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Environmental impact assessment review for the 4 million-ton coal-to-oil project in Ningxia underway. Author/Source: Date: 10-10-2016. Clicks: 9. Environmental impact assessment changes for Shenhua Ningxia’s 4 million tons per year coal indirect liquefaction demonstration project, as well as the project related to the comprehensive utilization of coal slurry. Location of construction: Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Contractor: Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group Co., Ltd. Changes to the project: The location of the environmental protection facilities remains at the Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industry Base in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region; however, there are changes in terms of the project scale, process flow, main structures, environmental protection measures, and layout. (1) The scale of oil product synthesis and processing increased from 3.85 million tons per year to 4.05 million tons per year, with an additional 1 million tons per year of methanol produced. (2) The overall process has been changed to GSP furnace + Ningmei furnace coal powder pressurized gasification, and Sinochem Synthetic Oil FT synthesis technology. (3) Main project: The number of gasification units has increased from 18 to 28. (4) Environmental protection projects: Measures for treating waste gas and wastewater have been strengthened ； Waste landfill sites and dry salt ponds will be constructed; boiler ash and gasification slag, among other materials, will be disposed of by landfilling them at Site No. 1 within the park. (5) The supporting projects include the Ningdong water supply project, Site No. 1 slag yard, and the off-site rainwater drainage project. (6) The layout of the main plant area has been adjusted, and the location for constructing the evaporation ponds (salt drying areas) outside the plant as well as the buffer tanks has changed. Following the project changes, the total investment in the project increased from 55.998 billion yuan to 59.311 billion yuan, while the investment in environmental protection rose from 2.67 billion yuan to 6.894 billion yuan; the proportion of this investment in the total investment increased from 4.78% to 11.62%. Main environmental impacts and mitigation measures: (1) Atmosphere: The sulfur recovery unit employs a \"two-stage Claus + ammonia desulfurization\" process ； The exhaust gas from low-temperature methanol washing is treated using a combined process of washing + adsorption + ozone ； The coal yards and storage bins are fully enclosed; misting devices are installed at the unloading points to control dust. All types of dust-containing exhaust gases are treated in bag filters ； The boiler employs low-nitrogen combustion technology, and the flue gas is treated through \"SCR denitrification + electrostatic dust removal + ammonia-based desulfurization + ultrasonic desulfurization and dust removal\" before being discharged ； The flue gas from hazardous waste incinerators is discharged after being treated through \"quenching + acid removal + adsorption + dust removal + SCR denitration\" ； The wastewater treatment system adopts a sealed design; unorganized waste gases are collected and then discharged after undergoing humidification, biological deodorization, and activated carbon adsorption. Adopt a closed production process and establish a leakage detection and repair system. Combustible gases released during startup, shutdown, and emergency situations are sent to a flare for combustion. (2) Surface water: The wastewater is treated through a pretreatment system, an overall biochemical treatment system, and a wastewater reuse system, and is entirely reused without being discharged outside. High-concentration brine is sent to evaporation ponds (salt pans), where a step-by-step evaporation and crystallization process is used. Under abnormal operating conditions, different types of wastewater are collected, treated, and reused separately. (3) Groundwater: The plant area is divided into key pollution control areas, general pollution control areas, and areas without pollution control requirements, and the \"Technical Code for Anti-seepage Engineering in Petrochemical Industries\" (GB/T50934-2013) shall be applied. In key pollution control areas, the impermeability should be provided by a clay layer with a thickness of at least 6.0 meters and a permeability coefficient of 1.0×10-7 cm/s; in general pollution control areas, the impermeability layer should consist of a clay layer with a thickness of at least 1.5 meters and a permeability coefficient of 1.0×10-7 cm/s. Off-site evaporation ponds (including dry salt pans and hazardous waste landfills), as well as buffer tanks, are all subject to the \"Standards for Pollution Control of Hazardous Waste Landfills\" (GB18598-2001). (4) Solid waste: Sludge at the bottom of tanks, oil separation and flotation sludge, used activated carbon, and waste packaging bags among the hazardous wastes are sent to solid waste incinerators for burning. Biological sludge from wastewater treatment plants, waste ceramic balls, ash from solid waste incineration, and residues are sent to hazardous waste landfills for disposal. Waste catalysts and waste protectants are recycled by the manufacturers, while waste crystalline salts are packaged and sealed before being transported to the dry salt field on the north side for flexible landfilling ； A temporary storage area for hazardous waste shall be constructed in accordance with the requirements of the \"Standards for Pollution Control of Hazardous Waste Storage\" (GB18597-2001). General solid waste includes gasification ash and slag, boiler ash and slag, etc., which are sent to Landfill No. 1 in the industrial park for disposal or comprehensive utilization. (5) Environmental risks: A three-level prevention and control system is established. The first-level measures include fire dikes in the tank storage area and dikes around the production units; the second-level measures are initial rainwater ponds in each unit area; the third-level measure is a fire accident pond with a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters. The project has strengthened the measures to prevent dam failures in evaporation ponds (salt pans) and temporary storage ponds; artificial rammed earth dams have been constructed, and off-site water retention dams have been set up according to the terrain to contain any accidental wastewater, thereby effectively controlling the environmental impacts resulting from dam failures. Public participation: Public participation was facilitated through methods such as online announcements, newspaper announcements, posting of notices, distribution of simplified versions of reports, distribution of questionnaires, holding symposiums, and the publication of the full versions of the reports. A total of 20 group opinion questionnaires and 530 individual opinion questionnaires were distributed. All groups and 494 respondents expressed support for the project, while 15 individuals opposed it, citing issues such as the poor current state of the environment and concerns that it would exacerbate environmental pollution and affect people’s health; they retained their opposition views even after follow-up inquiries. Comments from relevant departments: (1) **The National Development and Reform Commission approved the project via Document No. FGJN [2013] 1837.** (2) The Yellow River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources approved an annual water withdrawal of 31.315 million cubic meters from the Yellow River for this project via Document Huang Ke Xu [2011] No. 80. (3) The Ningxia Development and Reform Commission approved the initiation of preliminary work for the coal slime comprehensive utilization project (with an annual production capacity of 1 million tons of methanol) via Document Ning Fa Gai Chan Gong Ye [2014] No. 44.