The Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) might be ordered to supply sand to the beach near the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in a bid to counteract coastal erosion, Public Construction Commission Vice Chairman Kuo Ching-chiang (郭清江) said yesterday.
A task force established by the Cabinet earlier this month to investigate coastal erosion near the construction of a wharf -- designed to accommodate heavy machines on their way to the site in Kungliao, Taipei County -- carried out its first field investigation yesterday.
The investigation was prompted by an urgent demand from environmental and conservation groups to Premier Yu Shyi-kun in mid-January. Yu decided to determine the relation between the erosion and the construction of the wharf.
Members of the task force and ecological experts yesterday inspected the wharf, Yenliao Bay, Fulong Beach and the estuary of a river dividing the two beaches.
At a meeting held at the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration Tourism Bureau, which administrates Fulong Beach, investigators were presented with different opinions.
Bureau officials said that tourism at Fulong Beach has been damaged by the erosion. The beach is about 50cm lower than before
At Yenliao Bay, private investors has spent about NT$ 40 million building recreation facilities, such as beach volleyball courts, but most of them now are under water due to the loss of sand.
Taipower officials, however, said the erosion could be attributed to the inappropriate treatment of a nearby river and disturbances caused by typhoons.
In addition, company officials said, research reports produced by different universities approached by Taipower suggest that there was no direct link between the construction and the erosion.
Local anti-nuclear residents, however, said the construction of the wharf should have been halted immediately because it was the real cause of the erosion.
Experts questioned by the Cabinet's task force said that wharves in northeastern Taiwan suffer from common erosion-related problems caused by a "jetty effect," which sees building breakwaters deplete sand on nearby beaches.
Taipower admitted that more than 70,000m3 of sand has washed up on the breakwaters, half of which has been turned into caissons.
Experts suggested that the task force order Taipower to use this sand to resupply beaches affected by erosion.
"Supplying sand to beaches might be only a short-term solution. The situation needs to be investigated further," Kuo said.
Experts will carry out further field investigations and attempt to reach a conclusion by the end of next month.
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