It is difficult to collect fees for forest environmental services.

(Baonghean)Currently, there are quite a number of hydropower investment projects in our province, including 6 hydropower projects that have already come into operation (including Ban Ve, Hua Na, Ban Coc, Ban Canh, Khe Bo, Sao Va, and Nam Mo).

According to Decree No. 99/2010/ND-CP and Decision 3253/QD-UBND of Nghe An province (dated August 27, 2012) on the payment of forest environmental service fees by units using forest environmental services, however, some hydropower projects have not seriously implemented the payment of forest environmental service fees (this revenue will be used to pay forest owners who provide forest environmental services).

It is known that in the past, only 3 hydropower units paid forest environmental service fees totaling over 42.7 billion VND (in 2011-2012), and in 2013, 4 hydropower units registered to pay nearly 30 billion VND. The reason is that some hydropower enterprises in our province are not yet enthusiastic about fulfilling their obligation to pay forest environmental service fees.

Furthermore, the authorities lack effective solutions to ensure accurate and complete collection of fees. In particular, collecting forest environmental service fees from hydropower plants not belonging to the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) faces significant difficulties. This is because the contracts with electricity buyers do not include provisions for forest environmental service fees. Therefore, the hydropower plants are currently reviewing and working with their electricity buyers to add this amount, and are still awaiting a response.

Hoang Vinh