Kuokuang’s plan to build industrial park on reclaimed land to undergo second-stage EIA

10-Jun-09

An Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) committee has arrived at a decision that Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co’s plan to build an industrial park on reclaimed land in Changhua County needs to undergo a more thorough environmental impact assessment (EIA). More land will need to be reclaimed to build the industrial park and seaport, but that will worsen the subsidence instead of alleviating it. On one hand, environmentalists have concerns about land subsidence and health risks, and on the other hand, local residents preach the plant’s economic benefits. Second-stage EIAs, which are more detailed and have tighter requirements, are usually only required for developments deemed to pose serious implications for the environment. The decision could mean delays for Kuokuang’s NT$800 billion development along the northern bank of the Chuoshui River