Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year !


Happy New Year and all the best for 2010 !


"Because every green measure, every conservation effort and all the little economies we could make in our daily lives, may look insignificant if we choose to look at the big picture. On the other hand, if we view that big picture as millions of little choices made by people just like us, that's how we can come to understand why it's our own choices that are so important."
A comment posted on Birdforum by James Owen.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

FTV report on high levels of cancer in Mailiao and Taisi Townships in Yunlin County

What follows is an English translation from part 2 of a series that Formosa TV (FTV) has done on the high cancer rate from the areas surrounding the Formosa Petrochemicals’ No.6 Naphtha Cracker plant at Mailiao on the Yunlin County coast in central Taiwan.

As planned expansion of heavy industry in this area goes ahead it will no doubt cause an increase in these cancer rates as emission levels increase dramatically. The government is forging ahead with its so-called development plans. In November the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration gave the green light to the planned Erlin Science Park just over the county border in Changhua county. Demands for water for heavy industry will be supplied by the infamous Hushan Reservoir project. It would seem that the health of the citizens of central Taiwan, both human and non human, come a very poor second when it comes to keeping heavy industry happy. Spare a thought for the Fairy Pitta and Taiwan White Dolphins in all this mess.

Naphtha cracking plant linked to high cancer rate in central Taiwan towns (2009/12/27)

The central Taiwan townships of Mailiao and Taishee have had the highest liver cancer death rates of any area in Taiwan for years. Nearby is Taiwan’s largest naphtha cracking plant. The Yunlin County government commissioned an NTU professor to conduct research on the health risks posed to the residents of areas around the plant. Tonight, in part 2 of a continuing series, we take a closer look at the research report.

This thick research report helped open the scientific discussion related to Formosa Petrochemicals’ No. 6 Naphtha Cracker and local residents’ health. National Taiwan University Professor Jhan Jhang-cyuan spent one year gathering information from the five neighboring townships of Mailiao, Lunbei, Taishee, Dongshih and Shihu. The report was commissioned by the Yunlin County government. It compiled information from the Department of Health, Ministry of the Interior and Bureau of National Health Insurance. The results showed an important discovery.

Jhan Jhang-cyuan
National Taiwan University
If you look at the death rates from malignant tumors and lung cancer in Taishee Township from the fourth to the sixth year of operations, they’re obviously higher than the first three years. So the longer operations have been going on, the higher the rate of cancers in Taishee Township, particularly lung cancer. The rate of liver cancer in Taishee and Mailiao townships both before and during the operation period is higher than other townships we looked at. So it’s correct to say that the rates of liver and other types of cancers are high in Yunlin County, but since the No. 6 Naphtha Cracker they’ve become even higher.

The petrochemicals industry possesses many cancer-causing agents. Among them is vinyl chloride monomer, which is a raw material for plastic and has been connected to liver cancer. The oil refining process produces byproducts such as benzene and acetic acid that have been shown to be related to leukemia.

Petrochemical plants often emit polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to be closely associated with lung cancer. Professor Jhan also examined air quality reports from the Environmental Protection Administration and data from the Bureau of National Health Insurance. He discovered that more people were hospitalized for breathing difficulties when emission levels of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and other similar gases were high. There were also more deaths.

Jhan Jhang-cyuan
National Taiwan University
Monitoring was performed every hour of every day for two years. The data was then applied to Taishee. It obviously showed that when the wind blew from between the northwest and northeast, (gas) concentrations would become very high. They could increase from 20 to 30 times or more above average.

These scientific discoveries were completely in line with the experience of local residents. When the wind blew or the rain fell, their crops would suffer.

Mr. Chen
Erlun Township Farmer
These (melons) can’t be harvested. It only needs to rain once and they will turn yellow and start to rot. These melons won’t grow large, all of them here. It just needs to rain once and the pollution will kill them.

Crops like chrysanthemums will also begin to rot immediately after rainfall. The destruction of crops can be made up for by compensation payments, but human beings are a different matter. Although Erlun Township was not included in Jhan’s report, many of the same health issues are occurring there.

Erlun Township Resident
It might be factors such as the air or water, but we don’t have professional knowledge. If we blame the No. 6 Naphtha Cracker, they will tell us to bring forward our evidence.

Reporters who seek the company’s side of the story always have trouble receiving a direct answer.

Voice of Formosa Petrochemicals PR Rep.
Generally speaking, (there are many causes of cancer). For example, even if you live in mountains where the air is very good, some people still get cancer. We don’t know why.

Just when our investigation had seemed to reach an impasse, we acquired a copy of a survey from 2005 performed by the Industrial Development Bureau. The survey focused on the No. 6 Naphtha Cracker and the health risks of local residents. The report was marked “Restricted Reading.” It turned out that the bureau possessed relevant assessment reports years ago, but never made the results public. In our next installment we will take a look at the secrets inside the bureau’s report.

Source: http://englishnews.ftv.com.tw/read.aspx?sno=C585E7E31DEF7010ACF37A7BE56126CD

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

EPA responds to local fisherman's Erlin criticisms

Today's Taipei Times has an article titled EPA responds to local fisherman's Erlin criticisms. The Environmental Protection Administration claims it is trying to address fears that pollution from the Erlin Science Park will contaminate farmers fields and destroy the livelihood of local fishers. While the EPA cites all sorts of reasons why they allowed the project to go ahead, one can't help wondering if they are confusing the role of environmental protection with that of the development administrations. According to the article, the EPA said that it was "currently undertaking studies to determine if waste water could be reused by nearby industry or released in a manner that minimized the impact on nearby fishermen." If the solutions to these issues are still unknown, then how can the EPA honestly justify their decision to give Erlin the green light. This just another very sad example of Taiwan's EPA being nothing but a rubber stamp administration.


Also see:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

All three effluent discharge proposals for Central Taiwan Science Park development will lead to pollution of humpback dolphin habitat

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

Monday, November 30, 2009

County Elections: The lack of 'green' candidates

A shot from elections past: Getting an campaign van ready to hit the streets. Note the size of the speakers.

A shot from elections past: A drum on the back of a campaign van.


It's almost midnight in Taiwan and tomorrow's on-line edition of the Taipei Times is up. An article titled Vote for 'green' candidates, activists say caught my attention.

On Saturday 5Th December, county elections will take place for the election of city mayors and county commissioners and for the past few weeks, all across Taiwan, we've been subjected to the deafening racket of campaigning 'a la Taiwan' style.

Campaigning in Taiwan involves fleets of noisy election vans roaming the streets broadcasting their candidate's propaganda at ear-shattering volumes that are well in excess of noise pollution laws. Often candidates will stand on a rickety platform atop a van screaming into a microphone and subjecting all and sundry to their views of the world, the alleged shortcomings and vices of their opposition, and strings of promises of what they will do if elected.

The candidate's van is usually followed by several other vans and cars. The other vans will be broadcasting prerecorded political propaganda while the candidate is still screaming into the microphone. While this is going on, folks perched atop another van will be letting off firecrackers. Sometimes gongs, drums and flutes accompany the din of the firecrackers. Bear in mind that this often goes on late into the night and resumes first thing in the morning. Several different motorcades launch simultaneous attacks on the same areas resulting in the most unbelievable noise levels and disruptions to the flow of traffic. These motorcades are followed by legions of campaign workers that chant and cheer while accosting locals and thrusting little packets of tissues and pamphlets into the hands of anyone they can lay their hands on. Enthusiastic campaign workers are not above entering any shop or house that has an open door. Often the cheering campaign workers are supported by a speaker van broadcasting the cheers of a prerecorded crowd. Also, every available lamppost, pole and wall are covered in election posters, banners and flags.

Most people one speaks to loath the noise of elections but would never consider banding together and trying to do something about it. This so often is the case in Taiwan. The people just shut up and don't speak out. People are angry about the noise. They are angry about pollution. They are angry about corruption and mismanagement but they tolerate it all. They never appose the system. Is this the legacy of almost forty years of Marshal law and the product of an education system that discourages individual thinking and the questioning of authority?

Taiwan has a tragic legacy of greedy and corrupt politicians that lack moral accountability and responsibility. Global warming and combating the effects of climate change feature highly on the political agenda in most parts of the free world now. Taiwan's lack of commitment to sustainable economics and the reduction of emissions is in direct contrast to that of most other democratic free nations. This lack of commitment to doing anything about the environment and sustainable economics is evident in the lack of any stand on these issues for almost all candidates. In the present legislature many feel there is only one legislator that has any credible track record of really standing up for the environment. Reality on the ground in Taiwan is that the politicians feel no pressure at all to have to start considering the environment and sustainable economics and until they do, nothing is going to change.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Taiwan Pink Dolphins in the Taipei Times

Two letters appeared in the Taipei Times yesterday with reference to the Taiwan Pink Dolphins. The first letter, titled Preserving our environment was written by Bruno Walther, a visiting assistant professor of environmental science at Taipei Medical University. He comments on the Erlin Science Park, the Taiwan Pink Dolphins and the "growing realization that the economy and the environment are intricately linked."

The second letter was from Robin Winkler, a Taipei-based lawyer and founding director of the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association [Robin Winkler's letter follows Bruno Walther's letter on the letter page]. Robin clarifies some points made in a previous Taipei Times article to avoid any confusion over the protection status of the Taiwan Pink Dolphins.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Swimming Channel for the White Dolphins? A Sudden Burst of a Marvelous Idea from Ma Government

A translation of a recent article that appeared in the China times. The translation is courtesy of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association's translation department [material in brackets added by translator for clarification].


China Times, 7 November 2009

Swimming Channel for the White Dolphins? A Sudden Burst of a Marvelous Idea from Ma Government

Rong Hua-yi/Reporting in Taipei


Premier Wu Dun-yi acknowledged that the effluents from the Central Science Park Fourth Stage would go “directly into the ocean”, however, conservation groups and Democratic Progressive Party legislator Tien Chiu-Chin yesterday raised doubts about this, as it would mean a serious breach of the near extinct “Chinese White Dolphin’s” habitat. In order to address this the Ma government has come up with the “marvelous idea”: consideration of a “construction a special water lane” and training the dolphins to swim away from the pollution. Problem is that in the assessment of the local experts “there will be a very high degree of difficulty”.

Conservationists yesterday made a plea for the Chinese White dolphin [aka Taiwan pink dolphin] yesterday, including the chairman of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group, Peter S. Ross, and the chairman of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Cetacean Specialist Group, Randall R. Reeves, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association chair Robin Winkler, and John Tsai chair of the Changhua Environmental Protection Union.

The Chinese White dolphin, also called the “Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin”, and known as “Matsu’s Fishor baiwua” in Taiwanese [?], is classified by the Forestry Bureau as being in the highest category of protection, and inhabits shallow seas near to the shore, there are currently about 90 animals remaining; they are active in the coastal waters from Miaoli to Chiayi, they are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Critically Endangered, facing life threatening factors of polluted water, lack of fresh water, land reclamation, fishing nets, marine noise, lack of food, starvation.

The Forestry Bureau of the Council of Agriculture Specialist LIU, Cyong-lian stated that the planned destination for the Central Science Park’s pollution discharge was in the area where the Chinese dolphins are active, and that an interagency committee under the Executive Yuan had met with Kuokuang Petrochemical, local and foreign experts to discuss how to mitigate the impact on the dolphins, with one possible solution having been offered being to “build a dedicated channel for the dolphins to swim through”.

Assistant Professor Otto Li of the Institute of Marine Affairs at National Sun Yat Sen University pointed out that getting the dolphins to “obediently use the swimming channel”, while there are examples in other contries, but they used natural fjords whereas Taiwan lacks such geological formations and would require it to be entirely constructed by humans with a very high cost and no precedent. Furthermore, the dolphins won’t necessarily be so obedient and experts on animal behavior think this is impossible.


 
中國時報  2009.11.07

白海豚游水道?馬政府突發奇想

戎華儀/台北報導


 行政院長吳敦義承諾,中科四期汙水將「直接排入海中」,但保育團體與民進黨立委田秋堇 昨日質疑,此舉會嚴重破壞瀕臨滅絕的「中華白海豚」棲息海域。為解決此問題,馬政府曾一度「突發奇想」,考慮「築一條專用水道」,訓練海豚游水道以避開汙 水,只是國內外專家評估「難度很高」。

 東台灣海峽白海豚技術顧問工作小組主席羅斯(Peter S. Ross)、國際自然保育聯盟鯨類專家小組主席瑞維斯(Randall R. Reeves)、台灣蠻野心足生態協會理事長文魯彬、彰化環境保護聯盟理事長蔡嘉陽等保育人士,昨日為中華白海豚請命。

 中華白海豚又稱「印太洋駝海豚」,俗稱「媽祖魚、白魚吳」,林務局列為一級保育動物,以近岸、淺海為棲息海域,目前僅剩約九十隻,活動於 苗栗到嘉義沿海,生育率低,被國際自然保育聯盟(IUCN)列為「瀕臨滅絕」生物,面臨汙水排放、缺乏淡水、填海造陸、漁具誤纏、水中噪音和糧食不足、飢 餓等生存危機。

 農委會林務局簡任技正劉瓊蓮表示,中科汙水預訂排放的區域就在中華白海豚活動的海域內,行政院跨部會小組曾和國光石化、國內外學者專家討論如何降低對海豚的衝擊,其中一個做法,是「築水道讓海豚游過」。

 中山大學海洋事務研究所助理教授李政諦指出,要海豚「乖乖游水道」雖在國外有先例,但利用的是天然峽灣地形,台灣西岸沿海沒有這樣的地形,必須完全人工興築,費用高昂,全球沒有先例,且海豚是否真的乖乖走水道,動物行為專家認為要實際執行幾乎不可能。

 其他因應方案包括以棲地復育方式,順應中華白海豚在平均七點多公尺深的海域活動的習性,在填海造陸時墊高新生地沿岸的海底,創造淺海地形,花費比築水道稍低,但也是一大工程。

 李政諦說,「盡可能不要產生(汙水)是最好。」他指,既然官方和國光石化都在想各種方案,表示大家都知道汙水可能造成生態衝擊,只是,包括「讓海豚乖乖游水道」等方案,沒有科學證據證明確實能解決問題,「做了,只能說聊表心意。」

http://life.chinatimes.com/2009Cti/Channel/Life/life-article/0,5047,11051801+112009110700036,00.html

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitat in Taiwan: Report of an international expert panel convened in Taipei, Nov 2-5 2009

Below is a brief report released after the 2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop.


Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitat in Taiwan:
Report of an international expert panel convened in Taipei, Nov 2-5 2009


Taipei (November 5, 2009): An international panel of scientists convened in Taipei to propose boundaries for priority habitat for a critically endangered population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in Taiwan. With fewer than 100 individuals remaining, this isolated population is found in the shallow, nearshore waters of central western Taiwan. These dolphins are threatened by pollution, noise, bycatch in fishing nets, and habitat changes caused by reduced release of water to estuaries and land reclamation.

The panel was convened at the request of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG), a scientific body with 17 national and international experts on marine mammal biology and ecology. The panel spent three days drafting a plan to describe and propose priority habitat, considered as necessary to their survival and recovery.

The expert panel will be delivering its manuscript to a scientific journal for review and publication shortly, thereby enabling wide international review of the proposal. While this work focused on preparing a scientific rationale for priority habitat for this dolphin population, it is hoped that government, industry and non-governmental sectors can use the proposal as a basis for enacting protection measures.

Briefly, the panel proposes a priority habitat area with boundaries to the north of the Danshui River estuary down along the western coast to just south of Tseng-Wen River estuary. The boundaries will extend from the shoreline (relative to the lowest high tide of the year) out 3 km (relative to the lowest low tide of the year), or to the 30 m depth mark, whichever is further from the shore. This priority habitat area includes all waters within which there have been confirmed sightings of these dolphins, as well as areas to the north and south and further offshore that are deemed ‘suitable’ for dolphin use based on known habitat preferences.

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins of Taiwan will go extinct in the absence of immediate protection measures which target fisheries, water use, construction, waste discharge, and noise-producing practices within this priority habitat area.

The Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group was pleased and encouraged by the progress made by numerous government agencies in considering the plight of this dolphin population, and looks forward to further dialogue and information exchange among all parties. The ETSSTAWG remains freely available for expert consultation on any scientific question concerning these dolphins and their habitat.


For further information contact:

- Dr Peter S. Ross, Chairman, Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) (peter.s.ross@dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

- Dr Randall R. Reeves, Chairman, IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group (rrreeves@okapis.ca)


Also see:
2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

SMM Conference, Québec City: Workshop - Critical habitat delineation for critically endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Taiwan

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Taiwan's Pink Dolphins face extinction

A Taiwan Pink Dolphin mother and calf: photo courtesy of FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group.


Following yesterday's press conference at the Office of Legislator Tien Chiu-Chin on the preliminary findings of 2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop, the Taipei Times has run an article titled Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin faces extinction. International scientists, amongst other things, voiced concerns over the Erlin Science Park project that was given the green light by the Environmental Protection Administration last Friday.

Save the Taiwan Pink Dolphin Blog will publish the findings of the 2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop as soon as they are made available to us.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Press Conference Invitation: International Seminar on the Conservation of the ETS Humpback Dolphin

台灣白海豚保育工作國際交流座談會
邀請函暨採訪通知

Invitation:
International Seminar on the Conservation of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin

Matsu’s Fish, (Sousa chinensis, ETS Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins, or the Taiwan White Dolphin ) is an important indicator of the ecological resources of Taiwan’s surrounding oceans. On account of the increasing and severe environmental degradation that has and is occurring in their habitat, this species is facing extinction. Based on the most recent scientific studies done this year only between 60 and 90 Taiwan White Dolphins remain.

The tragic fishnet entanglement and drowning death of one of the animals discovered on the beach in Miaoli County in late September 2009 is but one more reminder of the severe danger of losing this population of animals that have were designated CR, or critically endangered, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in August 2008.

Although the Taiwan government has begun to pay attention to the research that has been done on the Taiwan White Dolphin, however a number of large-scale development projects have been slated for the area in and around the animals’ habitat, projects that constitute a serious danger to the population’s survival. The conservation of the Taiwan’s White Dolphins has been accorded serious attention by the international community of cetacean conservationists and scientists. Ten of the world’s leading experts were in Taiwan from the second through the fifth of November 2009 to hold meetings and produce a manuscript on the Taiwan White Sousa.

This was the third such meeting of these scientists since their first meeting in 2004 following the scientific discovery of the animals along Taiwan’s west coast in 2002.

The primary purpose of this meeting was to discuss the range of ETS Sousa’s critical habitat of the and provide resolutions that can be used by all parties in Taiwan interested in conservation of the animals as an important reference for their work. In addition to being an opportunity for international cetacean conservation scientists to convene, discuss their research and produce a manuscript on the dolphins and their habitat, it also provided a platform and unique opportunity for Taiwan government agencies, academic organizations and civic conservation groups to exchange views on conservation.

The office of Legislator Tien Chiu-Chin, Taiwan Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Taiwan Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union are jointly holding this press conference to invite the members of the international cetacean scientist community to share their preliminary findings and to issue a declaration concerning the conservation of the ETS Humpback Dolphin. Taiwan’s Forestry Bureau has kindly provided complimentary copies of its recently completed film on the Taiwan White Dolphins. All media and those with an interest in conservation are invited.

Sponsor: Office of Legislator Tien Chiu-Chin, Taiwan Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taiwan Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union
Time: 6 November 2009, 10 am
Venue: Room 202 of the Hung Bldg. Legislative Yuan (please enter through the main entrance on Chung Shan S. Rd. No. 1 (Jhongshan S. Rd.)
Program: 0940 arrival; 1000 opening by Legislator Tien and introduction of guests; 1010 report on the manuscript proceedings; 1020 update on Miaoli stranding; 1030 Forestry Bureau’s conservation efforts; 1040 Declaration and signing; 1050-1200 dialog among local and international conservation interests

Contact information: GAN, Chen-yi (Ah Gan) 0982-225613

會議目的
媽祖魚(中華白海豚)是台灣海洋生態資源的重要指標,由於沿海環境日漸惡化,目前正面臨絕種危機;根據今年最新的研究數據,台灣的白海豚數量可能僅在60至90隻之間。尤其日前苗栗地區發生白海豚因漁網纏繞導致溺斃的悲劇,對於被國際保育聯盟IUCN列為瀕臨絕種等級的族群來說,每一隻白海豚的死亡都是台灣無可彌補的巨大損失。雖然台灣政府開始重視白海豚生態相關研究,但仍有許多重大開發案即將設置在白海豚棲地內,對其生存造成嚴重威脅。台灣白海豚的保育議題受到國際鯨豚保育學者高度重視,特於2009年11月2日至5日第三度齊聚台灣,舉行白海豚國際保育工作會議。
此次會議的重點在於從嚴謹的科學角度,討論白海豚重要棲息環境的範圍,會議結論可作為台灣各界進行白海豚保育工作的重要依據。此外,這次座談會也把握多國鯨豚保育學者同聚台灣的難得機會,提供台灣政府單位、學術團隊及民間一個與國際學者直接交流保育意見的場合。
因此,田秋堇國會辦公室、台灣蠻野心足生態協會及台灣媽祖魚保育聯盟共同舉辦座談會,邀請與會單位簽署白海豚保育宣言,並請林務局提供最清晰的白海豚生態影像紀錄,敬邀各界及媒體先進參與。
主辦單位
台灣媽祖魚保育聯盟、台灣蠻野心足生態協會、田秋堇國會辦公室
會議時間
2009年11月6日(五)上午10:00
會議地點
立法院紅樓202會議室(請由中山南路大門進入)
會議議程
09:40-10:00 簽到
10:00-10:10 田秋堇委員致詞,介紹與會單位及代表
10:10-10:30 「白海豚國際保育工作會議」結論發表
10:30-10:40 林務局發表白海豚保育工作成果
10:40-10:50 簽署白海豚保育宣言
10:50-12:00 與會單位與國際學者保育意見交流


聯絡人:甘宸宜 0982-225613


Also see:
2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitat in Taiwan: Report of an international expert panel convened in Taipei, Nov 2-5 2009

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

SMM Conference, Québec City: Workshop - Critical habitat delineation for critically endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Taiwan

2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop



Dr. Peter Ross of Simon Fraser University (Canada) and chair of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) opening the 2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop in Taipei, Taiwan on Monday, 2nd November.

Monday, 2nd November saw the start of the 2009 International Eastern Taiwan Straight Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Habitat Workshop in Taipei, Taiwan. This workshop follows on two previous international workshops held in 2004 and 2007 and a workshop on critical habitat delineation held at the Society for Marine Mammalogy's 18th Biennial Conference held in Québec City, Canada last month.

A workshop was held on Monday morning after which manuscript meetings and writing sessions followed for the rest of the week. Participants aim to produce a manuscript on important habitat requirements for the critically endangered Taiwan Humpback Dolphins. A press conference will be held on Friday.

A summary of Monday morning's workshop follows:



2009 International Eastern Taiwan Straight Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Habitat Workshop


Welcome by Robin Winkler of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association.

Participants introduce themselves.

Opening and introduction to the ETS Sousa by Dr. Peter Ross, chair of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG).

Habitat characteristics of Sousa chinensis in Taiwan by Chou Lien-siang, National Taiwan University.

Investigations on the ETS Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin by John Y. Wang, FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group.

Land use and sustainable development in Taiwan coastal areas, Chien Lien-kwei, National Taiwan Ocean University.

Update on habitat threats to the Sousa, Kan Chen-yi & John Tsai, Matsu's Fish Conservation Union.

Sousa Conservation Statutes, Liu Chiung-lien, Forestry Bureau.

Fishing regulations in the range of the Sousa, M.C. Wang, Fisheries Bureau.

Wrap up and close by Peter Ross.


The 2009 International Eastern Taiwan Straight Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Habitat Workshop was sponsored by the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) and Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association. In addition, the workshop was co-sponsored and supported by Winkler Partners; Matsu's Fish Conservation Union; FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong; Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society; and Humane Society International.


Also see:
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitat in Taiwan: Report of an international expert panel convened in Taipei, Nov 2-5 2009

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

SMM Conference, Québec City: Workshop - Critical habitat delineation for critically endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Taiwan

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

A local resident holding up a protest sign outside the Environmental Protection Administration during a hearing on the Erlin Science Park last month.


Some interesting comment on the CTSP Erlin Science Park project from the Taiwanwatch blog. An English translation of their article appears below. A shortened version of this article appeared in Apple Daily.



The Folly of the Forth Stage Expansion and Kuokuang Petrochemical Project
By Xie and Lin

Despite repeated criticism, on 13 October the contentious environmental impact report of the fourth stage expansion of the Central Taiwan Science Park was finally granted provisional approval. The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) maintains that the environmental impact assessment examination was conducted professionally, and was not granted provisional approval due to pressure from the developer, the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau of the National Science Council. Nevertheless, the 13 October extension meeting of the fifth preliminary examination and the 31 October Environmental Impact Assessment Committee meeting were conducted behind layers of security blocking out locals that would be harmed by the development and opposed environmental organizations, clearly demonstrating that the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee was not free from strong pressure from the administration.

In a press release, issued during a break in the fifth preliminary examination meeting, the EPA noted that the project developer, the National Science Council, revised its original development plan in order to address misgivings of the public and environmental organizations regarding the preliminary examination process; therefore it was fair and reasonable that the Secretary-General of the Executive Yuan convene a council of the various concerned ministries and commissions in order to discuss and confirm the feasibility of the latest development plan revisions. Before the extension meeting of the fifth preliminary examination, Premier Wu Den-yih revealed the council’s conclusion regarding the revised wastewater drainage route; specifically, the wastewater would not be discharged into the Zhuoshui River or the old Zhuoshui River bed, but rather diverted to an estuary or offered to Kuokuang Petrochemical Company for cooling purposes (see report in Commercial Times, 3 Oct. 2009). Curiously, the revised drainage route did not appear in the developer’s explanation of the environmental impact report or in the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee’s records, and the first line item of the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee’s preliminary examination conclusion report suggests a mysterious meeting of minds among the developer, high-ranking administrative officials, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee. If high-ranking administrative officials and the developer actually respect the environmental impact assessment process, all details regarding how the revisions were drafted and evaluated should be made public and resubmitted to the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee. However this glaring defect remains unaddressed and extraordinary clairvoyance or providential coincidences emerged in the preliminary examination conclusion report. This being the case, tell me please, what happened to the independence of the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee? And what happened to the rights of the public to be informed and participate in policymaking?

It has long been the case that officials presiding over economic issues and elected politicians use their authority to push through development plans or policies that have not undergone environmental impact assessment and flout national land planning regulations. Without consulting those citizens whose rights and interests will be affected, they make promises to potential beneficiary businesses and stakeholders, and then resort to various forms of political manipulation to force the EPA and Environmental Impact Assessment Committee to toe the line. The fourth stage expansion of the Central Taiwan Science Park is a classic example. Such a myopic political agenda and an economic development policy that flouts environmental evaluation not only threatens the independence of the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee, but also tramples on the environment and the rights and interests of the people and threatens national development.

Still more lamentable, even in the wake of Mother Nature’s warnings, the proponents of these shortsighted projects have not paused for reflection. After the “flooding of 88” [flooding that came with Typhoon Morakot beginning on 8 August 2009], not only have climate change-induced disasters left Taiwanese in a state of heightened anxiety, but they continue to ravage people all over the world. In this state of affairs, the newly installed Minister of Economics, Shi Yansiang, remarked at a business affairs meeting earlier this month, “In the future, every development project will be prioritized according to those ‘issues of most importance’” (meaning priority will be given to the fourth stage expansion of the Central Taiwan Science Park, Kuokuang Petrochemical Company, and the fifth stage expansion of the Sixth Naphtha Cracker Plant), with the primary goal of increasing opportunities for employment. His address entirely ignored that the economic and environmental impacts of these development projects are also “issues of most importance.” To continue ignoring these “issues of most importance” will create obstacles to dealing with climate change and result in the loss of an ideal opportunity to begin developing in a more sustainable fashion.

The fourth stage expansion of the Central Taiwan Science Park will primarily increase production capacity of TFT-LCDs and semiconductors. These two industries of “most importance” not only nearly collapsed under the assault of the financial tsunami, but will continue to face increasingly destructive international competition. The expansion will definitely not create more employment opportunities and a more stable socioeconomic situation. This is not a Blue Ocean Strategy. Furthermore, the environment and health risks that will come with it—various poorly understood toxic pollutants present in gaseous emissions and wastewater effluents, consumption of water resources, greenhouse gas emissions—will be difficult to bear, especially considering the site of the expansion plan in Changhua County. This water deficient region is already suffering surface subsidence due to over-extraction of groundwater. The project will not only take hundreds of hectares of farmland that help prevent floods, retain groundwater, and sequester carbon dioxide and turn them into cement lots with impermeable surfaces; but will also pump 4800 tons of groundwater daily (in the short-term) and transfer 66,500 tons of water daily from agricultural water resources drawn from the Jiji diversion weir (in the medium-term). In the long term it is planned to use 160,000 tons daily from the Dadu diversion weir, which is still only in the planning stages. If this project doesn’t exacerbate surface subsidence and render coastal areas more vulnerable to climate change-induced rising sea levels and increasingly frequent and violent extreme weather events, then it will force more agricultural areas to lay fallow, reducing national self-sufficiency and threatening food security.

Agriculture, an essential and foundational industry totally dependent on the weather, will be most affected by climate change. The government is not considering strengthening our agricultural industry’s ability to cope with climate change through conservation of water resources and reducing consumption in order to guarantee sufficient water for agriculture and daily use; but on the contrary repeatedly rolls out development plans that will exacerbate climate change and weaken agriculture. Increasingly precious water resources are being proffered to a minority of manufacturing businesses to squander in an attempt to maintain a tenuous grip on global luxury product markets. Could this be anything but suicide?

Climate change is already an urgent threat, and we have little time to effectively address it. If humanity is to avert imminent dangerous climate change, immense transformations must be carried out including dramatic shifts in industrial development and energy infrastructure. Before 2050 greenhouse gas emissions must be approaching zero, and before the end of the century we must achieve negative greenhouse gas emissions—the emissions that we continue to pump into the atmosphere today must somehow be physically removed. This arduous mission also offers enormous opportunities for economic development, however, and is a turning point for more environmental friendly development. This is an opportunity to create a renewable energy-based, highly efficient economy, and throw off our reliance on imported fuels such as oil and coal. This not only will increase our energy autonomy, but will greatly reduce the emission of numerous pollutants. Only a system that can meet our basic needs with local resources and relies on sustainable, locally produced energy warrants the label “Taiwan’s Economic Development Blue Ocean Strategy.”

Unfortunately, following the financial tsunami our government continues to emphasize investment of increasingly scarce resources in large-scale, greenhouse gas-intensive development projects, not only swallowing up vast resources necessary for the radical shift of our economic system, but intensifying the difficulty of averting dangerous climate change. The direct and indirect emissions of the fourth stage expansion of the Central Taiwan Science Park will amount to 10,950,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually, equivalent to about 4% of our current total national emissions. Added to the emissions of Kuokuang Petrochemical, the fifth stage expansion the Sixth Naphtha Cracker Plant, and the Dragon Steel project which has already passed its environmental evaluation, Taiwan will increase total emissions by 16%, more than the current emissions of the transportation, residential, or commercial sectors. In other words, every Taiwanese could stop driving or stop using electricity at home and the reductions would still not equal the emissions added by these heavy development projects! Could the government actually not understand that the more we increase our emissions today, the greater will be the burden of decreasing them tomorrow, the greater will be the dangers posed by climate change, and the less capable we will be to deal with them. If we don’t change our direction of development today, tomorrow we may not have the chance or the resources.



中科死棋國光光


高度爭議的中科四期環評,終於在10月13日通過初審,遂了開發單位的心願。雖然環保署在最後一次初審會議的中場休息期間,也就是第五次初審延續會議前一周,發表一篇新聞稿要求給環評委員獨立的審查空間,結果卻是用重重警衛把利害相關人的居民與環保團體隔離在環保署大門外,而環評委員的審查空間仍然無法獨立於高度的行政壓力下。


環保署於該新聞稿中指出,行政院秘書長出面協調部會,針對開發單位(國科會)就民眾或環團於審查過程提出之質疑或要求所研提之開發案修正作法,加以確認或協調,以確保修正案之可行性,本屬合情合理作法;然而第五次初審會議前吳揆透露的中科四期廢水排放去路(亦即不會排放到濁水溪或舊濁水溪河道,而改排出海口或供國光石化冷卻水使用,見工商時報10月3日的報導),也是該部會協調會的主要議題,並未出現在開發單位的環評說明書或會議資料中,反而與環評初審結論的第一條不謀而合。若行政高層與開發單位尊重環評,應該將該修正案之作法與評估資料公諸大眾,送交環評審查,而非在評估資料付之闕如的情況下,以不可思議的心有靈犀或巧合方式出現在審查結論中。如此,請問環委的獨立性何在?民眾的知情權與決策參與的權益又何在?


長期以來,經建部門與民選政治人物常以勢在必行的方式,推出未經環評且無視國土規劃的開發案或政見,在未諮詢權益受影響民眾的意見前,即向潛在受惠廠商與樁腳許下承諾,事後再透過種種政治操作要環署與環委就範,中科四期即是典型例子。這種藐視環評的政見或經建政策,不只危及環委的獨立審查空間,踐踏環境與普羅大眾的權益,通常也是危及國家發展的短視之舉。


更可悲的是,這些短視作為的推手並未因為老天的警告而有任何自省改正之意。八八水災後,全球暖化所造成的氣候變遷威力不僅讓國人心有餘悸,更陸續在全球各地肆虐,值此之際,新任經濟部長施顏祥卻在本月初業務會議時指出,「未來各項投資案,要以『重中之重』為優先」(意指中科四期、國光石化與六輕五期等),以吸納更多就業為重點,完全不顧這些開發案的經濟與環境風險也是「重中之重」,更無視這些「重中之重」未來可能成為國家因應氣候變遷的障礙及喪失邁向更永續的發展良機。


以中科四期這個主要是為了擴張面版業與半導體業的開發案為例,這兩個重中之重的產業不僅在金融海嘯來襲時幾乎不支倒地,未來更持續面臨高度且惡性的國際競爭,絕非吸納就業、穩定社經局勢的藍海策略;而其所帶來的環境與健康風險,包括廢氣與廢水中多種不明毒性化學物質的排放、水資源的耗用、溫室氣體的排放,卻是難以承受的。尤其該開發案的場址選在彰化這個因為水資源短缺且超抽地下水導致地層持續下陷的缺水區域,不僅讓數百公頃原本可以 滯洪、涵養地下水以及吸存二氧化碳的農業用地成了水泥鋪面,且規劃於短、中期使用自來水(每日0.48萬噸,來自地下水的抽取)及調用農業用水(每日6.65萬噸,來自集集攔河堰),長期則使用八字都還沒有一撇的大肚攔河堰(每日16萬噸),其後果不是造成地層下陷的惡化,使沿海地區更無力抵禦全球暖化所帶來的海平面上升危機以及頻率與強度越來越大的暴雨等極端氣候事件,不然就是造成更多的農田被強迫休耕,降低國內糧食自給率而危及糧食安全。


農業這個完全看天吃飯的產業,正是受氣候變遷影響最大卻又不能放棄的根基產業,政府不思強化其因應氣候變遷的體質,包括保育及節約水資源以確保農業與民生用水無餘,反而陸續推出會惡化氣候變遷且讓農業更形脆弱的開發案,讓往後越形珍貴的水資源供少數廠商揮霍以搶佔不一定能持續佔得了的全球奢侈品市場,這難道不是尋死之舉?


氣候變遷的危機已迫在眉睫,而我們已無多少時間可以有效回應:展望不久的將來,人類若要避免危險的氣候變遷,必須進行龐大的轉變,包括產業發展與能源基礎設施的急遽轉型,以在2050年前趨近零排放,同時更必須在本世紀前達到負排放,把今日人類排放的二氧化碳從大氣中抓下來。不過這艱鉅的任務亦提供了龐大的經濟發展機會,且是對環境更友善的發展契機:讓我們有機會發展成一個以再生能源為基礎並擁有高度能源效率的經濟體,以擺脫對石油與煤碳等進口燃料的依賴,如此不僅能提高能源自主性,更能減少相當多的污染排放,這 種立基於在地基本需求以及在地能資源的永續利用,才是我國經濟發展的藍海策略。


然而,政府卻在金融海嘯過後,依然強勢引導國內更形拮据的財務資源大舉投入高溫室氣體排放的開發案,不但排擠了經濟體急遽轉型所需的龐大經費,更加劇了我們避免危險氣候變遷的困難度:中科四期直接與間接的溫室氣體排放量達1,095萬噸二氧化碳當量,約為目前全國年排放量的4%左右,再加上國光石化、六輕五期與已通過環評的中龍鋼鐵,我國將因此增加16%的溫室氣體排放量,已高於交通部門或住商部門的排放量佔比 ;也就是說,全國老百姓都不要開車,或者生活上都不要用電,也抵不了這幾個重開發案的排放增量!政府官員難道連這都不明白,今日我們溫室氣體排放的越多,未來我們的減量負擔就越重,所承受的氣候變遷風險也會越大,因應的能力也會越弱;今日我們的發展方向不改變,明日我們可能連改變的機會與資源都沒有了。


資料來源:


1. 〈環保署要求給環評委員獨立的審查環境〉,環保署新聞稿,2009年10月6日。


2. 〈中科四期廢水排放 有解〉,工商時報,2009年10月3日。


3. 〈吳揆促建 友達二林廠 國光石化〉,蘋果日報,2009年10月2日。


Also see:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

All three effluent discharge proposals for Central Taiwan Science Park development will lead to pollution of humpback dolphin habitat

More protests at the EPA against the CTSP Erlin Science Park

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

EPA responds to local fisherman's Erlin criticisms

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

It shouldn't surprise us. We knew what was coming. After the so-called Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) barred local residents and environmental groups from the previous hearing because of alleged misbehaviour shouldn't we have known what was coming? Shouldn't we have known that yesterday, like it always does, that the EPA would once again deal a devastating blow to Taiwan's environment? And, yes, that's exactly what they did. The CTSP Erlin Science Park has been given the green light. Despite opposition from local residents, mostly farmers and fishers who fear pollution will destroy their livelihoods and way of life. Despite the fate of the critically endangered Taiwan Humpback Dolphins hanging in the balance. Despite the devastating impact this will have on the natural environment, the EPA has once again come out in favour of short-term unsustainable heavy industry.

See today's Taipei Times for the story.


Also see:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

All three effluent discharge proposals for Central Taiwan Science Park development will lead to pollution of humpback dolphin habitat

More protests at the EPA against the CTSP Erlin Science Park

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

EPA responds to local fisherman's Erlin criticisms

Monday, October 26, 2009

Taiwan Pink Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

Two stories from today’s local Hanji [1] press indicate that Taiwan continues to practice “Cat in the Hat” economics. The first was “Premier Wu Dun-yi: Three Major Investment Projects Will Spur Employment” in which we were told about the Executive Yuan support for the Fourth Stage of the Central Science Park Erlin, the Guoguang Petrochemical project and the Fifth Stage of the Sixth Naphtha Plant of Formosa Plastics. The investments will be more than a million million NT$ and will bring twenty to thirty thousand jobs. The second was about how the first of those projects, the Central Science Park project a Erlin would overcome all obstacles to achieve its purpose, the main obstacle, according to the article, being the disposal of waste water. If they can’t give it to the Guo Guang Petrochemical Park to use, then they will pipe it three kilometers out into ETS Sousa habitat.

I thought Cat in the Hat Economics might be an original idea with me, maybe it is, but someone beat me to it with a blogger talking about the metaphor in the context of the banking bail out[2].

Most of us should remember the story of the Cat in the Hat. The kid (Wall Street and the banking industry) makes a mess and creates a stain and the Cat in the Hat (The US Government) tries one thing after another but can get rid of the problem. The cat simply transfers the stain from one article to another actually making it far worse in the process. Morale of the story: One can't run from or hide from problems to deal with them.

Actually, we are going further than this. The Chinese KMT Ma regime is actually continuing on its merry path, deceiving the Taiwanese into thinking nothing has really changed in the world, there is no climate destabilization, or if there is, it has nothing to do with us and government policies to encourage toxic high waste, high consumption industries are fine, because amidst the social, economic and natural environmental havoc it is laying on Taiwan, there is a magic bullet at the end – something that will “clean it all up” as that little last cat did just in time. The magic pill changes from day to day, sometimes it is China and ECFA, sometimes it is new investments. But the mess keeps growing and along with the human cost in terms of health, social justice and economic security, we are taking down many, many other species with us. So there really is little point in all of this talk about a green economy, because there is no way we are going to catch up with the destructive practices of government, industry, academia and our elected officials. Friday is the show-down on Erlin at the EPA’s EIA plenary meeting.


English translation of the two articles

Wu Dun-yi: Three Major Investment Projects Will Spur Employment
Economic Daily News Reported by Wu Bi-eh, Ciu Sin-yi in Taipei and Tainan
25 October 2009

Executive Yuan Premier Wu Dun-yi yesterday (24 October 2009) pointed out that stimulating jobs and cutting the unemployment rate are the governments most important policies at this time so that the Executive Yuan will promote the Fourth Stage of the Central Science Park, the Guoguang Petrochemical project and the Fifth Stage of the Sixth Naphtha Plant of Formosa Plastics. The investments will be more than a million million NT$ and will bring twenty to thirty thousand employment opportunities.

At a jobs fair in Tainan yesterday, while attending the activities, Wu Dun-yi emphasized the governments resolve in promoting large scale investment projects; he pointed out the government’s absolute duty to provide an environment in which people can be assured of jobs and stimulate employment and this has also been the policy of objective since he took office.

The Directorate General of Budget Accounting and Statistics announce that the September unemployment rate, although down a bit, was still more than 6%; Wu Dun-yi pointed out that while stimulating short term employment opportunities would have some positive impact on the unemployment rate, the most fundamental way was to create long term stable job opportunities.

Jennifer Wang, Minster of Labor said the “immediate get to work plan” starting from October last year through 21 October this year, was to deal with the fallout from the financial crisis and statistics showed that just in the counties of Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan the service center had already helped 6,710 people get jobs.

In addition, the government has also begun a special program to develop diverse employment opportunities, helping to find employment for middle and elderly people who have lost their jobs as well as disadvantaged groups.

To stimulate jobs the Council for Labor Affairs starting from 22 October will hold a series of seven large scale job fairs altogether providing twenty thousand jobs; at the fair in Tainan yesterday one hundred businesses were looking for over 3000 applicants to fill positions, including leading companies such as 奇美電、晶電、茂迪、益通 whose orders have been recovering business developments otherwise call for more jobs. In total the number of attendees yesterday were 6,596 with 7,780 applications being filed and preliminary successes in matching job seekers with employment opportunities were at 1,514 or a success rate of 26.3 percent.

According to 104 Labor Bank, the demand for personnel has rebounded and for the past ten months has been increasing, with 243,000 positions open in October. With the economic recovery the unemployment rate has peaked and there is a falling trend which bodes well for the jobless situation.


Central Science Park Fourth Stage – Barging the Gates of Environmental Impact Assessment
Economic Daily News Reported by Sung Jian-sheng from Taichung
25 October 2009

The Environmental Protection Administration has set Friday (30 October 2009) to have a meeting of the plenary session of the Environmental Impact Assessment Commission on the fourth stage of the Central Science Park in Erlin, which if the EIA goes smoothly, Yang Wun-ke, the head of the CSP Bureau, says ground breaking can begin as early as before the end of the year and it could be completed within five years.

Yang Wun-ke emphasized that AUO has planned an investment in the park amounting to NT$4,000,000,000,000 to build the largest optical fibre plants in the county to start up by the third quarter next year, so looking at the status of the EIA, if the case goes through in the plenary there should be no adverse impact on the progress of AUO’s investment.

There are already over ten companies that are interested in investment in the Erlin Central Science Park, and in addition to AUO, Winbond, Chunghwa Picture Tube, Hota, Syudong (?), the French company Air Liquide, Dipao (?), Kefong (?), Helius Power Corporation total investments will be over NT$6,000,000,000,000.

To ensure that the Erlin Park does not end up still born, Premier Wu Dun-yi has already indicated that if the waste water from Erlin can be used for the Guoguang Petrochemical Plant’s use then the connecting pipeline will be laid. If Guoguang Petrochemical, can’t use the water then it will be discharged into the ocean three kilometers from the low tide line, after passing through a pipeline that will be three kilometers so as to ensure that the people of Yunlin and Changhua can rest assured.

Yang Wun-ke said that the EIA subcommittee passed the case with conditions and the Central Science Park Administration will do its best to oblige, in the future the discharge pipeline will be extended from 14 kilometers to 35 kilometers and the total investment increased from 3.3 billion NT$ to 6.87 billion, such additional funds to come out of the Science Park Operating Fund.

In the midst of the voices of protest the EIA subcommittee passed the continuation of the case conditionally.

Currently the largest investor in Central Science Park case is AUO which plans an optoelectronics village with NT$4,000,000,000,000 which will be used to build fourth generation 10 inch wafer fab and this will also attract downstream related businesses, and as the chip industry has seen recovery, AUO’s two 8.5 inch wafer fabs in the Central Science Park in Houli have also restarted operations.



吳敦義:三大投資 促進就業

【經濟日報╱記者吳碧娥、邱馨儀╱台北、台南報導】2009.10.25 04:18 am


行政院長吳敦義昨(24)日指出,促進就業與降低失業率是政府當前最重要的政策,行政院將推動中科四期、國光石化與台塑六輕五期等三個大型投資計畫,投資總額逾兆元,將可帶動二、三萬個就業機會。
勞委會昨天在台南舉辦就業博覽會,吳敦義在出席活動時強調政府推動重大投資計畫的決心;他指出,為民眾提供安心的勞動環境、促進就業,是政府責無旁貸的事,也是他上任後的施政目標。
主計處最近公布9月失業率,雖然小幅下跌,但仍突破6%;吳敦義指出,促進短期就業對改善失業率雖有一定效果,但最根本的,還是要創造長期穩定的工作機會。
勞委會主委王如玄表示,「立即上工計畫」是為因應金融海嘯自去年10月推動,截至今年10月21日,統計僅雲嘉南區就業服務中心即已協助6,710人就業。
此外,政府也開辦多元就業開發專案,幫助中高年齡失業、弱勢族群就業。
為促進就業,勞委會從22日起陸續辦理七場大型就業博覽會,共釋出2萬多個工作機會;昨天在台南縣舉辦的就業博覽會,有100多家廠家提供3,000多個職缺,包括奇美電、晶電、茂迪、益通等指標企業,都因訂單回流或產業發展傳出利多釋出大量職缺,統計昨天共湧入6,596人,投遞履歷7,780人次,初步媒合1,514人,媒合率達二成六三。
根據104人力銀行統計,人力需求持續回升,工作職缺數已連十個月成長,10月時已達到24.3萬個職缺。隨景氣逐步復甦,失業率有探頂下滑趨勢,接下來循環性失業狀況可望好轉。
【2009/10/25 經濟日報】


中科四期環評 再闖關

【經濟日報╱記者宋健生/台中報導】2009.10.25 04:18 am


環保署訂本周五(30日)召開中科四期二林園區基地環評大會,中科管理局長楊文科表示,環評若順利過關,二林園區最快今年底前動工,預計五年內完工。
楊文科強調,友達將在二林園區投資4,000億元,建構我國最大的光電產業聚落,預計明年第三季啟動,以目前二林園區環評進度來看,只要環評大會順利通過,應不致影響友達的投資與建廠進度。
中科二林園區已有十幾家廠商表達投資意願,除了友達,還有華邦、華映、和大、旭東、法商液空、帝寶、科風、東君能源系統等,累計投資金額已逾6,000億元。
為力保二林園區開發不會胎死腹中,行政院長吳敦義已指示,中科四期排放水若可供國光石化運用,則可用接管方式送達。若國光石化不用,放流點可經由低潮線起算,加長3公里的排放管,排放至海域,務必做到讓雲林及彰化兩縣民眾都能放心。
楊文科說,環評審查小組的附帶條件,中科管理局會全力支持配合,未來二林園區廢水排放管線長度,將由原規劃的14公里延長為35公里,總經費由33億元增至68.7億元,新增經費由科學園區作業基金中借貸支應。
在民眾抗議聲中,環評專案小組延續會議日前有條件通過中科二林園區的環評審查。
專案小組要求,二林基地在初期與中期階段,必須完成海岸排放專管才能營運,每日廢水排放量必須在7萬噸以下,環評委員還要求,廢水須排放在濁水溪或是舊濁水溪河口潮間帶的低潮線以下。
中科二林園區原訂今年7月底動工,但因環評審查受阻,工程延誤近半年,投資廠商焦慮不已。楊文科說,環評審查初步過關,大家都鬆了一口氣,希望環評大會能夠順利通過此案。
中科二林園區目前最大的投資案,是友達計畫建構的光電產業聚落,總投資金額達4,000億元,將規劃興建四座十代以上大尺寸面板廠,並引進上中下游產業關聯廠商。隨面板產業景氣復甦,友達中科后里園區的第二座8.5代廠已經復工。
【2009/10/25 經濟日報】


Click here to sign the petion against the CTSP Erlin Science Park project.

Also see:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

All three effluent discharge proposals for Central Taiwan Science Park development will lead to pollution of humpback dolphin habitat

More protests at the EPA against the CTSP Erlin Science Park

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

Monday, October 19, 2009

Taiwan Pink Dolphin researcher wins the Leatherwood Award

The J. Stephen Leatherwood Award for the best presentation on marine mammals in the South and Southeast Asia region at the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Québec City, Canada has been awarded to Dr. John Y. Wang of FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group. The award was given for a poster presentation by John Wang entitled "Mark-recapture abundance estimation of the Eastern Taiwan Strait population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis)" and was co-authored by John Y. Wang; Shih Chu Yang; Pedro F. Fruet; and Eduardo R. Secchi. Our congratulations to John. This is a wonderful achievement and will greatly assist in highlighting the plight of the Taiwan Pink Dolphins internationally.


Also see:
Society for Marine Mammalogy 18th Biennial Conference Québec City, Canada.

SMM Conference, Québec City: Workshop - Critical habitat delineation for critically endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Taiwan

2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop

Thursday, October 15, 2009

ETSSTAWG Chair sends a letter to COA Minister concerning the recent death of a Humpback Dolphin

Dr Peter S. Ross, Chairman of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG), has sent a letter to the Minister of the [Taiwan] Council of Agriculture (COA), Chen Wu-hsiung, concerning scientific investigations into the recent death of a Taiwan Humpback Dolphin. As studies on the critically endangered population of Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Dolphins [Taiwan Humpback Dolphins] have been limited there is still much to learn about these unique dolphins and open scientific investigation of this deceased individual is of great interest to all researchers, both locally and abroad. Open scientific investigation of the deceased individual offers the opportunity to learn much about these poorly known dolphins. We will be monitoring developments closely and sincerely hope the COA will approach investigations in an open manner and ensure that credible investigations are undertaken and that findings are shared internationally.

Below is a copy of the letter sent by ETSSTAWG Chair, Dr Peter S. Ross, to Minister Chen Wu-hsiung. Our thanks to ETSSTAWG for allowing us to post their letter on the Taiwan Humpback Dolphin blog.



TO:
Minister Mr. Chen Wu-hsiung
Council of Agriculture
Taiwan
Sept 27 2009

Dear Minister Chen Wu-hsiung:

I recently learned of the death of one individual member of the IUCN-designated Critically Endangered population of Eastern Taiwan Strait Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in Taiwan. This individual was found on the shore adjacent to the important habitat of this very small population, which numbers fewer than 100 individuals.

While a single mortality in this population is most unfortunate, it is of the utmost importance that open scientific investigation be encouraged on this individual. In recent years, two major research groups in Taiwan (Formosacetus and Taiwan Cetacean Society), both with strong ambitions, and excellent capacity, have been conducting research on free-ranging members of ETS Sousa. As Chairman of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Technical Advisory Sousa Working Group (ETSSTAWG), I am mandated to encourage dialogue on the best possible science in support of a better understanding of Sousa and its habitat. Without excellent scientific research, and open communication among all parties, the chances of survival for the ETS Sousa population are greatly reduced.

There are many scientific investigations that can be carried out on a stranded (deceased) individual to determine the cause of death, as well as to provide insight into the remaining (living) members of this unique population. Some investigations that can be carried out include:
- Gross pathology;
- Genetics;
- Parasitology;
- Disease investigations;
- Reproductive status;
- Toxicology (contaminants);
- Basic biology;
- Condition.

The ETS Sousa population deserves the best possible scientific investigations. The ETSSTAWG is monitoring the present situation with regard to this specimen, and will continue to advise and act on behalf of the ETS Sousa on behalf of the international scientific community.

The ETSSTAWG looks forward to learning more about the cause of death of this individual, and will look very favourably indeed upon improved dialogue among the many excellent research and other organizations active in the area of ETS Sousa biology and conservation.

Sincerely,

Dr Peter S. Ross
Chairman
Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group




*A similar letter has also been received from Dolphin Care UK.

Also see:
Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Beaches and Dies on the Coast of Tonghsiao

Update: Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Beaches and Dies on the Coast of Tonghsiao

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River





Three photos showing protesters outside the Environmental Protection Administration in Taipei yesterday.


Yesterday scores of protesters gathered outside the Environmental Protection Administration's (EPA) offices in Taipei while inside the EPA and developers held a meeting on the planned CTSP Erlin Science Park in Chunghua County western Taiwan. In a sweeping move typical of Ma's authoritarian right wing KMT (Chinese National Party) regime, stakeholders and environmental NGOs were barred from attending and voicing their opinions and concerns at yesterday's meeting because they allegedly disrupted proceedings at a meeting on October 5th. Quite how the EPA arrived at its decision that every stakeholder, concerned local resident and environmental NGO was guilty of such misconduct that they needed to be excluded from the meeting and silenced remains unclear. Such disregard for the rights of free speech, protest and participation in the decision making process of a project that can adversely impact the livelihood of many local residents and cause tremendous damage to the environment can only be held by those who believe in absolute power and that they have no responsibility at all to the common people.

To many the EPA is viewed as nothing more than a rubber stamp administration of the ruling KMT and their powerful developer cronies. The way the EPA is behaving really seems to lend credit to this allegation. At the meeting the EIA subcommittee recommended "conditional approval" for the final review of the fourth phase expansion of the CTSP Erlin project. It is understandable that while local farmers, fishers, residents and other stakeholders were shut outside unable to participate in a process that will destroy their livelihoods, way of life and the environment, that many became very angry. One has to question if this was a deliberate attempt to provoke the locals into a violent response. Unless the KMT regime has other sinister plans to ensure they remain in office, they should seriously consider listing to the people of Taiwan. This is not an isolated incident.

The approval ratings of the Ma regime are rock bottom. The anger at the regime was very clear in the wake of Typhoon Morakot. The recent Yunlin County by-elections showed just what the people of Yunlin County think of the KMT when they overwhelmingly elected the opposition DPP. Yunlin County lies just across the Choushui (Jhoushuei) River. The waste water from the CTSP Erlin Science Park will flow into the Choushui River causing serious pollution problems. The waste water issue was a hot topic in the run up to the by-elections and it would seem the people of Yunlin clearly voiced their opposition to the project by voting the KMT out of office. Shouldn't the KMT be listening?

See today's Taiwan News editorial for more comment on the issue:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River


Click here to sign the petion against the CTSP Erlin Science Park project.

Also see:
Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

All three effluent discharge proposals for Central Taiwan Science Park development will lead to pollution of humpback dolphin habitat

More protests at the EPA against the CTSP Erlin Science Park

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

EPA responds to local fisherman's Erlin criticisms

Monday, October 12, 2009

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

A local resident quietly holding up a protest sign at an earlier meeting. Note the very large police presence. Their lack of riot gear point to them being an intimidating presence rather than being there to seriously confront a "dangerous" mob of local farmers and fishers.



Our colleagues at the Taiwan Environmental Action Network (TEAN) have advised us that the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has issued a statement barring local stakeholders and environmental NGOs from presenting at the upcoming EPA meeting on October 13th because of their alleged misconduct at the hearing on October 5th.

The developers must be extremely happy with and grateful to the EPA! Given the blatant pro-development stance of the EPA and its abysmal track record in actually protecting the environment, one has to seriously question the actions of the EPA in this and ask if this is really just an attempt to silence the local people who are against the CTSP Erlin project which threatens to destroy their livelihoods. The EPA's handling of the Hushan Dam and Songshan Factory issues left one wondering who exactly the EPA was working for. The EPA also shamelessly adopted a "seen no evil" attitude during the assault on former EPA EIA Commissioner and Taipei-based lawyer, Robin Winkler. As the facts emerged despite the attitude of the EPA, it became clear that Winkler had indeed been assaulted inside the EPA and the assailant was convicted. At no point did the EPA bar the noisy pro-development faction, that had even caused a fight in the chamber, from presenting. Barring the opposition to the CTSP Erlin project from presenting is a very serious action. The barring of those who wish to speak out against the project is a blatant violation of the right to free speech and the right to protest against and speak out against things that will adversely impact on the lives of common people and the environment.



From TEAN:

"The Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has issued an official statement blasting NGOs and local stakeholders (local farmers, fishers and residents) for disrupting the proceedings on October 5th at the Fifth EIA briefing on the development of CTSP Erlin Science Park. In its statement, the EPA accused the NGO representatives and local residents/stakeholders participating in the proceeding for being “irrational”, “unreasonable”, “unprofessional”, “threatening”, “disrupting the proceeding with video-taping and recording” and “interfering with the proceeding's order.” The EPA announced that no local stakeholders or environmental NGOs shall be allowed to be present in the meeting room in the name of “maintaining the independent review proceeding for EIA Commissioners as well as the order” at the continuation meeting scheduled for October 13th. Ironically, the developing agency and the related officials will be allowed to present their statements.

According to those who were present at the October 5th meeting and witnessed the whole proceeding, the local stakeholders and NGO representatives simply voiced their concerns on the potential health and environmental risks, which have been witnessed in the communities surrounding the existing science parks in Taiwan. They have legitimate reason to worry that these risks will become real threats to them and cause irreversible negative impacts on them and for future generations."


You can support the local residents, farmers and fishers as well as the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins by sighning a petition: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Also see:
Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

SAVE THE CHANGHUA COAST: We need 1000 people to help make a statement that we care about the environment

Petition letter: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

All three effluent discharge proposals for Central Taiwan Science Park development will lead to pollution of humpback dolphin habitat

More protests at the EPA against the CTSP Erlin Science Park

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

EPA responds to local fisherman's Erlin criticisms

Sunday, October 11, 2009

SAVE THE CHANGHUA COAST: We need 1000 people to help make a statement that we care about the environment

The Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance need 1000 people to help make a statement that we care about the environment. On Sunday, October 25, 2009 people will be coming together to show that they want to Save the Changhua Coast. Please join us and show that we care about the Changhua Coast.


SAVE THE CHANGHUA COAST

Time: Oct. 25 (Sun) 9:30am-8pm
Place: Fangyuan Township, County Route 17, turn west at km marker 55 (芳苑鄉 省道17 號55 公里處轉向西)
Transportation: Free bus service to and from Changhua Train Station is available. A bus will leave the station at 8:30am sharp. The return bus leaves from the coast at 5pm.

ACTIVITY: We are inviting you to help SAVE THE CHANGHUA COAST. In an effort to raise awareness that we as a society must preserve this area, environmental groups are joining forces for a day of activities on Sunday, October 25. The main event is a group action and photo shoot, for which we need 1000 people from 10:30-11:30am. Some will hold white umbrellas and form the shape of a dolphin, while others will hold red umbrellas to spell out “S.O.S.” In addition, there will be a full day of musical performances, storytelling, ecological tours of the area, oxcart rides, films and other entertainments. Both lunch and dinner will be provided, including vegetarian meals.

BACKGROUND: The Changhua Coast has Taiwan’s largest area of mud flats, which present a valuable ecosystem home to plants and animals both on land and in the ocean. The waters off Changhua County are notably a valuable habitat for a critically endangered population of humpback dolphins, who tend to live in shallow waters within 8km of the shoreline. The dolphins and the rest of this coastal ecosystem are threatened by pollution from the China Petroleum Corp.’s (CPC) naphtha cracker plant and a development plan for a large industrial zone called the Central Taiwan Science Park.

Changhua County Tourism Bureau refused to support this event because it involved criticism of China Petroleum Corporation and the development plans for a sprawling industrial zone to be called the Central Taiwan Science Park. In this regard, we can only ask, is this a government concerned for the majority of Taiwan’s citizens, or only for a minority which controls large business interests?

Register to participate:
Online: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGlYdjFuTHR4VzNUU1dueU9fUUVLQUE6MA
Email: tepu.cd@msa.hinet.net or 7626609@gmail.com
Phone: Ms. Shi 0911-761-839 or Mr. Liao 0919-524-911

General Contact Information:
Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance
Tel: 04-7626609
Address: 4F #5 Minzu Rd., Lane 15, Changhua City 500
Email: tepu.cd@msa.hinet.net or 7626609@gmail.com
Web Site: http://tepucd.moc.tw/


Update:

Photo showing the 1300 people at the event. Photo from the Chinese language Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Blog.





Also see:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Taiwan Pink Dolphins make it into Time !

A Taiwan Pink Dolphin mother-and-calf pair: the original transect lines ran directly through critically endangered humpback dolphin habitat.


The Taiwan Pink Dolphins have made it into Time.com, the online version of Time Magazine. An article titled Is Ocean Seismic Testing Endangering the Dolphins? looks at the issue of ocean seismic testing and its impact on marine life. It is encouraging to see that the critically endangered Taiwan Pink Dolphins are making international news. However, some environmentalists here in Taiwan are disappointed at how the article seems to pitch the plight of the dolphins against the needs of humanity with regards to understanding earthquakes and sets it against the backdrop of the tragic September 1999 earthquake known as the 921 Quake in Taiwan and called the Chichi earthquake in the article. Chichi, more often spelt as Jiji in Taiwan, was the village closest to the epicenter of the 921 Quake. Jiji is situated in the landlocked county of Nantou in central Taiwan.

The tragedy of the 921 Quake is very real to environmentalists in Taiwan; the majority of whom experienced it first hand. Just like the recent tragedies associated with Typhoon Morakot, the likely cause of some fatal landslides largely points to poor environmental management policies. Environmentalists are not against seismic surveys. We want them done responsibly and environmental factors need to be considered and addressed. It should be remembered that those conducting this seismic survey planned to run their original transect lines ran directly through the habitat of an IUCN Red-listed critically endangered localised population of cetaceans. It was only when environmentalists started making a noise that the Taiwan Pink Dolphins were reconsidered. Knowingly going out and harassing critically endangered dolphins does raise questions about the ethics of surveyors with regards to their consideration of marine mammals*. Perhaps this article hasn't been entirely fair to environmentalists and has given those conducting the survey way too much credit for considering the plight of Taiwan's marine mammals.

*The LDEO listed the estimated number of cetaceans to be harassed during the survey as 71668, which included 68 Humpback Dolphins.


Also see:
Update and continuing concerns regarding Incidental Harassment Authorisation for L-DEO marine seismic survey in SE Asia


Correction made to the article concerning surveyors consideration of harassing Sousa dolphins (2009-10-11).

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Petition letter: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

An appeal to send a letter of petition to the Taiwan authorities against the expansion of the CTSP Erlin Science Park in Changhua County, central-west Taiwan. This pollution generated from this development threaten local farmers and fishers and also the coastal environment which is home to the critically endangered Taiwan Humpback Dolphins. Our colleagues at the Taiwan Environmental Action Network (TEAN) have drafted a petition letter. Please copy and sign it and e-mail it to:
info.tean @ gmail.com
Cc: keephushanwild@gmail.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 6, 2009

TO:
Taiwan Legislature,
Environmental Protection Administration (EPA),
National Science Council,
Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP).
Re: Stop the 4th stage of expansion of Central Taiwan Science Park in Erlin


The Honorable members of the Taiwan Legislature,
Environmental Protection Administration (EPA),
National Science Council,
Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP),

The CTSP has set up three sites in the central Taiwan since September, 2002 and is now proposing the 4th stage of its expansion in Erlin, Changhua County, Taiwan. Up to date, the CTSP has acquired 1,890 acres of land in the other three sites and is proposing to acquire 1,569 acres (635 hectares) for the Erlin site, which includes 741 acres (300 hectares) to satisfy the need of AU Optronics, a mass production TFT-LCD manufacturer. The health and social impacts associated with the expansion far outweigh any possible benefit and will destroy the livelihood of the local farmers, oyster fishers and dairy farmers.

The Erlin Science Park project will:

- Demand 160,000 tons of clean water per day from Changhua area, where the underground aquifers in the vicinity are currently the main water supply for drinking and irrigation.

- Inevitably destroy the oyster farms along the coast because of the 160,000 tons of wastewater discharged from the science park everyday.

- Significantly and unavoidably increase local air and water pollution;

- Create real potential for contamination from 1,093 tons of volatile organic compounds per year and numerous kinds of hazardous chemicals;

- Inevitably pollute the habitat of fewer than 100 remaining Taiwan Humpback Dolphins or Taiwan White Dolphins ( Sousa chinensis ) Along the coastal waters of Changhua County and hasten the extinction of this unique population, which was designated critically endangered by the IUCN in August 2008.

- Seriously violate the rights of the local farmers by confiscating and / or contaminating their land;

- Seriously violate the right to safe drinking water for the local residents.


Over the years, the high-tech industry in Taiwan has thrived under the protective wings of the government. At the same time, IT corporations have failed to internalize the environmental costs of their production; they have again and again evaded the pollution costs they have imposed onto the local environment and communities. Furthermore, the high-tech industry has cloaked its deception through "compliance" with local environmental regulations, which are already outdated. There is currently no written law that adequately regulates high-tech pollution in Taiwan. As a result, the health risks on the local people and environment have been witnessed over and over again.

Before the CTSP precedes its ongoing expansion, we call on the Taiwan Legislature, National Science Council and EPA to address the following issues:

- To stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park project as it is proposed;

- To revise the Information Disclosure Act to address the issue of governmental and corporate transparency regarding pollution and toxins released into our environment;

- To modify the Regulation on the Management of Hazardous Substances with the spirit of REACH, particularly the emphasis on corporations' responsibility;

- To amend the standards on wastewater, air pollutants, and waste according to the characteristics of the high-tech industry.


Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Your Organization, if applicable)
(Country)

________________________________________________________

Also see:
Leave Taiwan's future a clean Chuoshui River

Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park; Protect Farmers, Fishermen and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Update: Stop the CTSP Erlin Science Park - Protect Farmers, Fishers and the Taiwan Humpback Dolphins.

Taiwan Humpback Dolphin Extinction Guaranteed by Ma and Wu’s Cat in the Hat Economics?

Black Friday for Erlin - The EPA once again strikes a blow against the environment

The saga of the CTSP Erlin Science Park and the Kuokuang Petrochemical Project

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction