Support and remove difficulties in exploiting excess land in construction projects

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment actively supports, guides procedures, shortens the time for handling procedures and removes difficulties for investors in exploiting excess land in the project for other purposes.

Construction investment projects are supported to carry out procedures for environmental impact assessment and exploitation of excess land in the project. Photo: HOANG HIEP

After winning the auction for the right to lease the land plot at 522B Nguyen Luong Bang (Hoa Hiep Nam ward, Lien Chieu district) with an area of ^{​​6,336m2} on July 26, 2024, Family Doctor Medical Joint Stock Company (Da Nang) has actively carried out related procedures to implement the Lien Chieu Family General Hospital project (Family Lien Chieu) with a scale of 150 beds, a total investment of nearly 695 billion VND (of which construction costs are more than 265 billion VND, equipment costs are more than 350 billion VND).

According to the environmental impact assessment consultation report, the project has mineral exploitation activities (soil) within the project scope and will be transported to the land belonging to the High-quality International Hospital Complex project in Hoa Quy ward (Ngu Hanh Son district) of the project owner to take advantage of leveling the ground, so there is no need for a temporary dumping site; the amount of bentonite (mineral clay) that needs to be removed from the project will be transported to Khanh Son landfill.

According to the procedure, for projects that have identified projects to receive excess soil for landfill, the investor will prepare an environmental impact assessment report (including the content of exploitation and transportation of excess soil) for the city to review and approve, then prepare procedures to request a license to exploit excess soil. For projects that cannot contact project owners who agree to receive excess soil suitable for use as landfill material, the investor will contact the owners of temporary landfills and then find a place to landfill or transport it directly to Khanh Son landfill to use as surface covering material for fresh waste to serve landfill operations.

According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the problem and difficulty in utilizing and coordinating excess land of projects to make filling and surface covering materials for other projects in the city is that mineral exploitation activities in many construction investment projects must have a mineral exploitation license and must carry out corresponding environmental procedures according to the provisions of the law on environmental protection for mineral exploitation projects. To grant a license to exploit minerals in current construction investment projects, organizations and individuals (investors) must carry out procedures to prepare an environmental impact assessment report.

After the city approves the environmental impact assessment report, investors will complete procedures for granting mineral exploitation licenses according to the provisions of Article 54 of Decree No. 158/2016/ND-CP and Clause 18, Article 4 of Decree No. 22/2023/ND-CP of the Government. When the dossier and procedures are qualified, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will appraise and submit them to the City People's Committee for consideration and issuance of mineral exploitation licenses, leading to a prolonged time for handling the application and coordination of excess land for projects according to regulations.

To help investors overcome difficulties, annually, in the report sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on state management of minerals in Da Nang city, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed and proposed to resolve current difficulties in granting mineral exploitation licenses in construction investment projects in the form of simplifying administrative procedures to recommend competent authorities to consider and amend.

In the immediate future, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will continue to direct specialized agencies and units to shorten the time in the process of appraising and handling environmental impact assessment reports and applications for mineral exploitation licenses in construction projects for relevant organizations and individuals to promptly handle project records and constructions related to the utilization and coordination of surplus land in accordance with regulations.

Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quang Vinh said that the department is currently implementing 100% of level 4 online public services. The City People's Committee has issued a pilot process for interconnecting the settlement of a number of administrative procedures under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, including the interconnecting process for settling procedures for appraisal and approval of environmental impact assessment reports..., which has reduced many working days compared to the total number of days for carrying out procedures according to normal regulations.

Thereby saving time for organizations, individuals and management agencies; creating leverage to promote the implementation of the "3 reductions" policy in administrative procedure reform of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment: reducing procedures, reducing time, reducing costs for investors.

HOANG HIEP

Source: http://baodanang.vn/kinhte/202502/ho-tro-go-kho-khai-thac-dat-thua-trong-cac-du-an-xay-dung-4001312/