Environmentalists, Keelung Gov't and Ministries Grapple Over LNG Terminal

A planned liquified natural gas terminal in Keelung has renewed debates between environmentalists and the government.

Transcript

00:00Plans for Taiwan's fourth liquefied natural gas terminal are stalling, as they once again

00:05face an environmental impact assessment.

00:08The assessment comes after years of back and forth between the city and Taipower, the state-run

00:12company behind the plant.

00:14The mayor of Jilong, the northern port city where the LNG terminal is planned, had revoked

00:19earlier development plans in 2023, citing concerns about the impact on residents and

00:24the environment.

00:25We welcome the Minister of Economy, Guo Zhihui, and the Minister of Environment, Peng Qiming,

00:30to come and visit if they are concerned about global issues.

00:34The most important thing is that we have always maintained our position to protect the rights

00:39of the people of Jilong.

00:42Plans for the terminal had already been updated to address residents' and environmentalists'

00:46concerns after the previous mayor approved the plan.

00:49The development area shrank and was moved to a different location along the coast.

00:53But this new plan did not undergo an impact assessment.

00:57The Agriculture Ministry says the plan for the LNG terminal had already been thoroughly

01:01reviewed, and overturned the city's government's decision to scrap the project.

01:06The Ministry of Agriculture and the Academy of Agriculture have all followed the recommendations

01:11of the Administrative Yuan and the Administrative Bureau of the Academy of Agriculture and the

01:15Academy of Agriculture.

01:16More than one-two-thirds of the legal experts and scholars have made relevant decisions.

01:18Now the terminal is up for environmental impact assessment again.

01:21We will follow the current mechanism to ask for the committee's opinion and conduct a

01:27follow-up environmental impact assessment.

01:31Taipower is now protesting the city's move to block the plant and is seeking the Agriculture

01:36Ministry's assistance.

01:37Of course, Taipower believes that we should follow the legal regulations.

01:43But environmental groups are concerned that pressure to advance Taiwan's energy supply

01:47could cause the review committee to overlook the environmental costs and move ahead with

01:51Taipower's plan, risking permanent damage to the marine ecosystem.

01:55We are very concerned that the Ministry of Environment, under the pressure of the Ministry

01:59of Economy, and as a junior member of the Ministry of Economy, will help Taipower to

02:03pass this case.

02:06We are very unhappy about this.

02:08The Environmental Assessment Committee will meet in mid-August to discuss the plant, and

02:13environmentalists will be keeping a close eye on the proceedings.

02:16As Taiwan once again works to balance its energy needs with protecting the environment.

02:21Yixin Chen and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.