Directive No. 09/2005/CT-BGTVT on Strengthening Environmental Protection Work in the Transport Industry

DIRECTIVE

In recent years, the transportation sector has gradually focused on investing in building, renovating, and upgrading infrastructure systems, modernizing transportation means, and organizing rational transport operations, thereby increasingly meeting domestic cargo and passenger transport demands and ensuring its role as a bridge in international economic integration. However, the development of transportation also brings negative impacts on the environment, especially in infrastructure construction and transport operations. Therefore, the development of transportation must always be linked with the task of environmental protection to achieve sustainable development.

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Implementing Resolution No. 41/NQ-TW of the Party Central Committee, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued Decision No. 448/QĐ-BGTVT dated February 22, 2005, promulgating the Action Program of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on environmental protection during the period of accelerating industrialization and modernization of the country.

To thoroughly implement and have specific plans to carry out the goals, tasks, and solutions for environmental protection in the Action Program of the Ministry, the Minister of Transportation and Communications instructs the heads of units under the Ministry to focus on directing and organizing the implementation of the following specific tasks:

1. Strengthening propaganda, education, and raising awareness about environmental protection:

Organize the dissemination and implementation of the Party Central Committee's resolutions, the Party's policies, state laws, and the Ministry's Action Program; promote education to raise environmental protection awareness among all cadres, civil servants, and employees in the transportation sector.

2. Concentrating on directing the implementation of tasks assigned in the Ministry's Action Program on environmental protection during the period of accelerating industrialization and modernization, specifically as follows:

a) Department of Science and Technology:

- Serve as the lead agency to coordinate with the Legal Affairs Department and relevant agencies of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to draft Circulars guiding the implementation of environmental protection tasks in the transportation sector and submit them for approval by both Ministries within December 2005.

Lead and coordinate with the Institute of Transport Strategy and Development to draft and submit to the Ministry for approval the "Transportation Environmental Protection Strategy until 2010 and Orientation until 2020" in the first quarter of 2006.

- Lead and coordinate with the Legal Affairs Department and specialized management agencies to organize the drafting and submission to the Ministry for approval of comprehensive regulatory documents, procedures, and norms on environmental protection in the transportation sector. Consolidate the environmental management unit in the Department. Establish a database on transportation environmental conditions to serve research and management work. Organize studies on projects and programs to address pollution and protect the environment in transportation.

- Supervise, inspect, and annually report to the Minister on the results of implementing the Ministry's Action Program.

b) Vietnam Maritime Administration, Vietnam Road Administration, Vietnam Riverway Administration, Vietnam Railway Administration, and Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration shall draft and submit to the Ministry for approval regulations on environmental protection in their respective areas of management in 2005 and organize their implementation. Direct project management boards under their administrations to strictly prepare environmental impact assessment reports for projects and organize inspections and supervision of environmental protection measures during project implementation.

c) Vietnam Vehicle Inspection Administration shall draft and submit to the Ministry for review and then to the Government for approval a Decree on the phased implementation of exhaust emission standards for road motor vehicles in 2005. Lead and coordinate with related units to draft and implement the "Improving Air Quality in Urban Areas" program in 2005. Organize the monitoring of environmental pollution caused by operating transportation vehicles.

d) Vietnam Maritime Administration shall organize the pilot establishment of waste reception and treatment stations for ships in the Hai Phong - Quang Ninh area in 2005 and expand their application to other ports nationwide. Lead and coordinate with the Institute of Transport Strategy and Development to urgently complete the environmental protection task "Incorporating Environmental Protection Measures into Transport Development Planning" for early application in environmental management work.

đ) Department of Construction Quality Control and Management shall lead and coordinate with the Institute of Transport Science and Technology to draft and submit to the Ministry for approval regulations on environmental protection in transportation infrastructure construction in 2005 and organize their implementation.

e) Vietnam Automobile Industry Corporation shall lead and coordinate with related units to pilot the application of a project using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel for public transportation vehicles in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2005.

f) Vietnam Railway Corporation shall continue to implement and expand the installation of equipment for treating household waste on north-south passenger trains.

g) Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation shall cooperate with Hyundai Vinashin Joint Stock Company to draft and implement a project to thoroughly treat used grinding powder (NIX) and control dust during ship cleaning at Hyundai Vinashin Joint Stock Company in 2005 and expand its application to other repair and new shipbuilding facilities under its management.

h) Project Management Boards under the Ministry shall strictly comply with regulations on preparing and submitting for review environmental impact assessment reports for projects and strengthen environmental monitoring during project implementation, particularly those located in environmentally sensitive areas.

i) General Construction Corporations for Transportation Projects shall strictly implement environmental protection measures outlined in environmental impact assessment reports that have been approved by competent authorities.

i) The General Corporations of Road Transport Construction shall strictly implement the environmental protection measures set forth in the Environmental Impact Assessment report which has been approved by the competent authority.

k) Industrial production units in the transportation sector shall proactively organize the collection and thorough treatment of production waste and strengthen environmental quality control at facilities under their management.

l) Transportation production and business units shall organize the collection and thorough treatment of waste on transportation means and at railway stations, bus terminals, inland waterway ports, seaports, and airports.

The Department of International Cooperation shall take the lead and coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology to actively engage with international organizations to propose technical support projects for environmental protection in the transportation sector; at the same time, they shall coordinate with relevant agencies and units to incorporate environmental protection issues into specific contents of projects using ODA funds in the transportation sector.

Environmental protection work in the transportation sector is one of the key tasks of the Sector to implement Resolution No. 41/NQ-TW of the Politburo on environmental protection during the period of accelerating industrialization and modernization of the country. The Minister requests the Heads of agencies and units assigned the task to strictly implement this Directive. It is recommended that Ministries, Sectors, People's Committees at all levels take responsibility to coordinate and direct the implementation hereof./.