Taichung City pioneers one-on-one environmental impact assessment coaching, aiming for a win-win for the economy and the environment

To reduce development pollution, the Taichung City Environmental Protection Bureau has pioneered "one-on-one on-site mobile coaching" for environmental impact assessment, helping developers identify pollution problems early and seek solutions through exchanges on pollution prevention. Last year, 6 companies were coached, and this year 9 more high-risk polluting developers will be coached, in the hope of reducing conflicts between environmental impact assessment and economic development and creating a win-win situation.

Bai Zhirong, director of the Taichung City Environmental Protection Bureau, pointed out that according to environmental impact assessment regulations, after developers pass the environmental impact assessment review, the construction and operation stages must be carried out in accordance with the approved environmental monitoring plan and relevant environmental protection measures, and the Environmental Protection Bureau will conduct irregular spot checks.

At present, there are 261 cases under environmental impact assessment supervision in Taichung. In addition to continuing irregular supervision and inspection, last year it took the lead nationwide in conducting 6 one-on-one coaching sessions on a mobile basis, and this year it has selected 9 large high-risk polluting development projects, holding one pollution prevention exchange activity each month to coach operators to strengthen the improvement of pollution and fulfill their corporate responsibilities.

The Taichung City Environmental Protection Bureau pointed out that yesterday the coaching staff invited experts and scholars to the Port of Taichung area to carry out one-on-one coaching inspections, auditing the control measures for vehicles loaded with raw materials, trends in air and groundwater quality monitoring data, and storage tank detection alarm devices, effectively enabling developers to understand where their pollution prevention measures are insufficient and urging operators to proceed in accordance with the review conclusions of the environmental impact assessment report, in the hope of reducing conflicts between environmental impact assessment and economic development and creating a win-win situation.