Yangzhou chemical company attempts to build R&D center near residential area; project halted as it violates environmental assessment requirements

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http://image.thepaper.cn/www/image/5/175/839.jpg The R&D center project of Yangnong Chemical Youjia is currently on hold. At 12 p.m. on September 26, Zhao Xia (a pseudonym) typed a message in the “residents’ group,” the flashing screen of his phone reflecting on his relaxed face. “Finally, there’s a result. ”He let out a long sigh of relief. Zhao Xia lives in Xingang Mingxing Garden, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. He said that since early September, several pile-driving machines have been set up on an open area near the residential complex. \"A Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center is to be built less than 300 meters away from the surrounding residential areas, and the residents are very worried that it will cause pollution once completed,\" which has drawn the attention of residents from several residential complexes. At around 11 a.m. on September 26, Ye Huasheng, director of the Management Committee of Yangzhou High-Tech Zone in Jiangsu, announced to the residents of several residential communities that, following a collective decision by the Party committee of Yangzhou High-Tech Zone, it had been decided to cancel the Youjia R&D Center project of Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Yangnong”). That afternoon, Ye Huasheng told a reporter from The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) that in order to reassure the property owners, the Yangzhou High-Tech Zone Management Committee had issued a notice in the form of an official document. The announcement states that the \"Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project will not be established and its implementation will be halted.\" ” According to investigations by reporters from The Paper in departments such as Yangzhou’s planning and environmental protection agencies, what Yangnong Chemical Industry submitted to Yangzhou’s Development and Reform Commission for approval was the construction of office buildings and R&D facilities; however, the environmental impact assessment covered only the office buildings. Given that the project proposal does not match the content of the environmental impact assessment, and the environmental impact assessment report for the R&D building has not been approved, the local environmental protection authorities have decided to withdraw Yangnong Chemical’s environmental impact assessment report. The R&D project is only 300 meters away from the residential complex. Lin Hao (a pseudonym), 25 years old this year, will get married to his girlfriend in October; their wedding home is located in Phase 3 of the Greenland Mansion (the residential complex), which is also not far from the site where pile driving is taking place. “I’m getting married, so having children naturally becomes a consideration; I’m quite worried about my child’s health in the future. ”Lin Hao told The Paper. Yangnong Chemical is a well-known listed company in Yangzhou, mainly engaged in the production of pesticides. The Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project is located to the southwest of the intersection of Runyang Road and Kefaixi Road. Reporters from The Paper conducted on-site investigations and found that there are several residential complexes and kindergartens around the site; within a radius of 800 meters, there are as many as 14 residential complexes. Among them, the residential areas located 300 meters in a straight line from this R&D center include Gongguan above the green space, Xingang Mingxing Garden, Wanyu City, Changhe Xinyuan, and others. “We have checked the information; some of the pesticides researched and produced by Yangnong are classified as substances of extreme hazard level 1. ”Lin Hao said. Owners from several residential communities began to oppose this project, arguing that there were frauds in the environmental impact assessment; work on pile driving and preparation for construction started before the assessment was approved, which constitutes a violation of **relevant environmental protection regulations** ； At the same time, the planned use for this plot is “business and finance,” so a R&D building for agro-chemicals should not be constructed there. http://image.thepaper.cn/www/image/5/175/840.jpg Within a radius of 800 meters around the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project, there are 14 residential communities. Piles have been driven, but no construction project planning permit has been obtained. The land at Yangnong Chemical where the Youjia R&D Center is to be built was acquired by Yangnong Chemical through an open auction conducted by the land authorities on April 1, 2015. In line with Yangnong Chemical’s strategic orientation, the project plans to build two R&D buildings and mobile apartment-style office buildings. The Yangzhou Planning Bureau told The Paper that the function designated for the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project under the planning and design requirements issued by the bureau is \"commercial office use\"; currently it is specified as \"office and R&D use\", which is basically in line with the planned function and meets the planning requirements. The planning department said that as for the public’s concerns regarding whether the products developed by Yangnong could cause environmental pollution, it will only be possible to determine this after a \"environmental impact assessment\" is conducted; however, the environmental impact assessment report has not yet been prepared, so it is not yet time to issue a construction project planning permit. On September 26, reporters from The Paper visited the site of the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project, where two pile-driving machines were standing on the construction site. Several piling workers said that the project has now come to a standstill. The environmental impact assessment does not match the project details; construction was carried out without prior approval. On the official website of the Environmental Protection Bureau of Hanjiang District, Yangzhou, an environmental impact assessment report for the Yangnong Youjia R&D Center, published on September 5, states that the project requires an investment of 230 million yuan to build Research Building A with 18 floors, Research Building B with 4 floors, and an apartment-style office building with 15 floors. At the same time, underground parking lots, roads within the area, water supply and drainage networks, power supply and distribution as well as lighting facilities, along with fire protection and landscaping projects, will be constructed as part of the infrastructure. The R&D building is primarily used for office purposes as well as the research and development of pharmaceuticals for health purposes; the specific details of such R&D activities will be outlined in a separate environmental impact report to be submitted to the environmental protection authorities for approval. This environmental impact assessment report also includes a survey questionnaire on the satisfaction of some residents. The questionnaire showed that the respondents were “very satisfied” or “relatively satisfied” with the current environmental quality of the area; they considered the pollution caused by the project to be low and generally supported the project, with no one expressing opposition. However, the authenticity and scientific validity of this questionnaire have raised doubts among some property owners. Several residents from the residential complex above the green space told The Paper that those who participated in the environmental impact assessment surveys were mainly elderly people. The community organized these elders during the day; they simply needed to sign a form to receive mosquito repellent, while the community staff filled out the survey questions on their behalf. ” On the evening of September 26, Tang Jun, the head of Xuzhuang Community to which the mansion on the lawn belongs, responded to The Paper by saying that an environmental impact assessment is required before Yangnong Chemicals can set up operations there. **The relevant department asked the community to assist by bringing people to the property; Yangnong’s staff brought two boxes of mosquito repellent and one box of soap to the residents, but it was up to the residents to decide whether to fill out the environmental impact assessment questionnaire and whether to fill it out properly or not.** Why did the preliminary surveys show high support from residents, but later on it faced opposition from many property owners? Tang Jun said he didn’t know why such a huge contrast had arisen. Chen Mingyong, deputy director of the Environmental Protection Bureau of Hanjiang District in Yangzhou, told The Paper that for the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project, the content approved by the Yangzhou Development and Reform Commission included office buildings and R&D buildings, but the environmental impact assessment covered only the office buildings. The research and development of pesticide chemicals generate wastewater and waste gas, which can have a significant impact on the surrounding \"sensitive residential areas\". “Given that the project plan did not match the contents of the environmental impact assessment, the environmental protection measures were inadequate, and the environmental impact assessment report for the R&D building had not been approved, the Hanjiang District Environmental Protection Bureau promptly summoned Yangnong Chemicals and withdrew the environmental impact assessment report on the afternoon of September 22. Regarding the issue of construction without approval, the Environmental Protection Bureau of Hanjiang District stated on September 26: “Our inspection team has gone to the site to conduct an investigation. If it is confirmed to be true, appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with relevant laws and regulations; no leniency will be shown, so as to provide the public with a satisfactory response and explanation.” ” http://image.thepaper.cn/www/image/5/175/838.jpg The Yangzhou High-Tech Zone issued a document stating that the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project shall not be established and its implementation shall be halted. Yangzhou High-Tech Zone: Construction of Youjia R&D Center project halted On September 25, the official WeChat account of Yangzhou High-Tech Zone released a statement regarding the status of the Youjia R&D Center project of Yangnong Chemical. The statement says that recently, the establishment of Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center has drawn widespread attention from the residents of the surrounding communities. In response to this, the Management Committee of Yangzhou High-Tech Zone attaches great importance to it. After consideration, it is hereby stated that first and foremost, strict controls must be applied regarding environmental protection aspects of projects; if a project causes environmental pollution, it will not be approved for establishment ； Second, strict controls are imposed on project construction; the urban management authorities carry out increased inspections, and construction shall not commence until the environmental impact assessment procedures for the project have been approved. At around 11 a.m. on September 26, Ye Huasheng, director of the Yangzhou High-Tech Zone Management Committee, announced to all the property owners who had raised their concerns: \"The construction of the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project will be halted.\" ”The Management Committee of Yangzhou High-Tech Zone issued a document that afternoon stating that the Yangnong Chemical Youjia R&D Center project would not be established and its implementation would be halted. Ye Huasheng asked, “Will this plot of land continue to be used by Yangnong?” I don’t think the chances are high. However, to take it back from Yangnong requires negotiating with them, as Yangnong acquired this land through procedures such as bidding and auction. ” He said that if other projects are to be carried out on that plot of land, a new approval process would be required through the Yangzhou Development and Reform Commission, and “the specific use of that plot has not yet been determined.” The future development focus for this area is headquarters economy, and it is hoped that it will develop in this direction.