EIA waiver plan blasted

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EIA waiver plan blasted
THE NATION

MUNICIPAL WASTE POWER PLANTS NEED IMPACT ASSESSMENT: ENVIRONMENTALIST

BANGKOK: -- LARGER power plants powered by municipal solid waste (MSW) should require an environmental impact assessment report before being constructed, environmental experts have said.

This followed a resolution by the National Environment Board (NEP) on Wednesday sparing such plants with capacity over 10 megawatts from requiring an EIA report - using the Code of Practice instead. Previously, only plants under 10MW did not require an EIA.

Decharat Sukkamnerd, a Kasetsart University lecturer, said this was the wrong decision.

"Burning waste for energy is not a clean activity. It produces toxic gases and dust, which may be released into the environment. So the building of waste power plants absolutely needs an EIA study," Decharat said.

Stop Global Warming Association president Srisuwan Janya said he would write a letter of objection because waste power plants clearly had environmental and health impacts on nearby residents.

He said even power plants of less than 10MW capacity should be made to conduct an EIA report. "It is not right. If they still insist on moving on with this decision, I'll sue the relevant agency," he said.

Pichai Tinsantisuk, head of the Federation of Thai Industries' alternative energy industrial group, said the decision would not make a difference as no plants of more than 10MW would be built, because smaller plants benefited from selling electricity at a state-set rate.

Pichai said waiving the EIA requirement might not be a solution for the power sector, as many other things should be tackled first, such as speeding up the processes for obtaining power purchase agreements and the Ror Ngor 4 power-plant licence.

Better access to technologies and funds is also required, he said.

Last month, Pichai said the private sector was ready to invest Bt45 billion in MSW power plants with a total capacity of 300MW this year and next, a plan that would eradicate 3 million tonnes of garbage per year.

He also announced 31 locations that had the potential to set up garbage-disposal centres, including Chiang Mai, Tak, Phitsanulok, Nong Khai, Rayong and Surat Thani.

After the NEP meeting on Wednesday, which was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, ONEP secretary-general Kasemsan Jinnawaso claimed the control measures governing MSW power plants were still strict. Conservation forests, watershed 1A areas, wetlands and areas with high air-pollution measurements were prohibited from having the plants, he said.

Promotion of MSW power plants was among urgent policies contained in a "garbage-disposal road map" approved by the National Council for Peace and Order last August.

The junta's road map gives importance to waste management using mixed technologies to generate power and the consideration of making relevant laws more lenient.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/EIA-waiver-plan-blasted-30262159.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-12

[Emster23]

Isn't EIA something of a "pay us some cash & we'll rubber stamp it" process? I have seen all sorts of condo projects pop up over the years here in Pattaya/Jomtien with big "EIA approved" banner. Do they ever consider there isn't enough public water available for these places? What it will do to traffic congestion? Has any project ever not been approved?

[Srikcir]

Just downgrade the waste power plant to 9.95MW.

No EIS required.