In 2003, the State further intensified legal construction on environment protection and resources conservation, and issued and executed a series of rules and regulations. They are mainly Law of People’s Republic of China on Clean Production Promotion (promulgated on June 29, 2002, put in force on January 1, 2003), Law of People’s Republic of China Concerning Environmental Influence Evaluation (promulgated on October 28, 2002, put in force on September 1, 2003), Law of People’s Republic of China Concerning Radiative Pollution Prevention and Control (promulgated on June 28, 2003, put in force on October 1, 2003), Rules of People’s Republic of China on Levying and Using Pollutant Discharge Fees (Adopted by the State Council on January 30, 2002, promulgated on January 2, 2003, executed since July 1, 2003). Based on the Rules of Levying and Using Pollutant Discharge Fees, the State Development Planning Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Environment Protection and the State Economic and Trade Commission jointly enacted the Procedures for Levying Standards of Pollutant Discharge Fees (Executed since July 1, 2003) and the Ministry of Finance and the General Administration of Environment Protection made the Procedures for Levying and Using Pollutant Discharge Fees (Executed since July 1, 2003).

For consolidating execution of the Law on Clean Production Promotion, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Land and Resources, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, General Administration of Taxation, General Administration of Quality Supervision, General Administration of Environment Protection set forth Instruction on Speeding Up Implementation of Clean Production, which was consented by the State Council on October 20, 2003, and conveyed nationwide for execution. The national compulsory standard the Emission Standards of Air Pollutants for Thermal Power Plants (GB13223-2003) was jointly promulgated by the General Administration of Environment Protection and the General Administration of Quality Supervision and Examination on December 30, 2003 and executed since January 1, 2004. In January 2003, the State Economic and Trade Commission and National Standardization Committee jointly issued six national standards on water extraction quota for industrial enterprise, which include Water Extraction Quota: Part I: Thermal Power Plant (GB/T18916.2- 2003), to be executed after January 1, 2005. All the above laws, regulations, standards and administrative rules will impose important and long lasting influence on environment protection, resources saving and economic efficiency in power industry, particularly in thermal power plants.

A seaside coal yard