To review solar photovoltaic companies’ appropriate methods for handling ecologically disputed areas in Chiayi County and Tainan City provided for application for development, the National Property Administration proactively invited the Taiwan Wild Bird Federation and other environmental groups; the Endemic Species Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan (Hereinafter referred to as the Institute); the Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the Bureau of Energy); and other agencies to discuss the related issues and make decisions on October 30, 2020. To give equal consideration to ecological and economic development and create a win-win situation, the important wild bird habitats should be excluded. Therefore, the land used for producing salt connected to highly ecologically disputed areas in Chiayi County and Tainan City according to the investigation completed by the Institute shall no longer be provided for solar photovoltaic installations. The consent given for the provision of land is revoked and the deposit shall be refunded without interest. In addition, the national land that has been adopted by conservation groups also shall not be provided for solar photovoltaic installation. In the future, as for the cases of consent that have been granted to solar photovoltaic companies to apply for development of national land, the relevant land description shall be posted on the website for public inquiry.
In response to ecological conservation groups claiming that the national land used for producing salt connected to highly ecologically sensitive areas for wild bird habitats in Chiayi County and Tainan City is not suitable to be provided for the solar photovoltaic installation, the National Property Administration specially invited the relevant conservation groups to attend the aforementioned meeting and express their opinions, with relevant competent authorities consulted. The National Property Administration further stated that as for the consent given to solar photovoltaic companies to apply for development of national non-public use land, if the Region Branch of the National Property Administration has agreed to provide the land for the application for development after reviewing the situation and finding no reasons for disagreement, the consent was only given to applicants to apply to the competent authority in charge of the business for preparation or permit but not given to applicants to use the land substantially. As for the meeting held in the Executive Yuan on May 17, 2017, it was held for the discussion about a certain solar photovoltaic project carried out by Energy Bureau and Taiwan Power Company, and the conclusion reached in the meeting was not a general ruling, rather a conclusion on this particular case, in which the solar photovoltaic installation on the land used for producing salt of which the area as wild bird habitat must be reserved first and excluded from the land for the solar photovoltaic installation.
The National Property Administration explained that after reviewing the situation it issued the consent form to solar photovoltaic companies to apply for the development of national land and apply to the competent authority in charge of the business for permit. All the subsequent environmental impact assessment, preparation permit, land use change, etc. shall be reviewed by the competent authority in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. If the application fails to pass the review conducted by the competent authority, the deposit will be refunded without interest upon confirmation that the national land has not been occupied or provided for use. The Administration will follow the approach of giving equal consideration to ecological and economic development and jointly promoting public-private cooperation with environmental groups, to strive to achieve the vision of sustainable environmental management and create a win-win situation.
Contact person for press release: Section Chief Chen Shaomin
Contact Tel: 02-27718121 ext. 1251