DIFFERING VIEWS:Participants at the public hearing argued over the roles and responsibilities of central and local governments, and issues such as mining rights
Taipei Times
Date: Jun 10, 2017
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Deputy Minister Thomas Shun-Kuei
Environmental Protection Administration Deputy Minister Thomas Shun-Kuei Chan bows in apology at the opening of a public hearing on proposed amendments to environmental impact assessment rules yesterday in Taipei. Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times
Chan (詹順貴) yesterday opened the first public hearing on proposed amendments to environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations by apologizing for storming out of the meeting earlier this week.
The first hearing was supposed to convene on Tuesday, but it broke up due to conflict between Chan and Taiwan Water Conservation Alliance director Jennifer Nien (粘麗玉).
The hearing was held to discuss proposed 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) and Environmental Impact Assessment Enforcement Rules (環境影響評估法施行細則).
While Chan apologized to Nien and other attendees for losing his temper on Tuesday, yesterday’s meeting hit some bumps over differences in opinion, mainly over the division of responsibility between the central and local governments. [FULL STORY]
