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EPA set to review Suhua Freeway project

The fate of the controversial Suhua Freeway construction project should be determined soon, as the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) is due to start reviewing various environmental analyses submitted by the Taiwan Area National Express-way Engineering Bureau.

Tsai Ling-yi (蔡玲儀), a section chief of the EPA's general planning department, told the Taipei Times yesterday that a final decision would be reached by the middle of this month, if the review proceeded as planned.

He added that the administration was still waiting for the bureau to send some supplementary documents.

According to Tsai, it was unlikely that the committee members would reach a unanimous decision in favor of continuing the project.

"Six of the committee members are from non-governmental organizations that have been opposing the construction of Suhua Freeway over the years," Tsai said. "Their thoughts on the project are unlikely to change."

There are a total of 21 members serving on the committee. Six are from NGO groups and another seven of the members represent government agencies.

The administration began to evaluate the viability of building Suhua Freeway after it finished reviewing the environmental impact report on transportation policy in eastern Taiwan last month.

The committee reached six conclusions after the review. It suggested that the government prioritize construction of the transportation system in eastern Taiwan by first considering its impact on the local environment.

The bureau's analyses have indicated some of the potential construction projects might have negative affects on the environment and could alter the way natural resources are utilized, leading the committee to recommend that the government carefully consider the needs of local residents and assess related factors.

Tsai said the projects that the committee was referring to included the Suhua Freeway and a straight railway route connecting Taipei and Ilan.

While the evaluation of the overall transportation policy for the east coast may directly affect the committee's decision on the Suhua project, Tsai said that the Executive Yuan would be the ultimate decision maker on whether construction could continue.

The construction of Suhua Freeway was suspended four years ago by then premier Yu Shyi-kun amid protest over the effect it would have on the environment.

A series of gestures from other senior Democratic Progressive Party members, however, suggested that construction may be resumed eventually.

During an address to Hualien residents in August last year, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) indicated that "the project has never been canceled," adding that the government simply needed to resolve differing opinions.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said in November he supported the construction of Suhua Freeway.
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