Environmental Assessment revoked – Dongshan farmers succeed after 10 years

After taking office, Tainan City Mayor, Lai Qing-de, held his first environmental impact assessment meeting to end 10 years of controversy over the Dongshan Landfill Site issue. After only two hours of discussions, the chairperson of Tainan’s Environmental Protection Service announced that on account of numerous illegalities and falsifications, the Yongyang EIA’s credibility had been completely destroyed and therefore concluded they would revoke the 2001 EIA. This is the first time in environmental law that an EIA has been revoked on the grounds of falsifications within. The case is set to have far-reaching effects on the whole of environmental law in Taiwan. When the news broke, a tide of joy swept through the 50 or so elderly farmers from Lingnan, Dongshan, waiting outside. Elderly farmer’s brimmed with joy, one saying, “After 10 years of struggle, we’ve finally succeeded, Yongyang have finally been defeated”, another expressing that after 10 long years they could now relax  and they could, “have a celebration party at home”.  Chen Xian-mao, leading the Lingnan people’s fight, was ecstatic over the news.

She said that these elderly villagers had fought a long 10-year battle, each aging 10 years in the long process, those who were 60 when the fight began were now 70, and those who were 70 when the fight began were now 80. Last summer, many of them took part in Tainan’s 31 village ascetic walk on barefoot, braving the cement road in blistering hot weather. Over the 10 long years none of the elderly farmers ever considered giving up. What is even more remarkable is that their fight is not to do with land expropriation or any self-interest but their sincere concern over possible pollution at Wansantou Reservoir. One of the elderly farmers said, “This is a water source that affects millions of people, we have to fight for the next generation.”

Environmental Assessment revoked – Dongshan farmers succeed after 10 years.(by CJ shuchuan)

URL: http://www.peopo.org/news/74676

(以下為中文對照)

永揚環評結論撤銷 東山農民十年抗爭成功(公民記者 shuchuan)

照片

台南市長賴清德上任後的第一次環評大會於4.12舉行，終結了爭議10年的台南市東山區永揚垃圾場案。經過兩個小時討論，主席、台南市環保局長張皇珍宣佈， 由於永揚環評書涉多項違法不實之記載偽造，嚴重破壞環評審查的正確性與公信力，撤銷民國90年5月9日通過的環評審查結論。這是環評法實施以來首度有通過 的環評案被法院依偽造環評書判刑、且由當初審查通過的機關撤銷環評結論的案例，對環評法有深遠的影響。消息傳來，在外守候的五十多位東山區嶺南里老農相當 振奮，老農說，抗爭10年就今天最高興，「歡喜掩埋場輸了啦、我們辛苦10年終於成功了，歡喜歡喜今天最歡喜！」也有農民說，今天聽到這個結果，心情終於 可以輕鬆一下，「要回去辦桌」。嶺南里里長陳顯茂相當激動，他說農民抗爭10年，這些老人家愈走愈老，60幾歲的抗爭到70多歲、70多歲的抗爭到80多 歲。許多人去年夏天走完台南縣31鄉鎮苦行，赤腳踩在炎熱水泥地上，快走不下去了還是繼續走。經過10年老農們都沒想過要放棄。而且最難能可貴的是，嶺南 里的老農不是為了自己的土地被徵收才站出來，而是擔憂垃圾場廢汙水會汙染烏山頭水庫，老農最常說的是：「這是影響幾百萬人的水源，為了下一代子孫的啦」。

為擴大服務範圍，自2010年4月起，PeoPo每周精選三則公民報導及相關活動與發展，翻譯成英文摘要，讓更多關心台灣公民新聞的朋友，瞭解台灣在地大小事。