The implementation period of this plan has been from February 7, 2017 to May 6, 2018. The summary of the results of the implementation of this plan is described as follows:
1. Formulation Site Management Program
2 expert consultation meetings were handled in order to formulate the site management program. 5 sites were screened to be investigated, and 5 sites were for remediation planning evalution. The site management reference manual was completed , and 2 meetings were explanined. 4 consultation meetings or trainings were held. The regulatory amendments relating to site management and the initiatives to improve the willingness of non-pollution actors were suggested.
2 International Affairs
The major items of this project included: (1) 7th Business Meeting of Working Group on Remediation for Soil and Groundwater Pollution of Asian and Pacific Region (ReSAGPAPR) was held on November 6, 2017; (2) 2017 International Workshop on the Remediation Technology of Brownfields was held on November 9-10, 2017; (3) A study tour of a contaminated site and an environmental education tour in Taoyuan City and Hsinchu County was held on November 7, 2017; (4) International remediation workshop on soil and groundwater pollution sites was held on November 8, 2017；(5) 2017 Environmental Protection Technology Exhibition and 2017 Annual conference of Chinese Society of Environmental Engineering was held on November 8 to 10, 2017 ; (6) 8th Steering Committee Meeting of MOU between Taiwan EPA and Korea MOE was held on December 12, 2017; (7) 2017 Taiwan-Korea Forum on Remediation of Soil and Groundwater Contamination was held on December 12, 2017; and (8) A study tour of a contaminated site and an environmental education tour in Kaohsiung City were held on December 13-14, 2017.
3. Grant on research and pilot study
In addition to continuing providing assistance in the oversight and evaluation of research projects and pilot studies of fiscal years 2017 and 2018, 30 field surveys on the projects in fiscal year 2017 have been conducted in July 2017. Moreover, the principles regarding the application procedures for projects in fiscal year 2018 was decided in August 2017 based on the field survey experiences and the results received in 2017.
Also, assistance was provided in the releasing, oversight and evaluation of solicitations. In September 2017, two seminars were held to provide information on the solicitations. On March 26th, 2018, a seminar on the execution of the solicitations was held. Also, the second generation of the pilot study system was updated based on the fiscal year 2018 project guidelines. In addition, in order to put the results of the research and the pilot study from previous years into proper execution, a report, printed into 20 copies, on project results from previous years is completed in April 2018.
4. Routine Funding
To assist the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Fund Management Board (hereinafter referred to as “the Board”) in reviewing the process of routine funding, the Operating Procedures of the routine funding has been revised based on the Board’s operational needs in fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
In addition, to cooperate with the Board’s business objectives, the objectives of the Routine Funding Program in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 have been revised in March 2017 and April 2018 respectively.
Also, advice has been provided regarding the revision of the Operating Directions of routine funding.
Furthermore, to improve the Evaluation Procedures of the routine funding projects, four conferences, namely the Routine Funding Project of Fiscal Year 2017 Review Conference, have been held in June 15th-16th, 2017 and the evaluation for projects to be funded in fiscal year 2018 was completed on August 16th, 2017.
5. Annual Performance Assessment and Awards Ceremony
In order to present the achievements of Environmental Protection Bureaus in conducting businesses regarding soil and groundwater remediation, performance assessment plan on local governments has been drawn up and the evaluation on municipalities’ work on soil and groundwater remediation management has been completed. The fiscal year 2017 evaluation and assessment system and the guideline booklet were completed in May 2017 and four quarterly assessment reports were finished too. Regarding the fiscal year 2018 performance assessment, a conference, namely the Fiscal Year 2018 Performance Assessment Plan and Indicator Conference, was held on October 16th, 2017 and the evaluation and assessment system, the first quarterly assessment report and the guideline booklet were completed in March and April 2018 respectively. Tracking the flow of incentives given by the EPA to local governments was also one of the tasks for this year’s project. The 2015-2016 record of incentives were created and completed on April 28th, 2018. Awards ceremonies regarding the yearly performance assessment were organized. The fiscal years 2016 and 2017 Performance Assessment Awards Ceremonies were successfully held on April 28th, 2017, and May 4th, 2018, respectively.
6. Annual Governance Projects Management
In order to assist the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Fund Management Board on organizing proposals of projects for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the Standard Operational Procedures of Preliminary Planning was revised.
Additionally, the “Governance Projects Network Management System of Soil and Groundwater Remediation Fund Management Board" was updated to provide better user experiences. The algorithms adopted by the system were improved, and the user’s interface was also modified. The preliminary planning of fiscal years 2018 and 2019 were finished on April 2017 and March 2018, respectively. The fiscal year 2018 commissioned projects were also reviewed in November 2017. Additionally, a draft titled “The Principle of Annual Governance Projects Progress Control and KPI Score of Soil and Groundwater Remediation Fund Management Board” was further revised and the latest version was proposed. And a conference was held on April 26th, 2018 to further discuss relevant issues.
7. Results and Achievements
The achievements of the EPA’s effort in soil and groundwater remediation have been written into The Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Annual Report of Fiscal Year 2016, which was completed in September 2017. The simplified versions of the Annual Report, which comes in Chinese and English, were later completed in October 2017, and they were distributed to visitors at the 2017 Environmental Protection Technology Exhibition that kicked off in November 2017. Additionally, plans on adding new feature to the official website of the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Fund Management Board, namely the Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Funds, was completed. With this new feature, users will be able to view the annual results and achievements in soil and ground remediation.
