台灣環境影響評估制度下司法救濟議題之研究—以臺東美麗灣開發環評案為例

Abstract

環境影響評估結果導致司法救濟，學者或司法實務者均認為導因於環評法制不夠完備；尤其在環評程序中，民眾參與不足。近十餘年環評運作現況，仍以專業為主，亦見政治力介入痕跡，常忽略在地知識與經驗，當地居民的環境法益常被開發行為所侵害，更遑論公法益的環境與生態。 中華民國環境影響評估法自民國83年立法施行以來，該法附屬行政命令亦相繼公布，似已形成完備的環評法制；但由於解嚴以來，社會意識伴隨政治運動而覺醒，環保抗爭成社會意識覺醒的公民運動之一；環境保護及生態永續的議題，因逐漸與國際接軌，而環評站在環保預防機制的最前端，卻因政經獨大，致環評運作時，不盡符合環境基本法所揭櫫的「環境保護優先」理想；尤其二階段環評設計，許多開發案環評，實務運作，在第一階段採書面審查沒有縝密公民參與的環評程序之下，70%以上即已結案竣事，很少能進入第二階段。論者咸認一階環評民眾參與嚴重不足，當地居民生命、身體、財產等法益預期受侵害而群起反對政府所作行政處分。 近十餘年來，受害居民結合公益環團，及知識份子論述，在抗爭無力之餘，乃訴諸司法救濟，亦常見媒體披露；適巧地球暖化、極端氣候變遷等世界性環境因素，法官裁判累積案量可供印證司法救濟實務者，已越來越多，且依法偏向肯認居民及環團有訴訟權能；有學者認為環評的司法救濟程序，是民眾參與環評的另一形式，亦呼應環境保護的普世價值。已通過環評審查結論的行政處分而被法官判決撤銷的案例，所在多有，毋寧是值得注意的司法進步。 本研究以臺東縣美麗灣開發環評為案例，試圖尋找並印證更多環評建制的缺失源頭；該案例可證：司法救濟乃在環評程序已終結，行政處分已作成，權益關係人因不服該行政決定，可藉訴願或司法審判尋求除去行政侵害的最後手段。目前公認，民眾參與環評，已是世界性潮流，證實可減輕開發衝突，減少行政訴訟，是環境保護與居民權益保障的有效利器；因此，我國的二階段環評制度，宜強化環評的民眾參與之機制，方能減抑行政訴訟之困擾。

It is deemed, either by scholars or judicial practices, that the incompleteness of environmental assessment regulation leads to judicial relief caused by the result of environmental impact assessment. Particularly, the insufficient participation of citizens in the environmental procedure is seen as the main reason. In the environmental assessment practice within the last decade, the focus remains the profession or political interference while the local knowledge and experiences or the damage to interests of local residents is ignored. It is observed that since the passage and implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law in 1994, its relevant administrative rulings have also been announced successively. A complete legal system for environmental impact assessment is therefore formed. Nonetheless, after the lift of martial law, the social conscience accompanied by political movements thrives. The environmental protest becomes one of the citizen movements of the awakening social conscience. The issue of our environmental protection and ecological sustainability gradually adopts the international standard. However, due to the continuous domination of the politics and economic development thoughts, the ideal of “prioritizing environmental protection” is not fulfilled in line with environmental basic laws at time of the environmental impact assessment process. Particularly in the case of two-stage environmental impact assessment, most important development projects close at the first stage meanwhile only very few can enter into the second stage with citizen participation in environmental impact assessment procedure. The critics comment that the above leads to insufficient participation of citizens and foreseeable damage to citizens’ life, body ,and property, which may result in citizens’ fight against the dictatorship of governmental administrative depositions. In the last decade, the citizens, after repetitive futile protests, connecting the expounders of the environmental groups of public welfares and intellectuals seek for judicial relief. The court in consider of the world-wide factors of media exposure, global warming and extreme weather etc. accumulates more and more cases and precedents and inclines to recognize the right for citizens and environmental groups to file lawsuits for claiming their positions. Some scholars also believe that the judicial relief of environmental impact assessment is another form for the citizens to participate in the environmental assessment and echo the world-wide recognized value of environmental protection. It is uncommon to see a concluded administrative deposition of environmental impact assessment be revoked by a court judgement. We note it as a progress in judicial process. The research herein aims to survey more depletion in the construction of environmental impact assessment. The judicial relief is the last resort after the end of environmental assessment procedure and issuance of administrative deposition while a citizen still want to seek for removal of administrative damage by way of judicial judgment due to his unsatisfaction with such administrative deposition. It is a common perspective that citizens’ participation in the environmental assessment is a trend worldwide. Further, it is proved that citizens’ participation in the environmental assessment may reduce the chance of administrative litigation and become an effective tool to protect our environment and residents’ interests.