Taiping Pinglin Camp Forest Park

	Taiping Pinglin Camp Forest Park
	Water Resources Bureau
	C. Promoting the land use and prosperity of Taiping District III. Designated Area The land designated to be the park area is located to the north of National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taiping District; Buzi River is to the west and Mt. SanTing to the east, and the area is surrounded by Zhogshan Road. The base area is approximately 11.4 hectares as a special zone to be open to the public as a green park. It will be a recreational area and ecological learning area for the public, as well as a disaster prevention area during rainy seasons. IV. Project Content A. Detention Pond The pond is designed as a wet detention pond, reserving a 0.5 hectare pond with a normal water level and natural ecology, a trail around the lake (approximately 480 m) and a wooden trail for tourists to enjoy the natural scenery. The main function of the pond is to collect the water around Section 2 of Zhongshan Road and the west (27.5 hectares) and from within the park (around 10.5 hectares), as well as the water around the surrounding area (around 38 hectares, including Lane 447 of ZhongShan Road Sec. 2 and Alley 186, and Dayuan Road). This pond can help collect the sudden water of the above areas during storms and heavy rains and slowly discharge it to the Buzi River to avoid flooding. B. Big Outdoor Plaza. Inside the park, a big outdoor plaza will be established according to the demand of local citizen, and the audience stage (capacity around 1,200 people) will be constructed along the slope of the detention area. Activities such as folk dances, art performances, police and fire safety propaganda, etc. can be organized here, as well as school clubs performances. Large scale activities (year count-down ceremony and concerts) can also be organized here. The stage design concept is inspired by the shape of a tree seedling; it is the most unique landmark of the park. C. Forest Area This park will be covered by a large forested area of approximately 3.7 hectares, accounting for more than 30% of the total park area. Its abundant ecological environment can be arranged into the following different natural style facilities: 1. Circular Green Pathway The main pathway of the park is the circular pathway; the entrance is at the south part of Chin-Yi University and the speed limit is 20 km/hour to promote safety within the park. Furthermore, a 2-m sidewalk and a 6-m bicycle lane have been constructed for residents and tourists to exercise and take walks; the total green sidewalk is around 1,470 m long. 2. Playground The original trees are reserved as a playground for children; a natural maze and bird houses are constructed for tourists to experience natural ecology. A fitness facility is also set up for one to enjoy a phytoncide exercise experience. 3. Management Center The old building of the camp was too old to use; therefore, the building was re-constructed with a management center in order to monitor 24 hours a day the safety and facilities in the park. An equipment room and bathrooms are established nearby the ecology pond in a riverside woodhouse style. The old accommodations of the camp have been renovated as public bathrooms and the capacity is up to 3,200 people/day, around one third of the ideal figure. 4. Trail There are many wooden trails in the park that offer a spiritual connection to the XiTou and Shanlin Rivers. The sunlight shines through the branches and reflects the shadows, indirectly representing the spirit of the forest. 5.Seasonal Plants Most of the reserved trees are green; in order to present the change of the four seasons, around 205 Taiwanese cherry trees have been planted, which also makes it an attractive scene for cherry blossom viewing; 52 deciduous cypress trees were planted around the ecology pond to construct an exotic atmosphere. In summer time, the golden trumpet-tree, golden shower tree and other special local species (such as loquat) present a yellow characteristic to the area. 6. Parking Space The total parking space of the area accounts for 4,053 square meters along with the reserved trees. The main parking space is located at the entrance to the external access at the east side. The pavement is permeable, an ecological material. Furthermore, parking spaces have been designed at the sides of the park to fulfill the demand during peak tourism time.
	The project aims to promote the environmental quality of Taiping District, increase the recreational space for its citizens, solve the flooding issue in the area, promote the recycling of water resources, and create great social value; the associated benefits include: I. Providing a Quality Living Environment and Space This projects provides a green park for the citizens with protected trees and the introduction of various plants; it increase the green area of the city, which indirectly regulates microclimate, creates a comfortable living environment and achieves the benefits of carbon reduction. II. Presenting Re-used Land Value This is a multi-functional green area with a circular pathway, parking spaces for giant vehicles (4), small vehicles (218), and motorcycles (47), service center (such as management center and bathrooms), space for large activities and performances, ecology pond, playground and recreational facilities. It is hoped that it will promote regional prosperity and development. III. Flood Prevention The project opens and renovates an 11.4–hectare area by digging a detention pond, filling hills and reserving trees, all of which can help prevent floods. After the completion of the park, it can provide disaster shelter for around 38,000 people and accommodate a water capacity of 32,000 m3 to reduce the flooding rate. IV. Reducing Loss Caused by Disaster. This improvement project can help reduce flooding issues in 400 households of the area, preventing losses of around NTD 380 million dollars. Furthermore, it improves the hygiene, living quality, tourism, and balanced regional development of the area. The overall benefit-cost ratio is 1.89.
	PublicConstruction

Air Pollution in Taichung - EDITORIAL: Pollution concerns ignored for profit

The number #1 source of urban street-level pollution in Taiwan is its enormous fleet of over 15 million scooters. Taiwan has the highest density of motor scooters per square kilometer in the world. Each of these typically emits significantly higher levels of key pollutants than a single new car does. Scooters use less fuel but their emissions of NOx, MO, hydrocarbons, and ultimately PM2.5, the primary element of pollution which the World Health Organization deems the most critical in terms of a health risk, are all higher in scooters than cars. Emissions restricting equipment such as catalytic converters and other devices tend to be too heavy, large, hot, or expensive to be accommodated on scooters, including newer models. The next major contributing factor in urban street level pollution is the industrial sector and the nation's predominantly coal-burning power stations. Here Taiwan comes out on top with the single largest coal-burning station in the world: 台中發電廠. This Taichung station is a behemoth that has firmly secured its place in history, yet unfortunately, may not be consigned to it soon. Far beneath this is the practice of agricultural burning instead of composting, and particulates from ghost money offerings and temples. The extent of China's environmental damage is unfathomably large, however China is not the primary source of air pollution in Taiwan. For that, we in Taiwan have a responsibility to shift our attention and keep it firmly focused on our own backyard. The media is often unwittingly doing a disservice and feeding a desire for scapegoating on this particular issue. Let us hope that the more complex and difficult truth can be taken on board so we may begin to deal with the issues for what they actually are: our problem and our responsibility. China has poisoned itself to a degree that it may never recover from, but Taiwan can, and must, do better. The government tends to respond as if its hands were tied by a nation of scooter-reliant citizens and by the companies that make them, often framing pollution as China's issue. There's a reason why China, when seeking to address its own air quality issues, took to immediately banning gas scooters in large cities and giving major subsidies to clean vehicles. Though Taiwan and much of the world has outsourced much of its manufacturing to China, which then suffers the environmental and health impacts, no such luxury of avoiding the need to address vehicle emissions (primarily with regard to scooters) exists in Taiwan. Clean energy and vehicles, and energy independence (Taiwan imports over 95% of its energy) have to become a priority today, for the health of society and the security (both geopolitical and economic) of the nation. Final note: common surgical masks are not effective in blocking pollution and offer at best a psychological benefit. Only a properly fitting N95 mask (or N99) can filter urban pollution effectively – essential info for citizens not contained in the EPA's or the Ministry of Health's responses nor most of the local media's reporting. Green, clean tech and energy are the way forward and we require open and honest debate on these issues of vital importance for the nation as we move ahead. Bravo to the Mayor of Taichung for taking bold and necessary steps.

Taipei Times

EDITORIAL: Pollution concerns ignored for profit

Tue, Apr 21, 2015 - Page 8

A much-needed reflection on Earth Day tomorrow should be Taiwan’s plans to address pollution, as the problems are right in front of everyone’s eyes, while effective policies for a sustainable environment are almost nonexistent.

Taiwan produces large amounts of industrial waste as economic development takes its toll, but the nation’s waste management has failed to keep up, while a lack of ethics in business damages the environment and affects people’s health.

Last year, about 3.27 million tonnes of hazardous waste was recorded, including solvents, petrochemicals, heavy metals, contaminated medical supplies and arc furnace dust, out of a total of 18.56 million tonnes of industrial waste, as recorded by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), giving Taiwan one of the highest rates of waste generation per capita in the world. Of course, a large quantity of waste remained unrecorded. Illegal dumping and storage of industrial waste being uncovered occurs so frequently that it hardly makes the headlines anymore.

At least 20 percent of the waste is not suitable for burning or recycling. The EPA has estimated that it would require a site of between 4.49 million and 8 million cubic meters, or between six and 10 times the size of the Taipei Arena, to dispose of it all every year.

Due to limited space to expand its landfill capacity, the EPA has been pushing for a new land reclamation project that would use treated industrial waste to reclaim land in the nation’s seaports. The policy has raised serious concerns. Instead of using the ocean as a dumping ground, the government should focus on adjusting industries’ policies and encourage corporations to minimize waste generation at its origin.

Like many other countries, Taiwan has separated economic and environmental factors in policy planning in its pursuit of economic growth over the decades, risking an irrevocably degraded environment to pass on to future generations. As the effects of climate change become increasingly visible, a growing number of countries have begun to integrate environmental considerations into their economic policy, aiming to simultaneously reduce pollution and improve the economy, but Taiwan has not followed suit.

Last week, led by Yunlin County Commissioner Lee Chin-yung (李進勇), leaders from six local governments in central and southern Taiwan signed a joint declaration pledging that beginning next year, they would prohibit the burning of petroleum coke and coal, major sources of emissions of PM2.5 pollution, at factories and power plants in their administrative regions. They also demanded that the EPA draw up a policy to implement the ban nationwide.

The move quickly met with criticism from officials at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the state-owned Taiwan Power Co, who warned of economic repercussions if the ban is imposed, while placing the responsibility to combat air pollution on the EPA.

They said that the ban would immediately disrupt power supply, given that the coal-fired generators installed in the six cities and counties provide about 22.8 percent — or 25.8 percent during peak periods — of the total installed power-generation capacity of the nation and would lead to a loss of NT$3 trillion (US$96.5 billion) in industrial production.

It was another example of officials who manage the economy while leaving environmental concerns to one side. Opposition from the ministry has stalled the passage of a draft greenhouse gas reduction act in the legislature for years due to its disagreement with the emission-reduction goal stipulated by law.

To reverse the damage done to the environment by decades of trying to promote economic growth at all costs, more consideration should be given to environmental indicators, but the government is still reinforcing a bias toward economic concerns.

Taichung urged to block electroplating plants

APPEAL TO MAYOR:：Copper concentrations in oysters along the municipality’s shore are already much higher than the standard value set by the UK and Australia

By Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

Wed, Apr 15, 2015 - Page 3

Taichung-based environmentalist Tsai Chih-hao (蔡智豪) yesterday called on Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to scrap a project to set up electroplating plants in Taichung Harbor’s free-trade zone, saying that excessive concentrations of heavy metals in the waters off the harbor could contaminate seafood sold at the Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港).

The project would require the removal of a 13.7-hectare windbreak, increasing what is known as “fugitive dust” near the harbor and shortening the harbor’s lifespan, he said.

City officials are reviewing an environmental impact assessment report on the project.

Citing statistics in the report, Tsai said the maximum copper concentrations detected in oysters along the coast of Taichung last year was 738 parts per million (ppm), while zinc concentrations amounted to 2,340ppm.

Compared with data on copper-contaminated “green oysters” in Hsinchu County in 2000, the copper concentrations were roughly the same, while the density of zinc more than doubled.

Copper concentrations in oysters along Taichung’s shore are seven times higher than the standard value stipulated by the UK government, 100ppm, and are 24.6 times higher than that set by the Australian government, Tsai said, adding that oysters are a common denominator used while measuring heavy metal pollution in the ocean.

The elevated levels of heavy metals could affect Wuci Fishing Port — frequented by locals and visitors seeking fresh seafood on the weekends — threatening public health.

Tsai said that the nation has not yet established maximum legal concentrations of heavy metals in fish, and called on the Taichung City Government to establish such standards as soon as possible.

Tsai also questioned the need for an 81-hectare precision machinery zone in the city’s Cingshuei District (清水) that the Taichung City Urban Development Bureau has considered establishing, along with electroplating plants.

Cingshuei consists mostly of farming communities, and wastewater from electroplating would exceed the environmental capacity of the area, he said.

“The worst part about electroplating is that it benefits foreign countries with its products, but leaves all the pollution created at home,” he said.

Tsai said 53 hectares of forest on Dadu Mountain (大肚山) are scheduled to be removed to accommodate a Central Taiwan Science Park expansion plan, approved by the Environmental Protection Administration in February.

Since Lin assumed office, his administration has espoused an “environmental compensation” method that says the same number of trees removed due to economic development should be planted elsewhere, Tsai said.

He said that environmental protection groups are very skeptical about the efficacy this method would have on conserving the environment, and Lin’s administration should not allow the removal of large tracts of forests.

He called on the city government to adopt a firmer position during environmental impact assessments against projects that would create significant effects in the environment.

Steel girder crushes car, killing four

 I ride through this intersection on the way to the bushiban every day. Even without the overhead light-rail they're installing, it is the most dangerous road in Taiwan. I had written a short story about the place in Forgotten People of Taiwan: "Crossroad of Taichung" about some broken people who live here. You live in Taiwan at your own risk. I feel sorry for the families of the four casualties. I was there on the bike not long before it happened and Leona was there on the scooter not long after it happened. Teddy, the boss at American Eagle, caught me before I left for home to tell me about the accident and the traffic. It had taken him an hour to get through it. I knew to make a detour thanks to him and rode towards the Safe and Save and around the mess. 

 Even without the overhead light-rail they're installing it is the most dangerous road in Taiwan. I had written a short story about the place in Forgotten People of Taiwan: "Crossroad of Taichung." You live in Taiwan at your own risk . I feel sorry for the families of the four casualties.  (http://outskirtspress.com/forgottenpeopleoftaiwan/)

Steel girder crushes car, killing four

MAKE HASTE?The Taichung government denied that the accident might have been caused by the mayor asking the contractor to finish the MRT line earlier

By Chen Wei-han and Jake Chung  /  Staff writers

Firefighters work to rescue people trapped inside a car that was crushed when a steel girder fell on a road in Taichung yesterday.

Photo: Lin Liang-sheng, Taipei Times

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Four people were killed and four injured yesterday when a steel girder suspended over an MRT construction site in Taichung fell and crushed a car.

The female driver, Su Chia-chen (蘇家蓁), was rushed to the hospital, but was later declared dead.

The three other casualties — Hsieh Kuang-hui (謝光輝), Tu Ya-yu (杜亞有) and Liang Hsiao-kai (梁孝凱) — were construction workers.

Injured construction workers Chen Kuan-chi (陳冠吉), Lin Chao-ching (林朝卿), Hsieh Cheng-chia (謝政家) and Chiu Chen-jung (邱振榮) were still in local hospitals at press time last night.

The accident occurred at an elevated section of the Taichung MRT’s Green Line, near the intersection of Beitun Road and Wensin Road, at about 5pm.

Traffic controls in the surrounding areas had been in place nightly for the past few days due to crane and hoist operations at the construction site, the authorities said.

However, a driver who narrowly escaped the disaster said there was no traffic control at the site at the time of the accident, adding that the girder was unbalanced and shaking, raining debris on vehicles in the street.

The girder, 43m in length and weighing 209 tonnes, fell on the car just in front of his, and he sped from the site as soon as he saw the structure falling, the driver said.

Taipei Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) contacted Taichung Deputy Mayor Lin Ling-shan (林陵三) and dispatched Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems Deputy Commissioner Fu Shih-chih (傅式治) to help the Taichung authorities respond to the accident.

Ministry of Labor Affairs official Chu Chin-lung (朱金龍) said the accident may have occurred when a construction company was installing the girder and the tow truck released the cables on the girder before it was in place.

The swaying and the fact that it was not in the right location caused the girder to tilt to one side and fall, Chu said.

When asked whether the construction company had complied with work safety regulations and was working at the appropriate time, Chu said that under the circumstances, even placing barriers around the work place would not have helped prevent injuries, but that the timing of the hoist operation was inappropriate.

It is not appropriate to be installing girders during rush hour, Chu said, adding that he had ordered a halt to construction until the construction company submits a report on how to improve work safety conditions.

While there has been speculation that the incident happened because the contractor was rushing construction work at the request of Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), the city government released a statement denying that the incident had anything to do with the mayor’s request to finish the MRT line earlier.

Lin said he would cut short his official visit to South Korea and return as soon as possible.

While visiting the injured at area hospitals, Deputy Taichung Mayor Chang Kuang-yao (張光瑤) apologized on behalf of the city government, adding that the city would find out who was responsible and work to prevent similar accidents.

Presidential Office spokesman Charles Chen (陳以信) said that the Presidential Office was concerned about the incident and has instructed the Executive Yuan to offer the municipal government any aid necessary.

MAKE HASTE?The Taichung government denied that the accident might have been caused by the mayor asking the contractor to finish the MRT line earlier