City: "Project Can Resume After Supplementation and Resubmission...
An Opportunity to Enhance Project Quality"
Nonsan City in South Chungcheong Province clarified that the Geumgang Basin Environmental Office’s decision to "return" the environmental impact assessment for the Imhwa General Industrial Complex project was a request for resubmission with supplemental materials, not a cancellation or suspension of the project.
According to the city on September 5, the "return" of the environmental impact assessment simply means that deficiencies in the report must be addressed. The city emphasized that this is entirely different from a "reconsideration (disapproval)" due to serious environmental damage concerns, which would halt the project itself.
Previously, on September 4, civic groups held a press conference in front of Nonsan City Hall, demanding the cancellation of the Yangchon Industrial Complex project in response to the Geumgang Basin Environmental Office’s "return" decision.
The Imhwa General Industrial Complex, planned on a site of approximately 230,000 square meters in Imhwa-ri, Yangchon-myeon, can proceed if the project operator supplements and resubmits the environmental impact assessment report.
The city explained that, as there have been cases in the past where other industrial complex projects proceeded normally after going through a resubmission process following a returned assessment, this is also a supplemental procedure, not a suspension of the project.
A city official stated, "We plan to supplement the assessment report and consult again to minimize environmental impact and address residents’ concerns," adding, "We will use this as an opportunity to enhance the quality of the development project."
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