NDRC Requires Localities to Set Annual Power Saving Targets and Other Recent China Environmental Law, Public Participation, and Climate Change News

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NDRC requires localities to set annual power saving targets (Google translate)

NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) and other ministries recently issued “Regulatory Measures on Power Demand Side Management,” which provides that local authorities shall implement “power demand side management” from next year for the purpose of power saving and sound use of power. The Measures also put forth annual provincial power saving targets which should be included into local energy and economic development planning. (Source: Beijing News)

MEP: 12^th FYP pollution reduction targets released (Google translate)

The MEP (Ministry of Environmental Protection) initial 12^th five-year plan has already been drafted, including total emission control targets for SO2 and COD. The target mandates a 10% reduction in SO2 from 2010 levels by 2015, and a 5% reduction in COD from 2010 levels by 2015. The SO2 reduction target remains consistent with the 11^th FYP, but the target for COD reduction has been halved (the 11^th FYP COD reduction target was 10%). A research fellow from the MEP research institute of environmental and economic policy stated, “It is astonishing that the COD target was cut so much.” (Source: 21st Century Business)

MEP announces second list of cases for supervision (Google translate)

MEP spokesperson Tao Detian informed the media that another list of cases for supervision has been released; this list includes eight antimony smelting enterprises in serious violation of laws in a tin mining region in Lengshuijiang city, Hunan province, two regional environmental violations in three heavy metal discharging enterprises in Nandan county, Guangxi province, and another eight enterprises in violation of laws, including Baotou hazardous waste treatment center in Inner Mongolia. Tao Detian stated that since April local authorities have been deployed by the State Council to fully inspect heavy metal enterprises, and up to this point 286 cases involving heavy metal enterprises in violation of environmental laws have been confirmed to receive supervision. (Source: China Environment News)

Yunnan Chihong Co. trapped in environmental issues, now listed for supervision by MEP (Google translate)

Last week the second list of enterprises under MEP supervision was released, including the A share listed company Chihong Zinc & Germanium Company. Environmental violations of Chihong’s Huize branch were noted yet again, and supervision of the branch is planned for late December 2010. However, an employee of the company said there is still uncertainty regarding whether or not Chihong can meet goals by end of 2010. Chihong is the first A share listed company required to halt restructuring due to environmental issues related to heavy metal discharge. (Source: Beijing News)

Soil pollution warning: 36,000 hectares of soil with excessive heavy metals (Google translate)

According to soil sampling and monitoring administered by MEP in 300,000 hectares of protected farming lands, 36,000 hectares, or 12.1%, are polluted by excessive heavy metals. (Source: CBN)

Chaowei Power temporarily halts business, might be involved with lead pollution complaint (Google translate)

Chaowei Power announced a temporary business suspension, but is yet to disclose the reason. According to news reports last week, residents of Wujialin village in Shandong province accused a Chaowei plant less than 200m away from residences as the cause of excessive blood lead levels in children. (Source: Yicai Web)

Guangdong establishes China’s first air pollution joint prevention and control institution （Google translate)

Approved by Guangdong government, the “Pearl Delta Clean Air Action Plan” has been issued for implementation. The plan requires air pollution to be controlled through industry structure, clean energy use, motor vehicle pollution control, and regulation of key pollution sources. In efforts to achieve the plan, Guangdong established the first regional air pollution prevention and control institution. (Source: Shenzhen special zone daily)

Kunming waives litigation fees for plaintiffs in environmental public interest litigation （Google translate)

A plaintiff who files civil environmental public interest litigation can delay the payment of litigation fees, and if the case is lost, fees are waived. If the case is won by the plaintiff, fees are born by the defendant. Kunming Intermediate People’s Court and Kunming Municipality Procuratorate recently jointly released “Opinions Regarding Some Questions for Handling Environmental Civil Public Interest Litigation Cases (Trial),” which is hoped to be a resolution to the “no case to hear” problem facing environmental protection courts in Yunnan. However, a Kunming law scholar stated, “It is not enough to just reduce litigation costs, the standing issue must also be addressed.” (Source: Legal Daily)

Fine imposed on Zijin Mining too light, causing dissatisfaction”(Google translate)

On October 8, Fujian EPB imposed an administrative fine to Zijin Mining of 9.563 million RMB, the largest fine given in China’s environmental protection history. Subsequently, Xinyi government also claimed compensation from Zijin Mining totaling 19.5 million RMB. However, both of these fines do not appear to be a burden to Zijin, which had a net profit last year of 3.541 billion RMB. (Source: China Economic Herald)

Quanjiao cut off power supply to meet energy saving and pollution reduction targets (Google translate)

In order to meet energy saving and pollution reduction targets, Quanjiao county in Anhui province recently cut off the power supply in residential areas. Quanjiao county head Cao Fuzhong said there was no other choice to meet the power saving target assigned by Chuzhou city. (Source: CCTV)

(Newsalert prepared by Wu Qi and Stephen Leonelli)