FCFC and Chanchua county debate over license renewal / 台化批打壓 彰縣府:因未符環評承諾值　　　　　　　　　　

Formosa Chemicals has applied for the license renewal of its coal-fired power plant several times but has been repeatedly rejected by the Changhua Environmental Protection Bureau. The company and its employees said that the Changhua county government and the environmental groups are waging a smear campaign against the company. However, Changhua County government stressed that the sulfur content found in the three coal-fired boilers should meet the standards the company committed itself to in the environmental evaluation report. Environmental organizations also believe that higher standards should be applied. ==CHIANG PEI-KEN, Changhua County EPB Commissioner== The environmental evaluation report has detailed the numbers of fixed moisture, fixed carbon, and volatile component. The company has failed to meet its commitment. We have asked the Formosa Chemicals to resolve these issues several times. The debate over the license renewal of Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corp's has long been a highly contentious issue. The Changhua County government said that the sulfur content of the coal used by the company is 1.2%, which is higher than the level projected in the environmental evaluation report. Environmental groups said that Formosa Chemicals has been categorized as a special industrial area in March, and as such higher standards should apply. ==YEN SHU-NU, Environmentalist Activist== The Changhua county government must not lose sight of its core values and moral compass for the benefit of corporations. I urge the county government not to sacrifice environmental protection for the economy. Over 4,000 environmental organizations took to the streets on Sep 18th in protest. They demanded that the county government reject Formosa Chemicals' application for license renewal. However, the company stressed that it has always complied with regulations and government oversight in its operations. The employees said they are saddened to see how their company's reputation has been tarnished. ==LIU SHING-HWA, President, Formosa Chemicals Union== The county government has not acted in accordance with the law. We are worried about our livelihood. Our staff's average age is 48. Our employees rely on their salary to support their family. Formosa Chemicals employees also voiced their support for the company in direct opposition to the environmental activists. However, surveys showed that 65% of the Changhua residents are in favor of suspending the company's operations. Times have changed, and so has people's mentality. The new government will have to find a balance between opposing stances and figure out a way to resolve the conflict between different interests. TRANSLATED BY：CHRISTINA LIU ==彰化縣環保局長 江培根== 當初環境影響評估審查結論裡面 關於固定水分 以及固定碳 還有揮發分的部分 他這個部分也沒有符合 當初環評的這樣一個承諾 這個我們都分別多次 要求台化要補正 台化彰化廠汽電共生鍋爐的燃煤許可證該不該展延？一路以來、爭議不斷！縣府認為台化生煤含硫量為1.2%，應該符合當初的環評承諾0.87%和0.84%，而環團表示，台化在今年三月已經被列為特殊工業區，縣府本來就要以更高標準來要求。 ==要健康婆婆媽媽彰化團長 顏淑女== 彰化縣政府你的初心 就是為了人民 不是為了財團 請不要喪失你的核心價值 請不要失去方向感 而且我希望彰化縣政府 不要再拿環境來換經濟 環團918大遊行，超過四千人走上街頭，要求縣府不能讓燃煤許可展延，不過台化一再強調，多年來各項排放都符合法規標準，環保局也都有即時監控，曾經是當地優良企業，現在卻人人喊打，台化員工當相當感慨，也相當不安。 ==台化企業工會理事長 劉興華== 縣府不依法行政 讓我們很擔心工作上有問題 所以因為我們這個廠平均48歲 有很多員工他的房貸 小孩的學費都是要靠這裡 台化員工甚至站出來支持公司，直接槓上環團，為自己的工作權發聲，不過彰化縣府的電話民調顯示，有65%的彰化縣民贊成台化停工，時代背景不同，讓民眾有了不一樣的思維，如何在人民和企業、環境和工業這些問題之間，找出解決之道，將不斷考驗政府的智慧。 記者 邱植培 彭煥群 彰化報導