1.                  INTRODUCTION

 

Purpose of the Manual

 

1.1              The purpose of this Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual is to guide the set up of an EM&A programme to ensure compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study recommendations, to assess the effectiveness of the recommended mitigation measures and to identify any further need for additional mitigation measures or remedial action.  This Manual outlines the monitoring and audit programme for the construction phase of the proposed project, namely “Construction of Lung Kwu Chau Jetty” (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”).  It aims to provide systematic procedures for monitoring, auditing and minimising environmental impacts associated with construction works and operational activities.

 

1.2              Hong Kong environmental regulations and the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines have served as environmental standards and guidelines in the preparation of this Manual.  In addition, the EM&A Manual has been prepared in accordance with the requirements stipulated in Annex 21 of the Technical Memorandum on the EIA Process (EIAO TM).

 

1.3              This Manual contains the following information:

·         responsibilities of the Contractor, the Engineer or Engineer’s Representative (ER), and Environmental Team (ET) with respect to the environmental monitoring and audit requirements during the course of the Project;

·         project organisation for the Project;

·         the basis for, and description of the broad approach underlying the EM&A programme;

·         requirements with respect to the construction programme (as stated in Appendix 2.1 of the EIA Report) schedule and the necessary environmental monitoring and audit programme to track the varying environmental impact;

·         details of the methodologies to be adopted, including all field laboratories and analytical procedures, and details on quality assurance and quality control programme;

·         definition of Action and Limit levels;

·         establishment of Event and Action plans;

·         requirements for reviewing pollution sources and working procedures required in the event of non-compliance with the environmental criteria and complaints;

·         requirements for presentation of environmental monitoring and audit data and appropriate reporting procedures; and

·         requirements for review of EIA predictions and the effectiveness of the mitigation measures / environmental management systems and the EM&A programme.

 

1.4              For the purpose of this manual, the ET leader, who shall be responsible for and in charge of the ET, shall refer to the person delegated the role of executing the EM&A requirements.

 

 

Project Description

 

Project Background

 

1.5              To provide essential navigational aid for aircraft operating into and out of Hong Kong International Airport, a Doppler VHF Omni-directional Range and Distance Measuring Equipment (DVOR/DME) Station is being operated on Lung Kwu Chau.  The existing jetty at Lung Kwu Chau is too small and the surrounding waters are too shallow to accommodate the vessels employed by Civil Aviation Department (CAD) for transporting equipment and personnel for servicing and maintaining the DVOR/DME.  At present, the transportation relies heavily on helicopters, the operation of which is prohibited during night times and adverse weather conditions.  In order that emergency repair work can be undertaken during such periods, CAD has proposed to construct a proper jetty for berthing of marine vessels.   

 

Project Location and Scope

 

1.6              The proposed site of the Project is located on the eastern coast of Lung Kwu Chau as shown in Figure 1.1.  Lung Kwu Chau is situated within the gazetted Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park.  Due to the remoteness of the site, the island is uninhabited with no infrastructure other than the existing jetty and the DVOR/DME Station.  Under the preliminary design, the scope of this Project comprises the following:

 

·             construction of a precast concrete blockwork jetty (10 m by 20 m) with a single berth;

·             construction of a concrete catwalk (approximately 22 m long);

·             dredging of an approach channel to a level of –2.5 mCD in front of the berth;

·             installation of miscellaneous facilities on the jetty, including lighting, navigation light, fendering, handrails, bollards, tide gauge, etc;

·             demolition of the existing jetty upon completion of the proposed jetty;

·             extension of an existing footpath.

 

1.7              The Project is a Schedule 2 Designated Project under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) (Cap. 499), with dredging and building works proposed within the gazetted Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau (LKC) Marine Park, and the LKC, Tree Island and Sha Chau Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

 

1.8              The main objective of the EIA Study is to provide information on the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts arising from the construction and operation of the proposed Project and related activities taking place concurrently, and to contribute to decisions on the overall environmental acceptability of the Project, after the implementation of environmental mitigation measures.

 

 

 

 

 

Construction Programme

 

1.9              The construction of the Project is scheduled to commence in March 2003 for completion in December 2003.  The construction period is 10 months for the entire construction, in which about 3 to 5 months are for dredging and marine foundation works.   Dredging for both the approach channel and the foundation of catwalk and pier head is estimated to take around 2 weeks each to complete. These durations include the time required for plant mobilization and sounding surveys before and after dredging, and therefore the actual duration of dredging works will be less.   The tentative construction programme is presented in Figure 1.2.

 

1.10          It is expected that this Project has no major interaction with other projects.

 

Environmental Monitoring and Audit Requirements

 

1.11          The following sub-sections summarise the EM&A requirements recommended in the EIA Report.

 

Water Quality Impact

 

1.12          A marine water quality monitoring and audit programme will be conducted during marine works to verify whether or not impact predictions are representative, and to ensure that the dredging works do not result in unacceptable impacts.  When monitoring shows unacceptable water quality impact, appropriate mitigation measures, such as changes in the operation of marine works, will be introduced.

 

1.13          Water quality monitoring will be carried out to monitor off-site dispersion of the sediment plume generated during dredging works.  Section 2 of this Manual includes site-specific monitoring and auditing protocols for baseline and impact monitoring of marine water quality.  Such protocols include but are not limited to the locations of monitoring stations, parameters and frequencies for monitoring, monitoring equipment, data management procedures, and reporting of monitoring results.

 

1.14          As no adverse water quality impact will be generated from the operation of the jetty, operational water quality monitoring and audit is not considered necessary.  However, post-construction water quality monitoring is recommended to be carried out on completion of marine works.

 

Ecological Impact

 

1.15          The proposed terrestrial ecology mitigation measures for the construction phase comprise good site practices to be undertaken by the Contractor.  Measures are also recommended to minimize the impact on dolphins during the construction phase.  It is recommended that the site audits should check the strict implementation of these mitigation measures.

 

1.16          It is anticipated that recommendations specific to monitoring of marine ecology will not be required since potential impacts on marine ecology are primarily the result of changes in water quality. The environmental mitigation of water quality impacts, in particular elevations in suspended solids concentrations, will mitigate these potential indirect impacts on marine ecology.

Cultural Heritage Impact

 

1.17          The assessment of potential impacts on cultural heritage has concluded that the proposed construction works for the Project will not cause any adverse impact to cultural heritage within the boundary of the works area.  The marine archaeological investigation concluded that there are no archaeological resources present within the assessment area.  As such, cultural heritage monitoring and auditing will not be required during the construction phase of the Project. 

 

Waste Management Impact

 

1.18          Waste management will be the contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all wastes produced during the construction of the Project are handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with the recommended good waste management practices and EPD’s regulations and requirements.  The mitigation measures recommended in the EIA Report should form the basis of the site Waste Management Plan to be developed by the Contractor at the construction stage.  In particular, stockpiling of materials should not be permitted at Lung Kwu Chau and all wastes, unused construction materials and construction equipment should be removed from the Island after the works are completed.

 

1.19          It is recommended that the waste arisings generated during the construction activities should be audited periodically to determine if wastes are being managed in accordance with approved procedures and the site Waste Management Plan.  The audits should look at all aspects of waste management including waste generation, storage, transport and disposal.  An appropriate audit programme would be to undertake a first audit near the commencement of the construction works, and then to audit on a monthly basis thereafter.  In addition, the regular site inspections should check the strict implementation of the recommended good site practices and other waste management mitigation measures.

 

Landscape and Visual Impact

 

1.20          The proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures comprise design measures to be incorporated in the detailed design of the jetty.  Independent checking of the design should be undertaken to ensure that the mitigation measures are satisfactorily incorporated into the design. 

 

Project Organisation

 

1.21          The proposed project organisation and lines of communication with respect to environmental protection works are shown in Figure 1.3.

 

1.22          The leader of the Environmental Team shall be an independent party from the Contractor and have relevant professional qualifications, or have sufficient relevant EM&A experience subject to approval of the Engineer’s Representative (ER) and the EPD.

 

1.23          The responsibility of respective parties are:

 

The Contractor:

·             employ an Environmental Team (ET) to undertake monitoring, laboratory analysis and reporting of environmental monitoring and audit;

·             provide assistance to ET in carrying out monitoring;

·             submit proposals on mitigation measures in case of exceedances of Action and Limit levels in accordance with the Event and Action Plans;

·             implement measures to reduce impact where Action and Limit levels are exceeded; and

·             adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with Section 5.

 

Environmental Team:

·             monitor various environmental parameters as required in the EM&A Manual;

·             analyse the environmental monitoring and audit data and review the success of EM&A programme to cost-effectively confirm the adequacy of mitigatory measures implemented and the validity of the EIA predictions and to identify any adverse environmental impacts arising;

·             carry out site inspection to investigate and audit the Contractors' site practice, equipment and work methodologies with respect to pollution control and environmental mitigation, and effect proactive action to pre-empt problems;

·             audit and prepare audit reports on the environmental monitoring data and site environmental conditions;

·             report on the environmental monitoring and audit results to the Contractor, the ER and EPD or its delegated representative;

·             recommend suitable mitigation measures to the Contractor in the case of exceedance of Action and Limit levels in accordance with the Event and Action Plans; and

·             adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with Section 5.

 

Engineer or Engineer’s Representative:

·             supervise the Contractor’s activities and ensure that the requirements in the EM&A Manual are fully complied with;

·             inform the Contractor when action is required to reduce impacts in accordance with the Event and Action Plans;

·             employ an engineer independent from this Project to audit the results of the EM&A works carried out by the ET; and

·             adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with Section 5.

 

The responsibility of the independent engineer with respect to auditing the results of the EM&A works carried out by the ET are:

·             review the EM&A works performed by the ET (at not less than monthly intervals);

·             audit the monitoring activities and results (at not less than monthly intervals);  

·             report the audit results to the ER and EPD in parallel;

·             review the EM&A reports (monthly and quarterly summary reports) submitted by the ET; and

·             review the proposal on mitigation measures submitted by the Contractor in accordance with the Event and Action Plans.

 

1.24          Sufficient and suitably qualified professional and technical staff shall be employed by the respective parties to ensure full compliance with their duties and responsibilities, as required under the EM&A programme for the duration of the Project.