The Environmental Protection Administration’s (EPA) Environment Impact Assessment general assembly yesterday approved an amended plan for a submarine power cable between Penghu and Yunlin counties and the second phase of the development project at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT’s A7 Station.
The airport MRT station plan was proposed by the Ministry of the Interior to develop the area into a new community composed mainly of two sections — an industrial district and an affordable housing district.
MRT A7 Station Development Project Self-Help Group chairwoman Hsu Yu-hung (徐玉紅) said during the assembly that the majority of the development area is located on sloping land, which includes a landfill site and a seismic zone, and it is also close to a source of water for existing residential areas, so local residents are worried that the project may lead to landslides or affect water quality.
The Control Yuan chastised the A7 Station project over an inadequate administrative procedure after it opened bidding for land in the area before it had completed land expropriation, she said, adding that the project is in violation of basic human rights protected by the Constitution.
However, the committee members found that the environmental impact was within acceptable levels and so there was no need to initiate a second round of environmental impact reviews.
Hung Chia-hung (洪嘉宏), director-general of the Construction and Planning Agency’s Urban and Rural Development Branch, said the agency has held meetings in the community to explain issues and answer questions from local residents and that it would conform to a low-density development principle, with the affordable housing district accounting for only about 1.27 percent of the total development area.
He also said that the project would take into account water and soil conservation needs.
Another project discussed in the meeting was the proposal by Taiwan Power Co to amend the route of an underwater cable connecting Kouhu Township (口湖) in Yunlin County on Taiwan’s western coast and Jianshan (尖山) in Penghu.
The approximately 66km cable — 58.85km underwater and 7.47km on land — for transmitting electricity between the two sides, was approved by the administration in 2008.
However, as Kouhu residents expressed concern that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the high-voltage cable could cause health issues, Taipower proposed an amendment to reroute the cable, as well as bury it within the vicinity of the township.
During the meeting, members of a self-help association from Kouhu said the underground cable would follow a road on which local elementary and junior-high students walk to school every day, so they are worried that the electromagnetic radiation would cause health issues for the students.
Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華), founder and chairperson of the Taiwan Electromagnetic Radiation Hazard Protection and Control Association, said electromagnetic radiation is listed as a Group 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation of 3 to 4 milligauss increases the occurrence rate of leukemia in children by two times.
Residents and environmentalists urged the EIA committee members not to approve the project unless Taipower could guarantee that electromagnetic radiation levels would not increase after the cable began operations.
Taipower said it would be technically difficult to achieve the protesters’ demands, but it promised to do its best to control electromagnetic radiation levels.
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 Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS