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Cabinet should lead Suhua debate

The question of whether or not the Suao-Hualien Freeway should be built has long been a topic of heated debate. There are indications that the government will soon give the go-ahead to the project. Hualien-based politicians have been pushing for the construction of the freeway, as it has the support of more than 80 percent of the county's residents. We should therefore look at the issue from two perspectives: environmental impact assessment legislation and the future development of the Hualien region and Taiwan as a whole.

Since Taiwan began requiring environmental impact assessments with the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (環境影響評估法), society has become polarized between those who believe in the assessments and those who don't. When the Suhua Freeway project passed its environmental impact study, those who opposed the project expressed skepticism about the assessment's impartiality, while those in charge of the project believed that the solutions outlined in the study could help the government strike a balance between development and environmental protection.

The impartiality of environmental impact assessments depends on whether the evaluating committees at all levels possess adequate resources to live up to public expectations regarding information, timing and professionalism. The high turnover rate of committee members tells us that this is a problem.

It is a misconception that a country can balance development with environmental protection. Environmental management is a fundamental problem in the field of environmental engineering. The management of environmental preservation originates from progressivism, which teaches that im-partial, unselfish and well-trained officials can solve problems relating to the abuse and destruction of natural resources, and that scientific knowledge can find the most workable solution to operational and managerial problems.

However, modern environmental and ecological science holds that decisions regarding natural resources or environmental management are experimental in nature, and we must understand and foresee that any decision could have unexpected results. Since uncertainties abound, managers have to be flexible -- constantly monitoring but at the same time willing to adjust to changes based on the result of their studies.

Solutions presented in environmental impact reports must therefore be reviewed and include restoration measures and a study of the feasibility of implementing these measures. The report presented by the environmental impact assessment committee for the Suhua Freeway already reflects such thinking and is now assessing an alternative. The problem is that most people believe in the myth that there must be a "best solution" to managing the environment.

The controversy surrounding the freeway's construction should have been an opportunity to set up a forum where Hualien residents could acquire more information about the project and decide if they wanted to push on with it. Unfortunately, local politicians have used the project to manipulate public opinion, leading to conflict with environmental groups. As to civic discourse, a few politicians dealt with this by holding three perfunctory debates on the issue.

The government has promised Hualien residents a freeway, and this is a dream that is close to the hearts of a number of residents. Delaying or abandoning the project will certainly arouse the ire of these residents, but this group does not represent the viewpoint of most Hualien residents.

Short on financial resources, local governments have increasingly turned to the central government and technocrats pandering to the taste of their superiors for support. When running for office, these politicians often pledge to obtain more money for construction. If the central government then grants the budget, voters would think well of them. But if the budget falls through, voters would think these politicians failed to deliver. However, no politician has ever mentioned or discussed what development or negative impact the construction of the Suhua Freeway might bring.

Non-governmental organizations and those who oppose the construction of the freeway have been labeled a "clique of alienated, out-of-touch and radical environmentalists" and become the target of criticism. This is a false impression created by the politicians' failure to inform and communicate with the public. If everyone in Hualien were aware that construction of the freeway is going to cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem in the region and tourists will only drive through on the freeway without making a stop, then there might be some different opinion on the matter.

Taiwan's climate is changing, giving rise to extreme conditions such as torrential rains and droughts. The central government needs to formulate a long-term policy to promote sustainable development.

The environmental impact assessment report on the Suhua Freeway should not be reserved for the eyes of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) alone. Rather, it should be given to the Cabinet to use as a reference in drafting national development policies. The MOTC and the Environmental Protection Administration should not be the ones making the final decision. Rather, it should be the premier making the decision and assuming political responsibility for the sustainable development of the nation.

Hsia Yue-joe is a professor at National Dong Hwa University's Institute of Natural Resources.

Translated by Daniel Cheng
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