Shizuoka Clears Final Water Hurdle for Linear Project as Implementation Phase Begins

SHIZUOKA, Jun 03 (News On Japan) - A Shizuoka Prefecture expert panel overseeing environmental issues linked to the Linear Chuo Shinkansen project met on June 2nd and concluded all discussions related to water resources, ending over a decade of debate. Deputy Governor Hiraki described the outcome as "a major step forward."

The panel, held at the Shizuoka Prefectural Government office, focused on the environmental impact of the maglev construction, particularly water resources. On June 2nd, the agenda included contingency planning for the so-called "Tashiro Dam proposal"—specifically, how to respond if restrictions on water intake from the dam cannot be maintained—as well as the design and risk management of spoil disposal sites generated by tunnel excavation.

During the meeting, Central Japan Railway (JR Tokai) received approval from committee members on its proposed monitoring and risk management plans regarding water resources. As a result, two final dialogue items were marked as "complete."

This completion means that all six dialogue items concerning water resources—originally set out by the prefecture as conditions for JR Tokai—have now been fully resolved. The discussions had spanned more than ten years.

Takaki Naganaga, director of JR Tokai's Shizuoka construction office, commented, "It is important for us to faithfully follow through on what has been discussed so far. We will continue efforts to ensure that the local community understands the agreements we have reached."

Hiraki, the deputy governor, added, "From now on, we will enter the implementation phase concerning water resources. In the sense that we have cleared each dialogue item step by step, today's panel meeting marked a significant milestone for the prefecture."

Going forward, the expert panel plans to continue discussions on unresolved issues such as the impact on ecosystems and the handling of excavated soil.

Source: SBSnews6

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