Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) announced his idea of turning the future industrial complex into a scenic spot. Su's proposal irritated some residents as well as developers.