Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Suhua Highway Improvement Project: Proceed with Caution

Suhua Highway Improvement Project: Proceed with Caution
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 27, 2010

The Suhua Highway has experienced its most serious landslide ever. Hundreds of people were trapped in their vehicles. As of today, 25 people are still unaccounted for. Typhoon rains struck the Suhua Highway. They shook public confidence in highway safety along the Hualien/Taitung scenic route. Local governments are demanding that construction on the Suhua Highway Improvement Project begin as soon as possible.

Hualien County Chief Fu Kuen-chi uttered some harsh words. He demanded that the central government begin construction on the Suhua Highway Improvement Project immediately. Otherwise, he might lead people the long way around to the nation's capital, as a gesture of protest. Fu Kun-chi said that "The construction of the Suhua Highway Improvement Project is not an economic issue, but a humanitarian issue." The central government must not continue making excuses. The Suhua Highway landslide was not merely a "national embarrassment," it made us an "international joke." Numerous Mainland tourists were among the casualties. Taiwan's image as a destination for international tourism has suffered considerable damage.

Yesterday the Hualien County Council's regular session was changed to a special inquiry into the Suhua Highway Improvement Project. Council Members blasted the central government for long neglecting the fundamental rights of Hualien citizens. County Speaker Yang Wen-chi said that if construction on the Suhua Highway Improvement Project did not begin immediately, the county council would adjourn and stage a long term protest.

The Suhua Highway landslide caused a significant number of casualties. EPA Chief Chen Shi-hong pointed out that "out of on humanitarian concerns, the EPA would expedite its administrative procedures." He said that such an unfortunate incident must not be allowed to recur. He said that following "sufficient discussion and respect for professionalism," the EIA for the Suhua Highway Improvement Project would be completed as soon as possible. Chen Shi-hong also believes that even before preliminary assessment, the developer had already reached an understanding with environmental groups and local citizens. As a result, the preliminary assessment encountered little controversy. It appears it will be passed as soon as possible.

Environmental groups have been under considerable pressure. Anything they say at this moment, is unlikely to be well received. They insist that the EPA can expedite its assessment process, but must not rubber stamp the project and rush it through. In their view, the purpose of an EIA is to help everyone solve problems. For example, if the geological conditions along the route are not suitable for construction, then any potential hazards must be addressed. The Suhua Highway Improvement Project is feasible. But we must proceed with extreme caution.

First, we should point out that calls from folks on the eastern seabord for a "safe way home" must be viewed from the perspective of social justice, rather than economic development. The question concerning the Suhua Highway Improvement Project is not "whether the highway should be improved," but "how the highway should be improved." Past discusssions of the Suhua Highway Improvement Project were about balancing "economic development" and "environmental sustainability." Today however, it is all about "social justice." The Suhua Highway Improvement Project must be implemented as soon as possible, It will improve traffic safety and disaster relief capabilities along the Suhua Highway. During the planning and construction process, we must of course do everything in our power to minimize the environmental impact.

If we wish to discuss the Suhua Highway Improvement Project, we must go back and discuss the Suhua Highway Project. Past controversies over the Suhua Highway did not concern the northern section, where the current disaster occurred. They concerned the southern section, the section south of Chung-teh. The northern section was prone to disaster. A consensus had already been reached. That section had to be rebuilt as soon as possible. According to Highway Administration statistics, between '94 and '98, the Suhua Highway was impassable in both directions for as many as 224 days. The annual average was 45 days. Whether residents could connect with the outside world depended on Mother Nature's whims.

When the DPP was in power, the Suhua Highway EIA authorized construction toward the northern section, but reserved judgment on the southern section. But following the second change in ruling parties, the DPP decided to leave this political hot potato to the incoming Ma administration. The Ma administration followed up by announcing the construction of the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.

According to Directorate General of Highway plans, the Suhua Highway Improvement Project would cost 46.5 billion NTD. The Suhua Highway collapsed in three places. Eroded and endangered coastal stretches are being improved. Seven long and short tunnels will be constructed along the 77 km section between Suao and Chung-teh, improving safety. Two single opening two lane tunnels will be constructed between Suao and Tungao, one of the stretches most seriously affected by landslides. The stretch between Tungao and Nanao will follow its original route. The Suhua Highway Improvement Project will be only 60.4 km long. But it will save about 45 minutes of driving. The Suhua Highway Improvement Project has affected the environmental impact assessment statement issued on October 8 of this year. Planning and design are proceding simultaneously. We only hope that by the time the EIA has been completed, bidding can begin immediately.

But no matter how one looks at it, the Suhua Highway Improvement Project has not solved all the problems. The current landslide took a toll in human lives. But it had little to do with the expedited environmental assessment of the Suhua Highway Improvement Project. The government must not focus on the new road while neglecting the old road. Even if we construct new roads, we will continue to use the old road. Even if the Suhua Highway Improvement Project tunnels are completed, the old road may still experience landslides. Similar incidents may still happen. We must look at them from a scientific and engineering point of view. We must establish early warning systems. We must prevent falling rocks from causing injuries to people and vehicles.

In the face of climate change, extreme weather conditions have become the norm. In the face of unpredictable weather, we must build better early warning systems. We must also review the effectiveness of Taiwan's disaster prevention measures.

興建蘇花改必須謹慎行事
2010-10-27 中國時報

蘇花公路發生歷來最嚴重的崩塌事故,數百人車受困,至今仍有廿五人下落不明。一場颱風豪雨重創蘇花公路,也重創民眾對花東旅遊的交通安全信心,地方要求蘇花改盡速動工的呼聲再起。

花蓮縣長傅?萁日昨撂下重話,要求中央馬上建蘇花改,否則不惜繞遠路帶領民眾北上抗議。傅?萁強調,「興建蘇花改不是經濟問題,而是人道問題」,中央不要再找藉口搪塞;蘇花公路崩山不只是「國恥」,已是「國際笑話」;這麼多陸客的傷亡,對於台灣整體國際觀光形象都有相當大的傷害。

花蓮縣議會定期大會日昨變更總質詢議程,針對蘇花公路改善工程案,議員砲火猛烈,痛批中央長期漠視花蓮人基本生存權,議長楊文值揚言,蘇花改不立刻動工的話,議會無限期休會抗爭。

面對蘇花公路坍方落石,造成重大死傷意外,環保署長沈世宏也指出,「基於人道關懷,環保署將加速行政程序」,不能讓類似不幸的事再度發生;蘇花改的環評案將在「充分討論、尊重專業」前提下,盡早完成環評。沈世宏也認為,早在初審前,開發單位就與環保團體及當地民眾妥善溝通,因此初審時沒有太大爭議。目前看來應該很大機會盡速順利通過。

環保團體則坦承,壓力相當大,此時好像說什麼都不太對,但仍堅持環署可加速審查,但不可草率地通過。他們認為,環評目的是幫大家解決問題,例如沿線地質環境適否適合開發道路;若確定開發,那些潛在災害必須解決等,蘇花改不是不能做,但要非常謹慎。

首先我們要指出,回應東部鄉親一條「安全回家的路」訴求,已必須從社會公義的觀點,而不是經濟發展觀點,蘇花公路改善工程不是「應不應該改善」的問題,而是「如何改善」的技術問題。過去談蘇花公路改善,是「經濟發展」對「環境永續」如何平衡的問題,現在則是「社會公義」問題。蘇花公路改善計畫必須儘速興建,提高蘇花公路行車安全性和抗災能力,而在規畫和施工過程,當然也要全力保護減少對生態和環境的衝擊。

談起蘇花公路改善工程,就不得不回頭談蘇花高。過去蘇花高爭議最嚴重的並不是目前發生災難的北段(即蘇花公路這一段),而是在南段(崇德以南路段)。北段容易產生災難,大家都有儘早興建的共識,因為,公路總局統計,九十四年至九十八年,蘇花公路雙向阻斷天數高達二二四天,平均每年有四十五天不通,對外聯絡長年都要看老天爺臉色。

在民進黨主政的時代,蘇花高環評本來就朝北段工程允許施作,但南段工程則保留的思維。但後來二次政黨論替,民進黨政府就把蘇花高環評爭議燙手山芋留給馬政府,馬政府也隨後宣布興建蘇花改。

根據公路總局的規畫,蘇花改總經費為四百六十五億元,針對現有蘇花公路三處易坍方、消蝕及瀕臨海岸的路線進行改善。從蘇澳到崇德七十七公里的路段將以七座長短隧道提高安全性,其中這次坍塌最嚴重的蘇澳到東澳段改闢兩座單孔雙車道短隧道,東澳到南澳維持原線。蘇花改僅六十點四公里,約節省四十五分鐘車程。蘇花改環境影響說明書於今年十月八日進入環評程序,規畫設計同步進行中,希望能在年底通過環評後,隨即招標。

不過話又說回來,興建蘇花改並無法完全解決問題。此次發生土石崩落的人命關天的事情與快速通過蘇花改環評案之間的關連性並不大,政府不能只顧及新計畫,而忽略了舊道路。因為即使興建新的道路,舊的道路仍會繼續使用,即使蘇花改的隧道完工,舊道路不見得就不會發生坍方,類似事情還是可能發生,必須從科學及工程的角度上,設立預警系統,避免落石所造成的人車傷亡。

面對氣候變遷,極端氣候恐成常態,面對難以捉摸的天氣,除應建置較周延的預警系統,也應重新檢討台灣耐災能力,這也是我們另一個要面對的課題。

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