The Executive Yuan’s rejection of Yilan County’s application for a referendum on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市), has deprived the county’s residents of their rights, and the Council of Grand Justices should look into the legitimacy of the decision, the Environmental Protection League said.
The league tendered a 3,525-signature petition calling on the Yilan County Government to consider holding a local referendum on the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant on May 8.
The county government approved the petition and forwarded the petition to the Executive Yuan for review on May 17.
The Executive Yuan later denied the petition on the grounds that the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant was an issue of national energy policy that affected important national policies, including general electricity coverage to the nation, industrial chains and environmental concerns, and as such, was not within the jurisdiction of locally held referendums.
On Friday, Environmental Protection League chairman Chen Yao-hsing (陳曜顯), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) and DPP County Councilor Huang Shih-chao (黃適超) criticized the Executive Yuan’s decision.
Chen said the Executive Yuan was depriving the county’s residents of their rights by making a unilateral decision on the matter, and he suspected that it violated administrative ethics because it had not consulted the Referendum Review Committee on the issue.
Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) filed administrative litigation against the Executive Yuan, the league’s former chairman Chang Chieh-lung (張捷隆) said yesterday, adding that such legal processes would take a long time.
The county government should apply to the Council of Grand Justices for a constitutional interpretation on the issue, Chang said.
Chang added that the nuclear power plant affects environmental protection and public security — both of which were well within the jurisdiction of local authorities — and should therefore be open to referendum by local residents.
County Commissioner Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) of the DPP said that he regretted the Executive Yuan’s decision, adding that the county government would apply for a constitutional interpretation next month.
As for the league’s suggestion that the county government hold its own referendum, Lin said the county already held one several years ago.
More than 60 percent of county residents were against the construction, but the referendum had no legal backing and was not binding, Lin said.
Only through a constitutional interpretation by the Council of Grand Justices to clarify the powers of local government can the county government know what it can or cannot do, Lin said.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS