The environmental protection administration of Shanghai has issued rules for the environment-related examination of and approval for the land to be auctioned.

The land has to be appraised for its environmental impact before it is open for tendering for the use right by commercial, tourist, entertainment and banking industries, tertiary service and housing estate development.

In the land tendering documents, the requirements for pollution control, steps to be taken to control pollution and other environmental protection demands have to be stated. If it fails and can not meet the requirements for environmental protection, the environmental protection governing authorities may veto the trade of the land use right. Those projects that will be built on the land whose environmental impact has already been appraised may have simpler procedures for environment-related examinations.

(www.cenews.com.cn April 14, 2003)