Jiangsu launches four major campaigns

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Jiangsu Launches Four Key Campaigns Report by our newspaper: Recently, a meeting of directors of environmental protection agencies in Jiangsu Province decided that in 2008, the province will focus on carrying out four key campaigns aimed at improving the comprehensive environmental quality index of well-off societies, reducing pollution, managing key river basins, and carrying out comprehensive improvements to the rural environment. Efforts will also be made to enhance the level of governance in accordance with the law, strengthen basic environmental management, and innovate in environmental protection policies. 2008 was a crucial year for \"achieving comprehensive prosperity and building a new Jiangsu.\" Jiangsu Province’s environmental protection efforts will focus on leveraging the guiding and restrictive role of assessments related to environmental standards in the pursuit of prosperity; these assessment methods will be further revised and improved, with a strict \"one-vote veto\" policy being implemented. At the same time, guidance is provided to various regions in formulating and implementing environmental protection plans aimed at achieving a decent standard of living; for those sections that fail to meet these standards, a \"river chief system\" should be implemented. 　　Achieve pollution reduction targets and promote a shift in the province’s economic development model. In advancing efforts to reduce emissions through engineering measures, it is necessary to ensure that the province’s new daily treatment capacity for domestic wastewater exceeds 1 million tons. Basically complete the construction of desulfurization projects for all currently operational thermal power units in the province. Launch pilot projects for denitrification upgrades in coal-fired power plants. 　　In advancing structural emission reductions, it is necessary to ensure that the 3-year plan to shut down small chemical plants is fully implemented by 2008, and to complete the task of phasing out outdated iron and steel production capacities, cement production facilities, as well as small thermal power units. In advancing management-based emission reductions, the automatic monitoring system for key pollution sources across the province must be fully established by the end of the first quarter. Strictly implement the policy linking the operational efficiency of desulfurization facilities to the desulfurization electricity price. 　　Strive to carry out comprehensive improvement of the water environment in key river basins to promote its enhancement. To protect drinking water sources, direct sewage discharge outlets within Class I and Class II protection areas must be completely banned. Implement pollution control measures to ensure that the water quality compliance rate at the 53 monitoring points in Taihu Lake increases by 10%, and to prevent any incidents of contamination of drinking water sources. 　　Increase innovation and implementation of environmental protection systems to promote the optimal allocation of environmental resources. In terms of environmental pricing policies, it is necessary to earnestly implement the regulations regarding the initial prices and charging methods for COD and SO2 emission limits, and carry out pilot programs for paid allocation and trading in the Taihu Lake basin and the power industry. In terms of environmental pricing policies, it is necessary to **properly adjust the sewage treatment fees and introduce such fees for towns and villages in the Taihu Lake basin** ； Establish standards for charging fees based on phosphorus and nitrogen emissions from sewage treatment plants, and pilot the introduction of fees for dust emissions from construction sites. In terms of ecological compensation policies, the first batch of key river administrative boundary points were identified across the province, and a comprehensive set of mechanisms for compensation implementation was established, including water quality monitoring, calculation of compensation amounts, and supervision of compensation payments. 2008-01-21 China’s Environment Li Yufang Gao Jie