Environmental groups yesterday demanded that Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Chang Tzi-chin (張子敬) step down, saying that the agency’s policies run counter to its mission to protect the environment.
Despite the Democratic Progressive Party being in power and holding a legislative majority, it has done nothing to improve the protection of the environment, Taiwan Environmental Protection Union Taitung branch office director Lee Wei-chun (李偉俊) told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Issues such as protecting the Datan algal reef, air pollution in central and southern Taiwan, toxic materials being buried in farmland, illegal buildings on farmland and using farmland to generate solar power are all issues that the government have allowed to deteriorate, Lee said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
ZERO EMISSIONS
Environmental groups plan to attend the labor protests on Sunday to urge the government to pursue policies for zero carbon emissions by 2050, zero waste and pollution, and a 100 percent circular economy, Lee said.
Union Changhua branch office executive director Shih Yue-ying (施月英) said that after Chang took office in January he supported a project to increase the number of incinerators in Changpin Industrial Park (彰濱工業區).
The project, which was passed in May after only three reviews, is unjust, Shih said.
Air Clean Taiwan director Yeh Guang-perng (葉光芃) said that during Chang’s tenure as deputy minister from January 2006 to January last year he was also a board member at Taiwan Power Co who was known for preventing environmental groups from streaming interviews or events.
DELAYED BILLS
Under his leadership, the EPA has delayed implementing amendments to air quality control standards and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (溫室氣體減量及管理法), as well as reneging on a promise to reduce the amount of air pollution consisting of fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) by this year, Yeh said.
Contrary to Premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) policy of promoting both electric-powered and gasoline-powered scooters, the EPA under Chang’s leadership has introduced subsidies for gasoline-powered scooters that are 4.5 times that of those for electric-powered scooters, Yeh added.
Union Changhua County branch executive secretary-general Wu Hui-chun (吳慧君) said that more than 40 environmental groups signed a petition in May calling for Chang to step down, a sign that he is widely unpopular.
Yeh suggested that if Su continued to support such an unpopular minister, perhaps the premier should resign instead.
Additional reporting by CNA
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