The State Environmental Protection Administration takes its environmental storm to the next level. Will it work? ChinaWatch via China Environmental News Digest:
Starting in 2008, China will expand its recent Regional Permit Restriction to provinces nationwide in an effort to push them to achieve pollution reduction goals, the country’s top environmental authority, the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), announced on February 12.
The regional measure, adopted in January, suspends SEPA approval for all construction projects in regions that fail to achieve certain pollution reduction requirements, including conducting environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and building pollution prevention facilities. Shortly after the measure was instituted, SEPA blacklisted four municipalities and four power giants in the country for violating these rules. [Full Text]
See AP’s coverage of the smackdown SEPA put on Huaneng and the other power heavies earlier this year.