Groups Plan March on 8日, Ministry Pledges to Safeguard Air Quality
In response to Kaohsiung civic groups' concerns over regional air quality and a planned march on 8日 to voice their demands, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said station concentration comparisons still need to be assessed together with atmospheric conditions and external influences, and it will urge its subordinate units with the most rigorous scientific approach to safeguard regional air quality and implement all pollution-reduction commitments. The Ministry stressed that Kaohsiung is a key hub for Taiwan's economic development, and in recent years the government has actively promoted industrial transition, and will comply with central and local environmental regulations and implement pollution-reduction commitments, jointly safeguarding regional air quality while balancing local prosperity and industrial upgrading and transition.
PM2.5 Data From Three Stations Around Linyuan Industrial Park Draw Attention
The Industrial Park Administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a press release that, in accordance with the Ministry of Environment's "Standards for Buffer Zones and Air Quality Monitoring Facilities in Special Industrial Zones," the Linyuan Industrial Park has set up air quality monitoring stations in Chao寮 Village, Daliao District, Fonglin Junior High School, Xiaogang District, and Wufu Village, Linyuan District, along with a monitoring center to track the park and surrounding environmental quality. Media reports said Kaohsiung environmental groups stated at a press conference at the Legislative Yuan that the three stations with the highest annual average PM2.5 were Chao寮 Village, Daliao District at 21.32 micrograms, Fonglin Junior High School, Xiaogang District at 20.35 micrograms, and Wufu Village, Linyuan District at 19.7 micrograms, all located around the Linyuan special industrial zone. The Administration explained that each station differs in location, monitoring purpose, pollution source composition, and regional meteorological dispersion conditions, and the station concentration comparison cited in media reports still needs to be assessed together with atmospheric conditions and external influences, adding it will continue monitoring pollutants, cooperate with environmental protection authorities on inspections, and strengthen guidance for pollution sources within the zone.
Hsinta Units 1-4 Switched to Standby, Emissions Down 99%
The groups' demands also include demolishing the smokestacks of the Hsinta coal-fired power plant. Taipower explained that Hsinta Power Plant's coal-fired Units 1-4 have all been switched to standby since 114年, exiting routine power generation, and have not actually generated power for grid demand so far this year, undergoing only routine testing. Taking 105年 as the baseline, coal consumption at the 114Nien Hsingta Power Plant fell 97%, and air pollutant emissions from coal-fired units fell 99%. Taipower said it will continue promoting its policy of increasing gas and reducing coal, with new gas-fired Unit 1 already online and Units 2 and 3 continuing to advance, and will review the feasibility of demolishing coal-fired units on a rolling basis each year while ensuring stable power supply.
51 Hectares of Economic Forest in Qiaotou and Old-Tree Transplant Plan
As for the Qiaotou forest preservation issue, Taiwan Sugar Corporation said the relevant area covers about 51 hectares of flatland afforestation, consisting of economic forest that has reached its 20-year maturity and may be harvested. Among the 274 trees affected within the 1-1 road area, 6 are old trees listed for protection by the Cultural Affairs Bureau in 113年8月 at the request of tree-protection groups, and will be transplanted with replanting compensation by the development unit in the future. Taiwan Sugar said for the remaining economic forest, tree species in good health and with preservation value will be planned for transplantation to nearby green spaces or land reserved for public facilities.