(March 28, 2002) Wen Wei Po says the official review of the Nu River environmental-impact assessment has been completed, and that because the EIA documents concern an international river, they have been classified a national secret.

[Translation from Wen Wei Po [PDF], Hong Kong] According to a close source, the review of Environmental impact accessment for the Nujiang hydropower planning was completed. The review panel concluded that from the perspectives of river basin planning and environmental conservation, four dam projects should go ahead among the 2-dam, 13-cascade development plan in the middle and lower reaches of Nujiang River, including Maji, Liuku, Yabiluo and Saige. And from this source, Nujiang is an international river. According to the Chinese law, the EIA is a confidential document, which cannot be disclosed. According to the conclusion, the original 13-dam cascade development plan, including Songta (dam), Bingzhongluo, Maji (dam), Lumadeng, Fugong, Bijiang, Yabiluo, Lushui, Liuku, Shitouzai, Saige, Yansangshu and Guangpo, if fully developed, will create much bigger environmental impacts. This needs a further investigation and review. And the recommended 4-cascade propopsal create less environmental impacts. After conducting mitigation measures, while developing hydropower, the needs for economic development and environmental protection can be fulfilled. “The four-cascade proposal is somewhat like a pilot proposal, which will avoid the much controversial resettlement issues and environmentally sensitive regions,” said the close source. This implies the end of the review process of the Nujiang hydropower plan. The next step will be that the National Development and Reform Commission will give an approval. In addition, the close source said, according to the research materials by the Ministry of Water Resources and National Confidentiality Bureau over the international river issues, the EIA of the hydropower plan is classified national secret. Since Nujiang is an international river, the EIA cannot be disclosed. (Translated by Kevin Li, International Rivers Network)

Wen Wei Po, March 28, 2002