Taiwan News
Date: 2016-10-08
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Environmental Protection Administration on Saturday hammered on the
EPA Minister Lee Ying-yuan.
fact that a certain level of consensus had been reached about a chemical plant in Changhua County following talks between the county government and the operator.
The talks, Friday at the EPA in Taipei, were widely described as a failure because County Magistrate Wei Ming-ku and the Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation had not reached an agreement.
Basing itself on environmental grounds, the county had refused to extend operating licenses for three power generators at the Changhua City plant beyond September 29, which the company, an affiliate of the influential Formosa Plastics Group, said would lead to the closure of the entire factory and a massive loss of local jobs.
According to Saturday’s EPA statement, Changhua County and Formosa Chemicals had agreed that protection of the environment should be strengthened, the law should be respected, and the rights of workers should be safeguarded. Friday’s talks could not be described as a failure, while saying secret deals were being negotiated or the environment was being sold out was also completely wrong, the EPA said. [FULL STORY]
