CHANGHUA WIND FARMS MAY AFFECT DOLPHINS|海上風機設置點 環團:恐威脅白海豚生態

With abundant wind resources, the central county of Changhua is the location of most of the nation's offshore wind farm sites. However, it is also important that any offshore development should be undertaken with adequate consideration of the potential negative impacts on the marine environment, especially the dolphins. Therefore, the Changhua County Government has proposed to install the wind turbines at least 20 kilometers away from the shore in the future. The grey area on the map is the installation area for offshore turbines. Environmental groups worry that these installations will not only damage wetlands at Wonggong and Dacheng, and also the white dolphins. ==NIEN YU-HSIN, Matsu Fish Conservation Union== Taiwan's coast line is straight forward; therefore dolphins have no habitat, especially at the mid-point at Changhua. Also this is a critical mid-point where dolphins move through going north or south. If offshore wind turbines were to break in this area, dolphin groups would be forcibly divided into two groups and directions. Environmental groups last week accompanied ten international experts for an on-site inspection, they praised green energy policies but also urged that wind turbine installations must be further away from the white dolphins' habitat. According to the Bureau of Energy, the current distance for wind turbine installation is only 5.7 kilometers from shore, right on the migration route of the white dolphins. Changhua County Government requested contractors to install offshore turbines at least 20 kilometers away from the coast line. == LIU YU-PING Dep. Dir., Changhua County Economic Affairs Dept.== So far the contractor only had initial plans. The installation points, distance from coast line and construction techniques, all can be provided to the construction unit as a reference. A contractor pointed out that a 20-kilometer distance from coast line would require a two-hour trip one way. The longer distance would increase installation and maintenance costs. More communication and consideration are needed to obtain a win-win situation for conserving white dolphins and green energy development. TRANSLATED BY: ANTHONY LIN 發展綠能產業，彰濱是全台最佳風場之一，但海上風機設置地點涵蓋了白海豚洄游的路線；為了避免影響白海豚生態，彰化縣政府支持環保團體觀點，未來會在環評過程中提出風機設置至少要離岸20公里。 指著牆上的海岸線，環保團體很擔心，因為這一塊塊的灰色區域，就是未來海上風機的設置點，環保團體擔心，設了這麼多的海上風機，除了對沿海的王功，大城溼地是破壞，對白海豚的生態更是一大威脅。 ==台灣媽祖魚保育聯盟教育推廣員 粘雨馨== 台灣海岸是直線型的 所以牠會沒地方去 沒地方去(無處棲息) 尤其中間(彰化沿海)這邊 又是牠南北移動的重要中間點 如果中間這邊(因設風機)斷掉 牠的族群就會變成南北 是分開的 環保團體上週，會同十多位國際專家到現場勘查，認同推動綠能政策，但希望風機位置，能夠遠離台灣白海豚棲地。因為根據能源局的現行計畫，潛力廠址距離最近的沿岸只有5.7公里，也剛好在白海豚的洄游路線上。對此彰化縣政府主張，離岸至少要20公里以上。 ==彰化縣建設處副處長 劉玉平== 目前(廠商)只是初步登記 後續在設置的點 它(風機)和岸邊的距離 距離以及相關的施工工法 事實上 都可以提供給施工單位做個參考 業者指出，離岸如果超過20公里，技術上沒問題，但光是航程單趟就要2小時，未來不論建造及維修成本都將大幅提高，如何在保護白海豚與綠能發展間取得雙贏，還需要更多的溝通與思考。 林健生 賴世杰 彰化報導