Promotion in case of ‘agree’, braking in case of ‘disagree’
▲In front of the Jeju Provincial Assembly in May 2021, the Jeju 2nd Airport Promotion Association, which consists of 8 pro-governmental organizations in the province, is urging the prompt promotion of the 2nd airport, a long-cherished project of the residents. (yunhap news)
The Ministry of Environment announces opinions on the strategic environmental impact assessment of the Jeju 2nd Airport construction project. The Jeju 2nd Airport construction project is to build a new airport with one runway in Seogwipo City, separate from Jeju International Airport in Jeju City.
According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Act on the 6th, in order to construct an airport, it is necessary to undergo a strategic environmental impact assessment to review the plan, site adequacy, and feasibility in terms of the environment when establishing a basic plan.
Previously, the project operator, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, submitted a strategic environmental impact assessment report to the Ministry of Environment in September 2019 for the Jeju 2nd Airport construction project. Later, when the Ministry of Environment pointed out the lack of evaluation, the evaluation was supplemented and submitted again in December 2019 and June 2021.
However, the re-supplement submitted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in June 2021 was rejected in July of the same year for the reason that ‘important matters necessary for consultation are missing and supplementary contents are insufficient’.
Specifically, △insufficient review of measures to protect birds and habitats △insufficient consideration of the worst conditions related to aircraft noise and errors in simulation △insufficient prediction of related effects despite confirmation and estimation of the habitat of wild toads.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport supplemented it again and submitted it to the Ministry of Environment on January 5, and the Ministry of Environment’s opinion will be announced on the 6th.
If the Ministry of Environment agrees, the construction of Jeju’s second airport will be pushed forward, and the brakes will be put on if there is no immobility. However, even if the strategic environmental impact assessment consultation opinion is presented as an agreement, the promotion is not confirmed. Afterwards, when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announces the basic plan for the second airport, an environmental impact assessment must be conducted.
According to the current law, the consultation opinion for the environmental impact assessment of the Jeju 2nd airport construction project is to be presented by Jeju Island after reflecting the opinions of the Ministry of Environment and with the consent of the Jeju Provincial Council.
Of course, public opinion against the second airport is also very strong. In addition to the environmental damage to the airport site, there is a great concern that if a new airport is built, the number of visitors will increase, which will destroy the overall ecosystem of Jeju and encourage reckless development.
There are also criticisms that the opinions of the residents are not properly reflected. Previously, on the 9th of last month, Jeju Island requested the Ministry of Environment to designate the second airport project as a priority evaluation project in accordance with the ‘Regulations on Consultation on Environmental Impact Assessment, etc.’, but it was not accepted.
The Ministry of Environment explained the reason, saying, “This is a matter that has been supplemented with strategic environmental impact assessments several times in the past, and at this point, it is inappropriate to reflect the proposal for designation of a priority evaluation project as professional review is important.”