China's environment watchdogs have amended a marine
environmental protection regulation to require environmental impact
assessments for coastal construction projects.
The amendment, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2008, requires
reports on the impact on the marine environment of all projects,
including building, rebuilding and expansions, near the coast
before they are approved by environmental protection
departments.
"The report should include environmental assessments of the
project's location and the sea area, the impact on the marine
environment during and after construction, and measures that will
be taken for environmental protection and their feasibility," it
says.
Environmental protection departments should consult maritime
affairs departments, fishery authorities, and military
environmental protection departments before approving coastal
construction projects, it says.
Project managers will face prosecution under the Marine
Environmental Protection Law if they refuse or prevent spot
inspections by environmental protection departments, fail to obtain
approved environmental evaluation reports, or put the projects into
use without environmental protection facilities, according to the
regulation.
The original regulation was promulgated on Aug. 1, 1990.
Twenty-five percent of China's inshore waters and almost 50
percent of its territorial waters have been polluted.
(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2007)