It has been more than four years since the implementation of the 4th amendment to the Regulations Governing Collection of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Remediation Fees. This project, in continuation of the pre-project work focus, has completed a case review on the collection of the soil and groundwater pollution remediation fees. In order to continue examining the current situation and effectiveness of overall remediation fee collection, improvement recommendations have been proposed. Assistance has also been offered to promote the remediation fee collection and review system. Additionally, through a rolling forecast on subsequent fund size requirements and the analysis of the remediation fee levy items and rates announced, the economic benefits and impacts shall be evaluated to put forth remediation fee collection adjustment plans and suggestions in the future. Furthermore, targeting the incentive measures for remediation fee refunds and the financial instruments for speeding up promotion and remediation, feasible plans, the direction of overall subsequent fund utilization planning, combined with the direction of modifications to the collection guidelines, drafts, and supporting measures shall also be formulated to improve the remediation fee collection system. The project execution results include:
1. 1,894 cases of remediation fee declaration, 77 cases of export refunds, 72 cases of insurance refunds, and 37 review cases of engineering item refund, and 20 sessions of on-site inspections have been completed. The effectiveness of remediation fee collection and changes in the substance collection structure have been analyzed. In conjunction with the declaration amount structure, a plan for simplifying the remediation fee declaration has been proposed in order to achieve the purpose of reducing trial costs and streamlining administration for public convenience.
2. The remediation cost estimation parameter amendment, remediation plan monitoring, and fund ratio verification have been carried out. The remediation site data has been rolling updated. The estimated remediation fund requirement amounts to NTD25.03 billion. Recommendations for the addition of 5 substance items and 73 waste items at risk of soil and groundwater pollution, future remediation fee collection plans, and the evaluation of affected and vulnerable industries have been proposed to carry out total economic impact (TEI), which shall serve as a reference for formulating a fee calculation base adjustment plan.
3. In connection with the utilization of fund revenues and expenditures in recent years, a fund safety level adjustment mechanism, engineering item protection strength, environmental insurance upgrade specifications, and remediation fee refund system transformation plans according to other incentive measures have been proposed. Moreover, the accelerated promotion of remedial rectification and financing in soil and water remediation credit guarantee systems and other recommended plans for reducing fund expenditures have been formulated. Furthermore, in accordance with the administration situation of the Environmental Protection Administration, recommendations for the overall utilization of funds in the future have been proposed.
4. The formulation of preferential measures on remediation fees for independent waste handling or reuse has been completed. The amendment draft for guidelines on the collection of reasonable project refund item amendments, legal system operation promotions, and relevant supporting measures have also been completed. The overall economic impact assessment has also been evaluated.
5. Nine expert meetings have been completed. The two issues of (1) the multiple support plans for accelerating remediation of Soil and Groundwater Remediation Fund; (2) The establishment of the soil and underground pollution remediation loan credit guarantee system has been discussed. Two seminars have been conducted for the collection targets to discuss two issues in the amendment draft: (1) Preferential measures for remediation fees on independent business waste disposal in factories; (2) Amendment to the strengthen project refund items, which shall serve as references for subsequent policy promotion and contents of the amendment to the collection guidelines.
