The Ministry of Environmental Protection has officially accepted the second environmental impact assessment for Xintian coal-to-gas project

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The Ministry of Environmental Protection officially accepted the second environmental impact assessment for the Xintian coal-to-gas project. Author/Source: Date: 2016-02-29. Clicks: 10. On February 26, the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a statement announcing that it had officially accepted the environmental impact assessment documents for Xintian Coal Chemical Co., Ltd.’s project to produce 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from coal. The acceptance status will be made public, with the publicity period running from February 26, 2016, to March 10, 2016 (10 working days). The project began with site preparation in 2010, and the construction of the main structure started in April 2011; it is now essentially completed. To date, a total investment of 11.7 billion yuan has been made, accounting for 75.5% of the total investment amount. As of May 20, 2015, 91% of the plant area for this project has been constructed. The coal preparation facility is 96% complete; the coal conveying belt for the boiler has already undergone individual testing ； The gasification unit is 94% complete, the conversion unit is 96% complete, the gas-water separation is 93% complete, and phenol-amine recovery is 96% complete ； The purification unit is 88% complete ； 96% of sulfur recovery completed ； The methanation unit is 97% complete; pressure testing has been finished ； 95% of the air separation unit has been completed; the air compressors have undergone individual testing, and some pipelines and cryogenic tanks have been pressure-tested ； 85% of the thermal power plant has been completed; the 3 coal-fired boilers that have been built are ready for commissioning ； 97% of the wastewater treatment and reuse system has been completed; the fire accident tank, biochemical tank, regulation tank, and acidification-hydrolysis tank have already been filled with water for leak testing ； The integrated tank farm has been completed ； 91% completion of utility projects such as substations, desalination plants, circulating water plants, water treatment plants, warehouses, and the area in front of the factory. The external water supply pipes, gas transmission pipelines, and power transmission lines have been largely installed ； 3# wastewater temporary storage tank is 78% complete; the anti-leakage membrane has been installed, and the pump room for the tank’s return water system has been built ； 60% of the general solid waste landfill has been completed, with a waterproof membrane already installed ； The 1# wastewater temporary storage tank, 2# wastewater temporary storage tank, end-point accident buffer tank, hazardous waste landfill, crystallization unit, sludge drying facility, RTO regenerative thermal oxidation unit, etc. have not yet started operation. Background of the project development: In February 2009, Xinwen Mining Group (Ili) Energy Development Co., Ltd.’s project to produce 2 billion cubic meters of coal-based natural gas per year was registered with the Development and Reform Commission of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (registration certificate number: 20091001). In December 2010, the Development and Reform Commission of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region issued a reply titled \"Reply on the Change in the Owner of the Newwen Mining Group (Ili)’s Project for Producing 2 billion cubic meters of coal-based natural gas per year and the Increase in the Foreign Exchange Allocation\" (Document No. Xin Fa Gai Chan Gong Ye [2010] 3041), approving the change in the owner of this project from Newwen Mining Group (Ili) Energy Development Co., Ltd. to Ili Xintian Coal Chemical Co., Ltd. In March 2013, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the “Reply from the General Office of the National Development and Reform Commission on Approving the Preparatory Work for the Xinjiang Yili Coal-to-Natural Gas Demonstration Project” (Document No. FGNB Energy [2013] No. 665), thereby approving the commencement of preparatory work for this project. On May 8, 2015, the Ministry of Environmental Protection accepted the environmental impact assessment report for this project. From May 19 to 21, 2015, the Environmental Engineering Assessment Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection organized a technical assessment meeting for the project in Yining City, Xinjiang. On June 26, 2015, the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a notice stating that it would not approve the environmental impact assessment report for this project, under the title “Notice on Not Approving the Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the Project to Produce 2 billion cubic meters of coal-based gas per year by Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Co., Ltd.” (Document No. Huanbanhan 1046). Problems in the initial environmental impact assessment and solutions. Problem 1: The project is located on low hills about 14 kilometers north of the Yili River, with a height difference of approximately 480 meters from the river. The area where the plant is situated is designated as a zone requiring special attention to prevent soil erosion; the surface soil there is collapsible loess, which poses significant environmental risks associated with this location. The environmental risk prevention measures proposed in the report are not feasible, and there is a risk that wastewater could enter the Yili River in the event of an accident. The location chosen for the hazardous waste landfill does not meet the relevant requirements of the \"Overall Plan for Ecological and Environmental Protection in Yili Prefecture (2014–2030)\” and the \"Standards for Pollution Control of Hazardous Waste Landfills\" (GB18598-2001). Solutions: 1. Regarding the treatment plans for the collapsible foundations of the project, as well as the advisory opinions on geological disaster risks related to landslides and mudslides from Germany, the project owner commissioned the China Institute of Geological Environment to organize a consultation meeting in Beijing on November 10, 2015, titled “Consultation on Collapsible Loess and Geological Disasters for the Yili Xintian Coal Chemicals 2 billion cubic meters per year coal-to-natural gas project”. At the meeting, presentations were given on the \"Geological Hazard Risk Assessment Report\" prepared by Shaanxi Nuclear Industry Engineering Survey Institute and the \"Special Report on the Treatment of Collapsible Loess Foundations\" prepared by China Tianchen Engineering Co., Ltd. Through the review of relevant materials, question-and-answer sessions, and thorough discussions, the \"Expert Advisory Opinions on the Geological Hazard Risks for the Coal-to-Natural Gas Project of Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Co., Ltd.\" were formulated. Based on the review of relevant reports and consultations, the China Institute of Geological Environment Monitoring assembled some experts, together with experts from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, to conduct an on-site inspection of the geological disaster risks at the plant site of Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Co., Ltd. on November 22, 2015; this led to the formulation of the \"Expert Consultation Opinions on the Supplementary Assessment of Geological Disasters for the Coal-to-Natural Gas Project at Yili Xintian Coal Chemical.\" The assessment of the disaster risk at the site of this project shows that: (1) The geological disaster risk assessment level for this project meets the specified requirements ； (2) The current status assessment and predictive assessment within the area indicate a low risk of geological hazards such as collapses, landslides, surface subsidence, ground fissures, and other similar phenomena; therefore, the likelihood and risk of such geological hazards affecting construction projects are low, and the conclusions are reliable ； (3) The possibility of overall sliding of the plant site slopes is low ； The risk of landslide geological disasters is low, with minimal danger ； No uneven settlement was observed ； (4) The collapsible loess can have its foundation stability effectively preserved through appropriate engineering measures, and the conclusions are reliable ； (5) The suitability grade of the construction site and the land for construction is suitable. Regarding the site selection for the project and the treatment of collapsible loess foundations, Xintian Company commissioned the China Institute of Geological Environment Monitoring to conduct a specialized assessment. The assessment concluded that the risk of geological disasters such as collapses and landslides at the construction site is low, that soil treatment methods such as dynamic compaction are appropriate for collapsible loess, and that the site is suitable for the construction of this project. Regarding the safety risks of the project, Sinopec Qingdao Safety Engineering Research Institute was commissioned to review the project’s safety documentation. It was determined that the distance between the project site and sensitive targets complies with relevant regulations; the selected process route is mature and feasible, and the analysis of hazardous factors is comprehensive, all of which provide a basis for effectively controlling the project’s safety risks. 2. Regarding the project site selection: The project site is more than 5 kilometers away from the urban planning area and more than 2 kilometers away from residential areas. In the early stages of the project, the construction unit commissioned an urban and rural planning and design institute to prepare a site selection report. The two potential sites were compared, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted from the perspectives of ecological protection, urban planning, land use planning, water resources, soil and water conservation, geological hazards, and risk management. Ultimately, the chosen site for the factory was determined. The site selection report was submitted step by step from Yining City and Ili Prefecture to the Autonomous Region’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. The Autonomous Region’s Environmental Protection Department organized expert reviews and issued a plan approval document, while Yining City issued the planning permit. During the review process for establishing the Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park, eight departments at various levels – including the Development and Reform Commission, the Economic and Information Technology Commission, the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Environmental Protection Department, the Land Resources Department, the Fire Brigade, the Work Safety Supervision Bureau, and the Finance Bureau – issued their opinions in favor of the site selection and establishment of the park. The autonomous region organized expert seminars to review the park’s planning, and the people’s government of the autonomous region approved the establishment of the park based on the opinions of these departments and experts. The site of this project is located near a coal mine; it is a coal chemical plant situated at the mine entrance. Coal is transported to the coal chemical plant via enclosed conveyor belts and stored in silos, thereby preventing environmental pollution that could arise during the transportation, loading, and storage of coal. 3. Regarding the key areas for preventing soil erosion: According to the Notice issued by the Office of the Ministry of Water Resources (Document No. Ban Shui Bao 188), Bayandai Town in Yining City, where the project is located, is not part of the **-level areas designated as key zones for preventing soil erosion or for intensive treatment of such erosion. In accordance with the Announcement issued by the People’s Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region regarding the designation of key areas for preventing soil erosion, areas under close supervision, and areas for intensive treatment across the region, the project site falls within the category of key areas designated for preventing soil erosion in the autonomous region. The Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park was approved for establishment on September 12, 2015, by the People’s Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Document No. Xinzhenghan 225). The Soil and Water Conservation Plan for Yili Xintian’s project to produce 2 billion cubic meters of coal-based natural gas per year has been approved by the Ministry of Water Resources (Document No. Shuibaohan 57). Engineering measures such as the construction of drainage ditches and retaining walls are employed to reduce soil erosion, and the soil and water conservation plan meets the relevant requirements. On this basis, the construction party has decided to establish carbon sink forests at a distance of 300–500 meters around the factory site, in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, enhance soil and water conservation, prevent soil erosion, and improve the quality of the surrounding environment. 4. Regarding environmental risk prevention measures, following the previous expert assessment meeting on environmental impact assessment, Xintian Company made significant adjustments to its three-tier prevention and control system. A separate system for rainwater and wastewater is implemented in the factory area; additional open channels for rainwater are installed. A three-tier prevention and control system is established using \"cofferdams – fire accident tanks – end-stage accident buffer tanks.\" Building on the existing fire accident tank with a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters, three additional end-stage accident buffer tanks with a total capacity of 19,000 cubic meters have been added to ensure that all polluted rainwater and fire-related wastewater within the factory are effectively collected and not discharged outside the facility, thereby reducing the risk to the Ili River. Regarding wastewater storage tanks, this project includes a new #1 wastewater storage tank with an effective capacity of 200,000 cubic meters, and a #2 wastewater storage tank with an effective capacity of 128,000 cubic meters; these tanks are used to collect biochemical wastewater generated during startup and commissioning phases as well as under abnormal operating conditions. The #3 wastewater storage tank, which originally had an effective capacity of 2.45 million cubic meters, serves as an emergency tank to handle risks associated with #1 and #2 wastewater storage tanks. It is currently empty to ensure that any accident-related wastewater does not leak out, thereby reducing the risk to the Ili River. 5. Regarding the location selection for hazardous waste landfills, the People’s Government of the autonomous region approved the establishment of the Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park on September 12, 2015 (Document No. 225). In accordance with the requirement in the **Ministry of Environmental Protection’s “Environmental Access Conditions for Modern Coal Chemical Industry Projects (Trial)” (Document No. Huanban 111)**, which states that hazardous waste should be disposed of safely in locations close to the project or industrial park, as well as Article 91 of the **Ili Prefecture’s Overall Environmental Protection Plan (2014–2030)**, which stipulates that “each industrial park shall have at least one landfill for household waste and one facility for handling hazardous waste (which may be shared with urban areas”), and Article 92, which specifies that “the Yining Border Economic Cooperation Zone and related industrial parks shall share urban sewage treatment plants, landfills for household waste, and facilities for handling hazardous waste with the city of Yining”, the Environmental Protection Bureau of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, in its reply letter titled “Response to the Request Regarding the Construction of a Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility in the Ili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park” (Document No. Yizhou Huanping Han 2), concluded that the Ili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park meets the requirements for constructing such a facility, provided that it complies strictly with relevant laws and regulations regarding hazardous waste management. This project is located in the Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park, and the site selection for the hazardous waste landfill meets the relevant requirements of the \"Yili Prefecture’s Overall Environmental Protection Plan (2014–2030)\". To avoid potential environmental risks associated with the long-term operation of landfills, Xintian Company has raised its construction standards and built rigid landfills in accordance with the \"Standards for Pollution Control of Hazardous Waste Landfills\" (draft for comments). In summary, the location selected for the project’s hazardous waste landfill meets the requirements set out in the \"Overall Plan for Ecological and Environmental Protection in Yili Prefecture (2014–2030)\", as well as the \"Standards for Pollution Control of Hazardous Waste Landfills\" (GB18598-2001) and its draft versions. Issue 2: The Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Circular Economy Industrial Park, where the project is located, has not yet been established, which does not meet the requirement set out in the \"Notice on Strengthening Risk Prevention and Tightening Environmental Impact Assessment Management\" (Document No. Huan Fa 98), namely that the project must be located within an industrial park that has been established in accordance with the law, is equipped with proper environmental protection infrastructure, and has undergone planned environmental impact assessment. On September 12, 2015, the People’s Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, through the document “Reply on Approving the Establishment of the Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park” (Xin Zheng Han No. 225), approved the establishment of the Yili Xintian Coal Chemical Industry Park as a regional-level industrial park. The park is equipped with complete environmental protection infrastructure. The environmental impact assessment for the park’s planning has also received approval from the Environmental Protection Department of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xin Huan Han No. 1412). This complies with the requirement stipulated in the “Notice on Effectively Strengthening Risk Prevention and Strictly Managing Environmental Impact Assessments” (Huan Fa No. 98), which states that industrial parks must be established only within legally authorized areas that possess adequate environmental protection infrastructure and have undergone proper environmental impact assessments. Issue 3: The feasibility and reliability of not discharging project wastewater have not been adequately demonstrated. The report fails to demonstrate the operational reliability of units such as the biochemical treatment system, the recycled water treatment system, and the high-concentration brine treatment system by taking into account the discharge water quality from various wastewater treatment units and the water demand of each process unit. Solution: The project takes into account the quality of wastewater discharged from various wastewater treatment units as well as the water demand of different process units, and evaluates the operational reliability of units such as the biochemical treatment system, the reclaimed water treatment system, and the high-concentration brine treatment system; details are provided in the analysis. Question 4: The installation of a flue gas bypass in the project’s own thermal power plant does not comply with the requirements of the \"Action Plan for Energy Conservation, Emission Reduction, Upgrade, and Transformation of Coal-fired Power Plants (2014–2020)\」 (Document No. Fa Gai Neng Yuan 2093). The report predicts that after the project is operational, the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia at the plant boundaries will exceed the allowed levels, failing to meet the requirements for compliant emissions. Solution: 1. Issue of flue gas bypasses in the project’s own thermal power plant. The flue gas bypasses installed in boilers No. 3 and No. 4 of the project’s own thermal power plant have been removed, while those installed in boilers No. 1 and No. 2 are currently being removed. 2. After the project started operating, the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia at the plant boundary exceeded the allowed levels, failing to meet the requirements for compliant emissions. To reduce unorganized emissions, this project adopted measures such as connecting the vent valves and safety valves to flares; meanwhile, the material balance was recalculated, and the source strength was determined anew by drawing on data from sulfur recovery units of similar scale ； It is predicted that after the project is operational, the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia at the plant boundary will meet the requirements for compliant emissions. For details, see 5 Engineering Analysis and 8 Prediction and Evaluation of Atmospheric Environmental Impact. Issue 5: The report has problems in aspects such as engineering analysis, monitoring and investigation of the current environmental status, and prediction of environmental impacts. The monitoring sites for assessing the current quality of the atmospheric environment do not meet the requirements specified in the \"Technical Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment – Atmospheric Environment\" (HJ2.2-2008), and lack representativeness. The report fails to fully analyze the impact of water extraction on the water environment carrying capacity of the Ili River, as well as on regional ecological, domestic, and agricultural water use, by taking into account factors such as the utilization status of water resources in the Ili River, the current quality of the water, and the distribution of sensitive areas downstream of the water intake points. Solution: 1. Regarding issues related to engineering analysis, monitoring and investigation of the current environmental conditions, and prediction of environmental impacts: The report has been revised with respect to the sections on engineering analysis, monitoring and investigation of the current environmental conditions, and prediction of environmental impacts. Please refer to each respective section for details. 2. Issues regarding the layout of monitoring points for the current status of air environmental quality: After implementing measures to reduce unorganized emissions, the project’s air quality assessment rating is grade two, and the layout of monitoring points for assessing the current status of air environmental quality meets the requirements specified in the \"Technical Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment – Air Environment\" (HJ2.2-2008). 3. The water resources issue report collects new data on the development and utilization of water resources in the Ili River, the current quality of the water, and the distribution of sensitive areas downstream of the water intake points. It provides a thorough analysis of the impact of water extraction on the environmental carrying capacity of the Ili River, as well as on regional ecological, domestic, and agricultural water needs; for details, see section 16.3.4. Question 6: The source of the total project indicator does not meet the relevant requirements stipulated in the Interim Measures for the Review and Management of Total Emission Indicators for Major Pollutants in Construction Projects. Solution: The total sulfur dioxide emission limit for this project is 1,903 tons per year. On November 4, 2009, the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a document titled “Huanban Han No. 1141”, in which the total sulfur dioxide emission limit for this project was set at 2,094.6 tons per year, with this amount being allocated from the sulfur dioxide emission quota reserved during the 11th Five-Year Plan period. The total nitrogen oxide emission target for this project is 1,571 tons per year. The Environmental Protection Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, via Document No. Xinhuanfa 432, approved that the reduction amounts achieved by Units 3–8 of Zhejiang Zheneng Jiahua Power Generation Co., Ltd., a company controlled by Zhejiang Energy Co., Ltd., could be used to meet this target. The Xinjiang Environmental Protection Department has issued Document No. Xinhuanfa 432, approving the amount of nitrogen oxide reductions that can be made as a substitute. The total emission limit for smoke and dust for this project is 182 tons per year, while the total emission limit for volatile organic compounds is 833 tons per year. The Xinjiang Environmental Protection Department approved these emission limits in its document No. Xinhuanhan 996.