Ministry of Economic Affairs: Air Pollution Control Act Amendment May Affect Power and Industry; Calls for Maintaining Current System

Central News Agency

(Central News Agency reporter Tseng Yun-ting, Taipei, 27th) Regarding the Legislative Yuan's scheduled review of partial amendments to the "Air Pollution Control Act" on the 29th, the Ministry of Economic Affairs today stated that this amendment may reduce domestic power supply and the resilience of industrial supply chains, affecting approximately 8,000 operators with fixed pollution source operating permits nationwide. The Ministry of Economic Affairs must appeal for industry, urging the maintenance of the current system to avoid increasing business operational uncertainties.

In a press release, the Ministry of Economic Affairs pointed out that this scheduled amendment involves energy and industrial emission regulations. Some versions even stipulate that if an operating permit expires and the local government fails to complete the extension review within two months, the operator may not continue operations, effectively requiring a shutdown. This would subject industries to the risk of administrative review delays, not only increasing costs but also potentially impacting national power supply stability.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that the National Federation of Industries and the Joint Association of Industrial Park Manufacturers have successively visited legislators and issued statements, calling for the maintenance of the current air pollution control management mechanism. The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasized that related amendments could affect key industries such as semiconductors, steel, petrochemicals, textiles, paper, and cement, involving a wide range of areas, and require cautious evaluation.

Regarding the content of the amendment, the Ministry of Economic Affairs analyzed that Article 30 of the amendment proposed by the Taiwan People's Party caucus would limit the extension review period to two months. If the review is not completed, operations would be prohibited, potentially leading to business shutdown risks.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs pointed out that approximately 8,000 medium to large manufacturers nationwide rely on operating permits. More than half of these are in industries such as semiconductors, optoelectronics, petrochemicals, steel, and cement. If forced to shut down due to review delays, it could lead to disruptions in upstream and downstream supply chains and economic losses. Furthermore, stopping continuously operating equipment could cause irreversible damage.

In addition, the amendment shortens the validity period of permit extensions from the current 3 to 5 years to 2 to 5 years and adds that the extension period may be shortened in "Class 3 Control Zones." The Ministry of Economic Affairs believes this would increase the frequency of applications and administrative burden for operators, especially since most counties and cities in western Taiwan belong to relevant control zones, potentially significantly shortening the validity period of permits for power plants and high-tech industries, which is unfavorable for stable operations.

Regarding local authority, the Ministry of Economic Affairs noted that legislators Luo Ting-wei and others proposed amending Article 27, authorizing local governments to require operators to reduce emissions. This could expand discretionary powers and lead to inconsistent central and local standards. Article 28 would allow local governments to announce prohibitions or restrictions on fuel use, potentially affecting the operation of power plants and industrial boilers, further impacting national energy supply.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs mentioned that some articles allow the competent authority to change the original permit content during the extension review on the grounds of "potential health risks" or "need to tighten operating conditions," but the definitions of these are unclear, which could lead to executive uncertainties and repetitive regulation issues, affecting the predictability of corporate investment.

Regarding the effectiveness of air pollution control, the Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that various measures are being promoted in accordance with the Executive Yuan's approved plan. All affiliated agencies are actively implementing air pollution control and guidance work. Statistics show that from 2021 to 2025 (ROC year 110 to 114), cumulative air pollutant emissions have been reduced by 77,813 metric tons, and air quality has improved year by year.

دوباره 강조했다، اصلاحات بايد در فرضيات روشن و قابل پيش‌بيني تدوين شود، و اميدوار است پارلمان به رنج مردم توجه کند و سازوکار مديريتي فعلي قانون کنترل آلودگي هوا را حفظ کند تا از بروز تأثيرات جدي بر عمليات شرکت و انعطاف‌پذيري انرژي جلوگيري شود. (編輯: 張良知) 1150427

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