This one probably falls more into the “how not to hold a press conference” category, but it does have an environmental angle so will cover it here. (h/t and thanks to environmental attorney Sabrina Wang and, seperately, The Wu Way 無為 for bringing this story to my attention).
Heilongjiang Province’s Environmental Bureau (EPB) held a meeting with specifically invited press representatives last week to discuss environmental enforcement activities in 2009. Of particular relevance to these activities, of course, would be the list prepared by the provincial EPB (according to law) of those entities which have discharged pollutants in excess of national or regional discharge standards or who have otherwise seriously polluted the environment. This list is commonly referred to as the “blacklist.”
But, when the assembled reporters asked for the balcklist, they were told in so many words to mind their own business. This response apparently caused a number of the reporters to walk out of the meeting. Good for them. There is absolutely no legal justification for keeping the entire list confidential.
In fact the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), to which the provincial EPB is theoretically subordinate, has promulgated Measures for the Disclosure of Environmental Information which came into force on May 1, 2008. Pursuant to these Measures, “environmental protection departments” are required to disclose “on their own initiative” to the public, among other things, a “list of enterprises with severe pollution and whose emission of pollutants is greater than the national or local emission standard or whose total emission of pollutants is greater than the quota of total controlled emission determined by local people’s government” (the blacklist) (Article 11, paragraph 13).
As The Wu Way points out, Heilongjiang Province was the site of the infamous Songhua River spill in 2005 in which the local environmental officials did not win any commendations for candor. It appears that not much has changed up north.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Jocelyn // Apr 27, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Thanks for the pingback! This is a really unfortunate situation, given Heilongjiang’s track record. I’d love to see environmental bureaus in China finally step up to the plate and do something to change the situation. But then again, as long as local governments are measured based on GDP — and not environmental factors — it may be an uphill battle. At least, though, the journalists didn’t stand for this, and it’s been reported — that’s a huge plus.
Keep up the good work on your blog.
2 Manny Sy // Jan 1, 2010 at 10:56 am
My former business is tanning,I lately close it due to my concern regarding enviroment,the chemical we use is mostly pollutant,i just want to know if there is tanning factory dumping in black dragon river it should be stop,not way that it can be clean by waste water treatment,Thanks
Leave a Comment