Environmental groups yesterday called for stricter standards for environmental impact assessments (EIAs), saying that loosening requirements for solar projects could damage the environment.
The Ministry of Environment yesterday discussed draft amendments to the Standards for Determining Specific Items and Scope of Environmental Impact Assessments for Development Activities (開發行為應實施環境影響評估細目及範圍認定標準), with a focus on the assessment standards for photovoltaic development on hillsides and in environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands, intertidal zones, nature reserves and state plantations.
Environmental groups and the Government Watch Alliance held a news conference in front of the ministry before the discussion, saying that current standards lack an awareness of conservation and that EIAs are necessary.
Photo: CNA
The ministry should conduct at least four public hearings around Taiwan to reach a consensus among stakeholders, Government Watch Alliance spokesperson Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) said.
The draft amendments state that photovoltaic development projects covering an area less than 15 hectares would be exempted from EIAs and do not stipulate that a developer cannot apply for development permits under different company names, she said, adding that it would result in developers splitting the land into smaller pieces to evade EIAs.
The 15-hectare threshold is unreasonable, as pastures and campsites larger than 1 hectare are required to undergo assessments, City Forest Association, Taiwan chairman Chuang Chieh-jen (莊傑任) said.
Leopard Cat Association of Taiwan member Chen Chi-chung (陳祺忠) agreed that the threshold is not strict enough and suggested tightening assessment standards for photovoltaic development not only on hillsides, but also on non-urban land and regular agricultural districts.
Assessments should be mandatory for projects covering an area of 2 or more hectares on national or public land and land owned by state-owned or public companies, as these lands are currently exempted with approval from energy authorities, Chuang said.
Those covering less than 2 hectares should be exempted only if they are approved by forestry authorities — instead of energy authorities — to curb improper development of state plantations, he said, adding that it is unrealistic to expect energy authorities to impose tight controls.
Photovoltaic development in intertidal zones should be subject to EIAs regardless of scale, as most are important habitats for birds, Changhua Environmental Protection Union representative Jenny Wu (吳慧君) said.
The number of endangered bird species inhabiting the coastal wetlands in Changhua County dropped from 23 in 2019 to 12 in 2021, after a wind power development began in 2019 without doing EIAs and installed 14 turbines within 2.5km, she said.
The ministry would discuss whether to impose EIAs on smaller scale projects and those in intertidal zones, Department of Environmental Protection Director-General Tsai Meng-yu (蔡孟裕) said.
Photovoltaic development do not cause air and water pollution, and the amendments aim to resolve EIA-related issues based on regulations in other countries, he said, adding that developments covering an area less than 40 hectares are exempted in Japan.
Additional reporting by CNA
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