Liou said that if Fu was allowed to speak, he should be allowed to voice his opinion as well.
Before the meeting yesterday, hundreds of proponents and opponents gathered in front of the administration building. The two groups of demonstrators were separated by police carrying shields.
While many protesters were college students and sang songs and took turns speaking on a podium, freeway proponents, largely from Hualien County, held up banners and chanted: “Help us and be the good guys.”
In response to the demonstrations, Dang said the EPA had no say in the decisions on whether or not to initiate major constructions.
The EPA has no power to make decisions, he said.
In response to the decision, Liou said the EPA had made an “important and wise decision.”
“The Suhua case was proposed more than 10 years ago. [The rejection] leaves room for the new government to carefully evaluate whether there is still a need for the freeway. It also allows the new government a chance to ditch the ‘economy-first’ mentality,” he said.
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