To the People’s Governments of All Districts, All Departments of the Municipal Government, and All Enterprises and Institutions:
The "Implementation Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Coal Washing and Beneficiation Industry in Wuhai City (Trial)" has been approved by the Municipal Government. It is hereby issued to you. Please implement it conscientiously in accordance with local conditions.
July 28, 2022
(This document is disclosed upon request)
Implementation Plan (Trial) for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Coal Washing and Beneficiation Industry in Wuhai City
(Trial)
To thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech delivered during the deliberations of the Inner Mongolia delegation at the Second Session of the 13th National People’s Congress, in which he emphasized “maintaining strategic resolve in advancing ecological civilization and exploring a new path of high-quality development guided by ecological priority and green development,” and to focus on comprehensively improving the ecological environment in Wuhai and surrounding areas,optimize the structure of the city’s coal washing and beneficiation industry, standardize industry practices, eliminate outdated and excess production capacity, and promote high-quality development of the city’s coal washing and beneficiation industry, this Implementation Plan is formulated in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, as well as national and autonomous region coal industry policies, and in light of the city’s actual conditions.
I. General Requirements
(1) Guiding Principles
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will thoroughly implement Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, resolutely follow a new path of high-quality development guided by ecological priority and green development, accelerate the reform of our city’s energy supply side, build a safe, green, intensive, and efficient clean energy supply system, and achieve healthy, green, and efficient development.
(2) General Approach
In accordance with the layout of our city’s coal industry development, we will adhere to the principle of “establishing new facilities before dismantling old ones.” Following the principles of proximity to railway transport terminals and centralized, unified construction, we will scientifically and reasonably plan the spatial layout of coal washing plants and coal storage yards. We will resolve outdated and excess capacity in the coal washing and preparation industry by centralizing the construction of coal mining, washing and processing, coal blending, warehousing, and logistics distribution facilities. We will introduce advanced technologies, equipment, and processes from both domestic and international sources, promote green transportation methods, and transition from a dispersed and inefficient model to an intensive and efficient one,and fully establish a modern, intelligent, comprehensive coal industrial park.
(3) Work Objectives
By the end of 2023, nine comprehensive coal industrial parks will be substantially completed (three in Haibowan District, two in Wuda District, and four in Hainan District), forming a complete coal industrial chain and supporting infrastructure. The matching rate between coal washing enterprises and coal mines (including joint ventures and commissioned processing) will reach over 85%, and the local washing rate of raw coal across the city will reach over 90%;Production processes, equipment, and technological standards will reach advanced domestic levels; the city’s coal washing and beneficiation industry’s designed capacity will be stably maintained at or below 83 million tons per year, with 30 million tons per year in Haibowan District, 40 million tons per year in Hainan District, and 13 million tons per year in Wuda District (prior to the phase-out of the goaf area projects in 2025, production capacity will be capped at 16 million tons per year).
II. Key Tasks
(1) Establish Comprehensive Coal Industrial Parks to Achieve High-Quality Development in the Coal Washing and Beneficiation Industry
1. Strictly control the establishment of new coal washing and beneficiation enterprises at the source. For all new coal washing and beneficiation projects moving forward, strictly implement the “double-capacity replacement” principle: the designed processing capacity must be at least 3 million metric tons per year, and the projects must meet the relevant requirements outlined in the “Key Technical Indicators for New and Standardized-Upgraded Coal Washing and Beneficiation Enterprises to Achieve Domestic Advanced Levels” (Appendix 2).All districts and relevant departments must conduct rigorous reviews and approvals. Except for major construction projects within the supporting industrial chains of coal mines, coking plants, and other enterprises, as well as projects within comprehensive coal industrial parks, no new standalone coal washing and beneficiation enterprises shall be established. Approval for the construction of any washing and beneficiation enterprise that does not comply with national industrial policies or has an unreasonable layout shall be strictly prohibited. In principle, all standalone coal washing and beneficiation enterprises must be relocated to comprehensive coal industrial parks. (Responsible Units: People’s Governments of all districts; Municipal Energy Bureau.Deadline: Immediate implementation and long-term adherence)
2. Plan and construct comprehensive coal industrial parks. Guided by the principles of prioritizing ecology and green development, and closely integrating with the “Wuhai City Mineral Resources (Coal and Non-Coal Mining Rights) Integration Plan” and the “Wuhai City Territorial Space Master Plan (2021–2035),” these parks shall be planned in accordance with the principle of proximity to railway transport terminals. They shall integrate coal mining, washing and processing, coal blending, storage, and logistics distribution. Green transportation methods such as pipeline transport,container transport, and new energy logistics vehicles; expand railway transport capacity; improve the integration rate of upstream and downstream industries; form a complete coal industrial chain and supporting facilities; and build a comprehensive coal industrial park that is intensive, large-scale, intelligent, and green. Gradually phase out outdated and excess production capacity, further optimize the structure of the city’s coal washing and processing industry, standardize industry practices, and promote high-quality development of the city’s coal washing and processing sector.District governments shall, based on local conditions, complete the drafting of planning proposals for comprehensive coal industrial parks within their jurisdictions by the end of August, fully launch construction by the end of 2022, and strive to substantially complete construction by the end of 2023. (Responsible entities: District People’s Governments. Deadline: By the end of 2023)
(2) Clean Up and Rectify Industry Order; Standardize the Lawful and Compliant Operations of Coal Washing and Beneficiation Enterprises
1. Conduct a comprehensive survey and verification. Building upon the comprehensive governance and standardization assessment of the coal washing and preparation industry organized in 2021, district people’s governments shall organize a re-verification and re-confirmation of all coal washing and preparation enterprises within their jurisdictions,in accordance with the "Measures for the Categorized Disposal of Coal Washing and Beneficiation Enterprises" (Annex 3). They shall establish a "one enterprise, one policy" verification checklist, identify the list of enterprises to be phased out, and, in conjunction with the planning of comprehensive coal industrial parks within their jurisdictions, formulate detailed timelines and roadmaps to be submitted to the Leading Group Office by the end of August 2022. (Responsible entities: People’s Governments of all districts. Deadline: End of August 2022)
2. Phase out and close a batch of enterprises in accordance with the law. This includes enterprises where operators have engaged in business activities without legally obtaining a business license; those that have not been approved, verified, or filed with relevant departments, or those approved or filed under other names but actually engaged in coal washing and processing;enterprises that lack the conditions for safe production and have no prospect of rectification; enterprises located in national key ecological function zones, ecologically sensitive areas, and fragile regions—including those within ecological red line protection zones or within 1 kilometer of the Yellow River basin; and enterprises that cannot achieve a secondary closed-loop circulation for coal slurry water, have inadequate pollution control facilities, cause severe environmental pollution, and remain non-compliant even after renovation—all district governments must shut down and abolish such enterprises in accordance with laws and regulations.For enterprises capable of dismantling their main equipment, such dismantling shall be carried out; for those unable to do so, water and electricity supplies shall be immediately cut off, power units shall be dismantled, and major equipment (production lines) shall be sealed. The competent industry authorities responsible for approval or filing shall revoke their approval or filing qualifications in accordance with the law. Where circumstances warrant the revocation of a business license, the market supervision authorities shall revoke the business license in accordance with the law, and the tax authorities shall handle tax deregistration.For enterprises holding land use rights, the competent department of natural resources shall report to the people’s government that originally approved the land use for approval, or the people’s government with approval authority may lawfully reclaim state-owned land use rights; for those who have illegally occupied land without approval, relevant law enforcement departments shall investigate and handle the matter in accordance with the law. (Responsible Units: People’s Governments of All Districts; Supervising Departments: Municipal Market Supervision Administration, Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Energy Bureau, Emergency Management Bureau, Ecology and Environment Bureau, Bureau of Natural Resources. Completion Deadline: By the end of 2023)
3.Suspend operations and order rectification for a number of enterprises in accordance with the law. This includes: enterprises that have not constructed enclosed material sheds (warehouses) or whose pollution control facilities fail to meet relevant requirements, resulting in emissions exceeding standards; enterprises using coal washing and beneficiation equipment or processes explicitly phased out by the state; enterprises that have not obtained approval for the environmental impact assessment of construction projects or have not passed ecological and environmental protection acceptance inspections; enterprises that have illegally occupied land without lawful approval; enterprises that have not completed water withdrawal permit procedures; enterprises that have not obtained approval for energy conservation assessment reports; and enterprises that have put facilities into operation without fire safety acceptance or after failing such acceptance.or where safety production conditions fail to meet the requirements of relevant laws, administrative regulations, or national and industry standards, district governments shall take measures in accordance with laws and regulations, such as imposing administrative penalties or ordering the suspension of production and business operations. (Responsible Units: District People’s Governments; Supervising Departments: Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Bureau of Natural Resources, Bureau of Water Resources, Development and Reform Commission, Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Fire Rescue Detachment, Emergency Management Bureau. Completion Deadline: By the end of 2023)
4. Comprehensively upgrade and renovate a batch of facilities. For coal washing and beneficiation enterprises that possess complete permits and licenses and are integrated into the industrial chain, comprehensive standardization upgrades and renovations must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of advanced technology, reliable performance, economic feasibility, and energy conservation and environmental protection. These upgrades must meet the relevant requirements of the “Key Technical Indicators for New and Standardized-Upgraded Coal Washing and Beneficiation Enterprises to Achieve Domestic Advanced Levels” (Annex 2). Enterprises that fail to complete these upgrades by the deadline shall be dealt with by the respective district people’s governments in accordance with laws and regulations.(Responsible Units: People’s Governments of all districts; Supervising Departments: Municipal Energy Bureau, Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Development and Reform Commission, Water Affairs Bureau, Emergency Management Bureau. Deadline: By the end of 2023)
(3) Strengthen Inter-departmental Law Enforcement Coordination and Strictly Crack Down on All Types of Illegal and Non-compliant Activities
1. Strengthen law enforcement and supervision regarding small-scale coal blending operations. Strictly implement the relevant requirements of the “Wuhai City Special Action Plan for the Comprehensive Rectification of ‘Scattered, Unregulated, and Polluting’ Industrial Enterprises” (Wuhai Zhengban Fa [2019] No. 5) and the “Wuhai City Special Action Plan for Joint Law Enforcement Inspections of ‘Small, Scattered, Unregulated, and Polluting’ Enterprises” (Wuhai Zhengban Fa [2021] No. 21). Enhance inter-departmental coordination and effectively reinforce the territorial responsibilities of each district.strictly enforce the regulatory responsibilities of all relevant municipal departments, and take decisive action. Upon discovery of small-scale coal blending operations, immediately implement the “Two Cuts, Three Clearances, One Remediation, and One Guarantee” measures (i.e., cutting off water and electricity, clearing raw materials, products, and equipment, remediating the site, and ensuring the shutdown does not recur) to shut down and abolish such operations.All coal-fired power plants are strictly prohibited from purchasing coal from illegal small-scale coal blending enterprises; source control must be effectively strengthened. Once the comprehensive coal industrial parks in each district are completed, centralized procurement must be conducted exclusively through these parks. (Responsible Units: People’s Governments of all districts; Supervising Departments: Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Market Supervision Administration, Comprehensive Urban Management Law Enforcement Bureau, Public Security Bureau, Water Resources Bureau, Wuhai Power Supply Company. Deadline: Immediate implementation and long-term adherence)
2. Strengthen law enforcement and supervision of coal washing and beneficiation enterprises. Strictly implement the relevant requirements of the “Wuhai City Three-Year Action Plan for Comprehensive Governance of the Coal Washing and Beneficiation Industry (2021–2023).” All districts and relevant municipal departments must strengthen routine environmental law enforcement and supervision to ensure thorough inspections, appropriate penalties, and effective rectification.For cases involving the open-air stockpiling of coal; inadequate implementation of road sweeping and water sprinkling measures within plant premises; failure to complete the paving and maintenance of industrial yards, plant roads, and connecting public roads within the required timeframe; failure to construct vehicle washing facilities by the deadline; unauthorized dumping, discarding, or spilling of coal gangue; failure to address fire hazards in coal gangue stockpiles at coal washing plants as required;or fail to implement emergency response measures for heavy pollution or mining area pollution as required, shall be penalized in accordance with laws and regulations to establish a high-pressure stance of iron-fisted pollution control. (Responsible Units: People’s Governments of all districts; Supervising Departments: Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, Natural Resources Bureau, Energy Bureau. Deadline: Immediate rectification, sustained implementation)
3. Intensify enforcement against dust pollution caused by overloaded vehicles. Strictly implement the relevant requirements of the “Wuhai City Special Action Plan for the Governance of Overloaded and Oversized Road Freight Transport” (Wuhai Government Office Document [2021] No. 8). In addition to imposing administrative penalties and implementing credit-based management against the enterprises, owners, or drivers of freight vehicles for their violations, strengthen the accountability of production units at the source of freight transport,Strictly investigate dust pollution caused by transport vehicles of coal washing and sorting enterprises. If it is found that coal transport vehicles have failed to strictly implement dust suppression measures—such as tightly covering tarpaulins, spraying surface coagulants or solidifiers, washing vehicles, and preventing spillage—and have allowed vehicles that do not meet loading requirements to enter or exit the plant premises, thereby causing dust pollution, they shall be punished in accordance with laws and regulations.(Responsible Units: People’s Governments of all districts; Supervising Departments: Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Bureau of Transportation, Public Security Bureau, and Comprehensive Urban Management Law Enforcement Bureau. Deadline: Immediate implementation and long-term adherence)
4. Fully leverage the role of the smart environmental control system for mining areas.Implement comprehensive smart supervision of coal washing and beneficiation enterprises to enhance regulatory efficiency. Strictly implement the requirements of the Notice on Making Full Use of the Smart Environmental Control System in Mining Areas to Strictly Control Dust Pollution (Wuhan Environmental Comprehensive Governance Office [2021] No. 4) issued by the Office of the Municipal Environmental Comprehensive Governance Leading Group. Promptly refer and handle all types of alarm cases; strictly hold accountable, in accordance with relevant regulations, any acts of failing to address, review, or transfer alarm cases.Promptly notify relevant enterprises of equipment malfunctions, network outages, and other issues, and urge them to rectify and implement corrective measures. For enterprises that fail to install or use automatic monitoring equipment in accordance with regulations, or fail to connect such equipment to the monitoring systems of the competent ecological and environmental authorities as required and ensure the normal operation of monitoring equipment, investigations and penalties shall be imposed in accordance with the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution.” Illegal acts intended to evade supervision, such as the deliberate destruction or interference with the normal operation of surveillance cameras, shall be severely investigated and punished; where such acts constitute a crime, the cases shall be transferred to public security organs for the pursuit of criminal liability in accordance with the law.(Responsible Units: People’s Governments of all districts; Supervising Authority: Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment. Deadline: Immediate implementation and long-term adherence)
IV. Work Requirements
(1) Enhance Political Awareness. All districts and relevant municipal departments must fully recognize the importance, necessity, and urgency of promoting high-quality development in the coal washing and beneficiation industry. They must earnestly enhance political awareness, unify their understanding, remain resolute in their confidence, and implement all tasks and requirements without exception.
(2) Strengthen Organizational Leadership. The Municipal Government shall establish a Leading Group for Promoting High-Quality Development of the Coal Washing and Sorting Industry, responsible for comprehensively coordinating and deploying all tasks related to the development of the coal washing and sorting industry. District people’s governments shall fulfill their territorial responsibilities, overseeing the comprehensive work of local coal washing and sorting enterprises, including integrated planning, phasing out and rectification, and technological upgrading. A collaborative mechanism shall be established to proactively coordinate with relevant municipal departments and ensure alignment on supporting policies such as land use planning, energy consumption quotas, and water usage quotas.Relevant municipal departments must earnestly fulfill their duties, establish a fast-track process for the construction of comprehensive coal industrial parks, streamline approval procedures, enhance service awareness, and supervise, guide, and cooperate with district governments to carry out related work. They must also actively coordinate with relevant departments of the autonomous region to communicate and seek approval for supporting policies regarding land use planning, energy consumption quotas, and water usage quotas. Each district must also establish a corresponding leading group to be responsible for the organizational leadership of promoting high-quality development in the coal washing and beneficiation industry in accordance with laws and regulations.
(3) Improve the working mechanism. Establish a biweekly coordination and monthly reporting mechanism. District governments must submit written reports on the progress of all tasks to the Leading Group Office by the 15th and 30th of each month, and monthly inspections and reports on progress will be conducted.The Leading Group Office shall convene coordination and progress meetings as appropriate to resolve issues arising during the implementation of tasks. Municipal leaders shall conduct interviews with the principal officials of relevant districts and departments where progress is inadequate. Departments that fail to implement rectification measures resolutely and thoroughly, resulting in severe delays in task completion, shall be held strictly accountable.
(4) Strengthen Joint Law Enforcement. Establish a joint law enforcement mechanism and regularly organize joint law enforcement inspections, focusing on enterprises where rectification progress is slow, recurring issues persist, or remediation measures are not strictly implemented. Any violations or irregularities discovered during inspections shall be penalized in accordance with laws and regulations; cases suspected of criminal activity shall be referred to public security and judicial authorities, and the relevant responsible persons shall be held accountable in accordance with the law.
(5) Strengthen Supervision and Accountability. The Leading Group must effectively fulfill its supervisory and inspection functions, leverage its oversight role, and coordinate the resolution of prominent issues. Discipline inspection and supervision departments must strengthen oversight and accountability; for cases of slow progress, failure to fulfill duties, buck-passing, inaction, or delayed action, accountability procedures shall be initiated, and the relevant responsible persons shall be held strictly accountable.For enterprises that fail to strictly implement policy requirements, relevant departments shall incorporate their credit information into the social credit information platform. Joint disciplinary actions and credit restrictions shall be imposed in accordance with laws and regulations regarding land supply, financial support, financing and credit facilities, production permits, government procurement, and bidding for public construction projects, to ensure that all tasks are fully implemented, duties are properly fulfilled, and responsibilities are fully assumed.
(6) Strengthen Publicity and Guidance. All districts shall promptly disclose the rectification status of coal washing and beneficiation enterprises to the public through news media to facilitate public oversight. The role of news media in public opinion supervision and publicity shall be fully leveraged to strengthen publicity efforts, highlight exemplary cases, promote the leading role of advanced models, expose typical problems, and create a high-pressure environment against enterprises violating laws and regulations.
