Plans by the Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co (國光石化) to spray concrete not far off the coast of Dacheng Township (大城), Changhua County destroying most of a wetland area (one of the last remaining untouched wetlands on the west coast)
has been delayed by an EPA panel:The panel, made up of members of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) committee at the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), university professors and government representatives, was holding its fourth review.
Prior to the meeting, media reports were speculating that the panel was likely to give the case a conditional approval and allow it to be reviewed by the EIA Committee, which has the final say on whether the proposal should be approved or rejected. Some reports said the chances of such a conclusion being reached were high, because the EPA was seeking to settle the controversial project before the Lunar New Year holiday next week.
While the panel did not approve the plan, its ruling still fell short of the expectations of the project’s opponents, who asked that Kuokuang drop it altogether.
Although Kuokuang has proposed reducing the scale of the planned petrochemical complex, critics said the watered-down project still poses a threat to the environment.
Those media reports were borne out to some extent when, and this is from an eyewitness at the meeting, the Chair of the meeting Chiang Pen-chi (蔣本基) announced
before the meeting began that this would be the last meeting on this issue - leading to the accusation that a conclusion had already been reached, one that would settle the matter before the Lunar New Year.
Some nice quotes from activists against the development:
“Decades ago, when the Formosa Plastics Group [台塑集團] announced it would build a petrochemical industrial park in Mailiao Township [麥寮], Yunlin County, people welcomed it, but now they regret it,” said Lin Ching-tuo (林清拖), an elderly farmer from Wanggong Township (王功), Changhua County, which is close to Mailiao and Dacheng.
“The large quantities of smoke produced by oil refineries in Mailiao not only pollute the air, but also damage the health and the quality of life of people in neighboring areas,” Lin said. “Consequently, we should stop the project before it becomes a reality.”
Activist Yang Ru-men (楊儒門), who also runs an organic farm and a farmers’ market, told the crowd that although residents could receive cash compensation for the project, “however much cash you receive, it cannot make up for the loss of your health.”
“Of course economic development could help us live longer, but what good does it do if it means just staying in a hospital bed longer?” he said.
