Directing the inspection of environmental protection implementation at Suoi Choang Hydropower Project

February 22, 2021,Con Cuong District Party CommitteeIssue Notice No. 76-TB/HU to notify the opinion of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee. The full content of Notice No. 76-TB/HU is as follows:

Notice No. 76-TB/HU of the Standing Committee of Con Cuong District Party Committee. Photo: Nhat Lan

On February 19, 2021, the Standing Committee of Con Cuong District Party Committee received Document No. 124/UBND-TN dated February 19, 2021 of the District People's Committee on reporting on the implementation of the Suoi Choang Hydropower Project in Chau Khe Commune, Con Cuong District. After consideration, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee has the following opinions:

1. Agree with the proposal of the District People's Committee on establishing an interdisciplinary inspection team.

2. Pursuant to the Law on Environmental Protection 2014; Decree No. 40/ND-CP dated May 13, 2019 of the Government amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Decrees detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection; Environmental impact assessment report approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 4914/QD-UBND.DC dated September 29, 2009, conduct an inspection of the implementation of environmental protection work in parallel with the construction process of the Suoi Choang Hydropower Project items of the investor. Report the inspection results and recommendations to the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee for consideration. Completion date is no later than March 30, 2021.

The Suoi Choang Hydropower Project has basically completed the construction part, and is completing the factory part and installing machines. Photo: Nhat Lan

The above is the opinion of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee requesting the District People's Committee, relevant organizations and individuals to seriously implement.

Previously, in Document 124/UBND-TN sent to the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee,People's Committee of Con Cuong districtInformation, Suoi Choang Hydropower Plant project started in October 2009; in 2017, the Provincial People's Committee extended the project to continue implementation. The project was then implemented in July 2017. Up to now, the construction has been basically completed, and the factory and machine installation are being completed.

This project was approved by the Provincial People's Committee for the Environmental Impact Assessment Report in Decision 4915/QD-UBND.DC dated September 29, 2009. However, through working with the Investor and field inspection by the professional agency, up to now, the Investor has only provided the District People's Committee with the content of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and has not fully complied with the contents of the Environmental Impact Assessment approved by the Provincial People's Committee.

The planning area of ​​Suoi Choang hydroelectric reservoir has natural forest with an area of ​​about 8 hectares. Photo: Nhat Lan

The project has been running since 2009, the management staff has changed; environmental protection regulations have changed; the hydropower construction planning area has natural forest area. The investor has committed to strictly implementing environmental regulations and the requirements of Decision 4915/QD-UBND.DC dated September 29, 2009 when putting the project into trial operation.

At the end of October 2020, in Bung Xat village, Chau Khe commune, a few kilometers from the Suoi Choang hydropower construction site, a mountain crack and landslide occurred, forcing 17 households to evacuate urgently. To stabilize the lives of these families, the People's Committee of Con Cuong district submitted to the Provincial People's Committee a plan to build a resettlement area with an estimated total cost of 16 billion VND. Photo: Nhat Lan

However, learning from the experience of the Chi Khe hydropower project; the Environmental Impact Assessment Report of the Suoi Choang hydropower project was approved long ago; the area planned for project implementation has natural forest area, the District People's Committee requested the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee to give opinions and direct the establishment of an interdisciplinary inspection team at the district level; on the basis of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision 4915/QD-UBND.DC dated September 29, 2009 and current actual conditions to organize the inspection of environmental protection work during the construction of Suoi Choang hydropower project items of the investor.

Regarding the Suoi Choang Hydropower Project, Nghe An Electronic Newspaper on February 21, 2021 published an article "Concerns about Suoi Choang Hydropower Plant”.