The Legislature's Economic Committee said Tuesday the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) must review a license extension for a mining concession near Taroko National Park that rights groups argue infringes on aboriginal land rights.
Taroko is one of the seven national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park.
Critics have also said that Asia Cement Corporation's mine on the edge of the national park poses environmental risks.
MOEA approved the ACC's application for a 20-year extension of the license on March 14.
At a meeting of the committee Tuesday, the committee's convener, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Le Gao Jyh-peng accused MOEA of "smuggling (the ACC case) through the back door." Gao said the ministry had shown contempt for the lawmaking body.
Gao said that the committee had vowed last Monday to finish amending the Mining Act during this legislative session. He added the committee had ordered MOEA not to approve any mineral rights applications for six months or until the new law was passed.
The approval triggered a wave of condemnation from rights groups as well as legislators. Opponents of the mining concession have demanded that MOEA suspend ACC's license.
They have also called on the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to launch a probe into whether the mine should continue operations.
The Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung insisted Tuesday that ACC's mining license could only be revoked if the firm had violated the Administrative Procedure Act during the application. "No such offense has been discovered," Lee said.
The Current Environmental Impact Assessment Act stipulates that companies must conduct an environmental impact assessment and submit response strategies for the relevant authorities' approval.
A legal interpretation made by the Supreme Administrative Court in 2013 declared that ongoing development activities do not require an additional impact assessment when applying for a permit extensions.
Source: Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan (MOEA)
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