Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Purpose of the
Manual 1
1.2 Project
Description 1
1.3 Objectives of
the EM&A Programme 3
1.4 The Scope of
the EM&A Programme 3
1.5 Organisation
and Structure of the EM&A 4
1.6 Structure of
the EM&A Manual 6
2 EM&A GENERAL REQUIREMENT 8
2.1 Introduction 8
2.2 EM&A 8
3 Ecology 11
3.1 Introduction 11
3.2 Mitigation
Measures 11
3.3 Environmental
Monitoring and Audit 12
4 Dust 14
4.1 Introduction 14
4.2 Dust
Generating Activities 14
4.3 Sensitive
Receivers 14
4.4 Dust
Mitigation Measures 14
4.5 Environmental
Monitoring & Audit 15
5 Noise 16
5.1 Introduction 16
5.2 Noise
Generating Activities 16
5.3 Noise
Sensitive Receivers 16
5.4 Environmental
Monitoring & Audit 17
6 Water Quality 22
6.1 Introduction 22
6.2 Construction
Phase 22
7 Waste Management 24
8 Landscape Visual 25
8.1 General 25
8.2 Detail Design Stage 25
8.3 Construction
Stage 25
8.4 Operation
Stage 25
9 Site Environmental Audit 26
9.1 Site
Inspection 26
9.2 Compliance
with Legal and Contractual Requirements 27
10 Reporting 28
10.1 General 28
10.2 Baseline
Monitoring Report 28
10.3 Monthly
EM&A Reports (Construction Phase) 28
10.4 Operation
Phase Monitoring 31
10.5 Final EM&A
Summary Report 32
10.6 Data Keeping 33
10.7 Interim Notification
of Environmental Quality
Limit
Exceedances 33
10.8 Internet
EM&A 33
Annexes
Annex A Implementation Schedule
Annex C Noise
Monitoring Proforma
This Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual (“the
Manual”) has been prepared by ERM-Hong
Kong, Limited (ERM) on behalf of The Hongkong Electric Co Ltd
(HEC). The Manual is a
supplementary document of the EIA Study of the project entitled Renewable
Energy by a Wind Turbine System on Lamma Island (hereafter referred to as the
Project).
The Manual has been prepared with reference to the EIA
Study Brief (No. ESB-112/2004) and the Technical Memorandum of the
Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIAO TM). The purpose of the Manual is to provide
information, guidance and instruction to personnel charged with environmental
duties and those responsible for undertaking EM&A work during construction
and operation. It provides
systematic procedures for monitoring and auditing of potential environmental impacts
that may arise from the works.
The Hongkong Electric Co Ltd (HEC) is
committed to providing a high quality power supply to its customers with due
care for the environment. Recognizing
the importance of sustainable development, HEC is proposing to install a wind
turbine of capacity ranging from 600 to 850kW as a demonstration project to
utilize wind energy for renewable power generation on Lamma Island, Hong Kong.
Following the completion of a 12-month wind
power monitoring exercise on Lamma Island in November 2002, a wind atlas was
developed to assess the wind potential of the Island. A number of areas were identified as having wind power
density over 150W/m2, equivalent to the average wind speed of about
5.5m/s, and generally considered suitable for wind energy utilization. The existing power supply to Lamma
Island is by means of 11kV power lines, high voltage distribution pillar and low voltage
distribution cables from HEC’s distribution network.
Following the completion of a site selection
exercise the wind turbine has proposed to be located at Tai Ling Tsuen (Figure 1.1). The output will be connected to the
existing power grid for supplying renewable energy to HEC customers. The operation of the wind
turbine will be monitored and controlled through a central monitoring system
located in a control room of the Lamma Power Station. The wind turbine site will be unmanned and will only require
attendance of operational personnel during emergency or routine maintenance.
On 23 March 2004, HEC submitted an application (Project
Profile No. PP-209/2004) for an EIA Study Brief under Section 5(1) of
the Environmental Impact Assessment
Ordinance (Cap 499) (EIAO).
The EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-112/2004) was issued on 6 May 2004
under Section 5(7) of the EIAO.
Subsequently, HEC commissioned ERM as the Environmental
Consultant to undertake an EIA for this Project. As part of the Study requirements, this Project specific
EM&A Manual has been prepared to provide further details of the specific
EM&A requirements that have been recommended during construction and
operation of the Project. In
particular, the requirements for ensuring compliance with mitigation measures
specified for landscape and visual, noise, dust, water quality and ecological
impacts are defined.
The works that are the subject of the EIA Study include the
construction and operation phases of the Project. The key components of the Project includes the following:
i.
Erection of a wind
turbine (hub height approximately 45m and rotor blade diameter of approximately
52m, overall height of the wind turbine approximately 71m);
ii.
Small-scaled
excavation and construction of the wind turbine foundation (affected area
approximately 15m by 15m);
iii.
Construction of a
site platform and retaining wall (affected area approximately 25 m by 60 m);
iv.
Construction of
one stainless steel hut as high voltage distribution pillar (HVDP) (size
approximately 4.6 m length, 2.5 m width, 2.8 m height) for housing of switchgear
and power conditioning devices.
Transformer will be installed at the bottom of the wind turbine tower;
v.
Underground
distribution cables laying for connection to the nearby existing cable route
(approximately 50m in length); and
vi.
Operation and maintenance
of the wind turbine system.
Once the EIA Report has been formally approved
by Government, HEC will obtain an Environmental Permit (EP) for construction of
the Project. Once the EP has been obtained
the construction of the Project is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2005 and will be completed within about 12 months, 8 months for civil works including site
preparation, formation and foundation, and 4 months for electrical and mechanical
works (such as installation & erection of the wind turbine).
The construction and operational impacts resulting from the
implementation of the Project are specified in the EIA Report. The EIA Report also specifies
mitigation measures that need to be implemented to ensure compliance with the
required environmental criteria.
These mitigation measures and their implementation requirements are presented
in the Implementation Schedule (Annex A). The EIA recommends that environmental monitoring will be
necessary to assess the effectiveness of measures implemented to mitigate
potential noise and ecological impacts during operation of the Project. Regular environmental auditing during
construction is also recommended to ensure that potential impacts from other
sources are adequately addressed through the implementation of the mitigation
measures defined in this EIA Report.
This Manual provides the EM&A requirements
that have been recommended in the EIA Report in order to ensure compliance with
the specified mitigation measures.
The main objectives of the EM&A programme are to:
·
provide a database
against which any short or long term environmental impacts of the project can
be determined;
·
provide an early
indication should any of the environmental control measures or practices fail
to achieve the acceptable standards;
·
monitor the
performance of the project and the effectiveness of mitigation measures;
·
verify the
environmental impacts predicted in the EIA Study;
·
determine project
compliance with regulatory requirements, standards and government policies;
·
take remedial
action if unexpected problems or unacceptable impacts arise; and
·
provide data against
which environmental audits may be undertaken.
The scope of the EM&A programme is to:
·
implement
monitoring inspection and audit requirements for noise monitoring programme;
·
implement monitoring
inspection and audit requirements for ecology monitoring programme;
·
implement
inspection requirements for mitigation measures;
·
liase with, and
provide environmental advice (as requested or when otherwise necessary) to
construction site staff on the comprehension and consequences of the
environmental audit;
·
identify and
resolve environmental issues and other functions as they may arise from the
construction works;
·
check and quantify
the Contractor's overall environmental performance, and remedial actions taken
to mitigate adverse environmental effects as they may arise from the works;
·
conduct monthly
reviews of monitored impact data as the basis for assessing compliance with the
defined criteria and to ensure that necessary mitigation measures are
identified and implemented, and to undertake additional ad hoc monitoring and auditing as required by special
circumstances;
·
evaluate and
interpret all environmental monitoring data to provide an early indication
should any of the environmental control measures or practices fail to achieve
the acceptable standards, and to verify the environmental impacts predicted in
the EIA;
·
manage and liase
with other individuals or parties concerning other environmental issues deemed
to be relevant to the construction process;
·
conduct regular
site inspections of a formal or informal nature to assess:
-
the level of the Contractor's general
environmental awareness;
-
the Contractor's implementation of the
recommendations in the EIA;
-
the Contractor's performance as
measured by the EM&A;
-
the need for specific mitigation
measures to be implemented or the continued usage of those previously agreed;
- to advise the site staff of any identified potential environmental issues; and
- submit monthly EM&A reports which summarise project monitoring and auditing data, with full interpretation illustrating the acceptability or otherwise of any environmental impacts and identification or assessment of the implementation status of agreed mitigation measures.
The Proponent (HEC) shall appoint an
Environmental Team (ET) to conduct the monitoring and auditing works and to
provide specialist advice on the undertaking and implementation of
environmental responsibilities.
The ET shall have previous relevant experience
with managing similarly sized EM&A programmes, particularly concerning
ecological impacts, and the Environmental Team Leader (ET Leader) shall be a
recognised environmental professional, preferably with a minimum of seven years
relevant experience in impact assessments and impact monitoring programmes.
With the consideration of the reasons listed below,
as well asDue to the small-scale nature of the
Project and low magnitude of expected impacts, it is not considered necessary to appoint
an independent environmental consultants to act as an " Independent
Environmental Checker" (IC(E)) to verify and validate the environmental
performance of the Contractor and his the Environmental Team appointed by the Proponent:.
·
Low complexity, reliability and
implementation experience of the proposed mitigation measures;
·
Low significance, short
duration and reversibility of the impacts due to the Project; and
·
No
complicated
monitoring and auditing exercise and results
to validate.
The roles and responsibilities of the various
parties involved in the EM&A process are further expanded in the following
sections. The ET Leader shall be responsible
for, and in charge of, the Environmental Team; and shall be the person
responsible for executing the EM&A requirements.
HEC shall:
·
employ an ET, as
necessary, to undertake monitoring, laboratory analysis and reporting of the
EM&A requirements outlined in this Manual;
·
provide assistance
to the ET in conducting the required environmental monitoring;
·
participate in the
site inspections undertaken by the ET, as required, and undertake any necessary
corrective actions;
·
provide information/advice
to the ET regarding works activities which may contribute, or be contributing
to the generation of adverse environmental conditions;
·
implement measures
to reduce impact where any applicable Action and Limit levels are exceeded; and
·
take responsibility
and strictly adhere to the guidelines of the EM&A programme and
complementary protocols developed by their project staff.
The duties of the Environmental Team (ET) and
Environmental Team Leader (ET Leader) are to:
·
monitor the
various environmental parameters as required by this or subsequent revisions to
the EM&A Manual;
·
assess the
EM&A data and review the success of the EM&A programme determining the adequacy
of the mitigation measures implemented and the validity of the EIA predictions
as well as identify any adverse environmental impacts before they arise;
·
conduct site
inspections to investigate and inspect the construction equipment and work
methodologies with respect to pollution control and environmental mitigation,
monitor compliance with environmental protection specifications, and to
anticipate environmental issues that may require mitigation before the problem
arises;
·
audit the
environmental monitoring data and report the status of the general site
environmental conditions and the implementation of mitigation measures
resulting from site inspections;
·
review working
programme and methodology, and comment as necessary;
·
investigate and
evaluate complaints, and identify corrective measures;
·
advice to the on
environmental improvement, awareness, enhancement matters, etc, on site;
·
report on the
environmental monitoring and audit results and the wider environmental issues
and conditions to HEC and the EPD; and
·
adhere to the
agreed protocols or those in the Contract Specifications in the event of
exceedances or complaints.
The ET shall be led and managed by the ET
Leader. The ET Leader shall have
relevant education, training, knowledge, experience and professional
qualifications subject to the approval of the Director of Environmental
Protection.
The remainder of the Manual is set out as
follows:
·
Section 2 sets
out the EM&A general requirements;
·
Section 3 details the requirements for ecology impact
monitoring, and lists relevant monitoring methodologies, submissions,
compliance and Event and Action Plans (EAPs);
·
Section 4 details the requirements for dust suppression
measures;
·
Section 5
details the requirements for noise monitoring;
·
Section 6
details the requirements for controlling water quality impacts;
·
Section 7
details the requirements for landscape and visual impacts mitigation measures;
·
Section 8 describes
the scope and frequency of site auditing; and
·
Section 9 details
the EM&A reporting requirements.
The EM&A Manual is an evolving document that should be
updated to maintain its relevance as the Project progresses. The primary focus for these updates
will be to ensure the impacts predicted and the recommended mitigation measures
remain consistent and appropriate to the manner in which the works are to be
carried out.
In this section, the general requirements of the
EM&A programme are presented with reference to the EIA Study findings that
have formed the basis of the scope and content of the programme.
Key environmental issues associated with the
construction of the Project will be addressed through monitoring and controls
specified in the EM&A Manual and construction contract. Ecology and noise will be subject to
EM&A, the details of which are outlined in Sections 3 and 5.
The monitoring of the effectiveness of the mitigation
measures will be achieved through site inspections. The inspections will include within their scope, mechanisms
to review and assess HEC’s environmental performance, ensuring that the
recommended mitigation measures have been properly implemented, and that timely
resolution of received complaints are managed and controlled in a manner
consistent with the recommendations of the EIA Report.
Impact and operational monitoring will be carried out by
the Environmental Team. Monitoring
work is focussed on ecology, specifically construction phase impacts to the
Romer’s Tree Frog and operation phase impacts to birds and to a noise sensitive
receiver. These are discussed in Sections 3 and 5 of this Manual.
The purpose of the Event and Action Plans (EAPs) is to
provide, in association with the monitoring and audit activities, procedures
for ensuring that if any significant environmental incident (either accidental
or through inadequate implementation of mitigation measures on the part of the
Contractor) does occur, the cause will be quickly identified and remediated,
and the risk of a similar event recurring is reduced.
In addition to monitoring ecology and noise as a means of
assessing the ongoing performance of the construction works, the ET Leader
shall undertake site inspections and audits of on-site practices and
procedures. The primary objective
of the inspection and audit programme will be to assess the effectiveness of
the environmental controls established by the construction team(s) and the
implementation of the environmental mitigation measures recommended in the EIA
Report.
The findings of site inspections and audits
shall be made known to the Contractor at the time of the inspection to enable
the rapid resolution of identified non-compliances. Non-compliances, and the corrective actions undertaken,
shall also be reported in the monthly EM&A Reports.
Section
8 of this Manual presents
details of the scope and frequency of on-site inspections and defines the range
of issues that the audit protocols should be designed to address.
Enquiries, complaints and requests for information can be
expected from a wide range of individuals and organisations including members
of the public, Government departments, the press and television media and
community groups. During
construction of the Project, the majority of such correspondence is likely to
be received directly by HEC.
All enquiries concerning the environmental
effects of the works, irrespective of how they are received, shall be reported
to HEC who shall set up procedures for handling, investigation and storage of
such information. The following
steps shall then be followed:
1)
The ET Leader
shall notify HEC of the nature of the enquiry.
2)
An investigation
shall be initiated to determine the validity of the complaint and to identify
the source of the problem.
3)
HEC shall
undertake the following steps, as necessary:
· investigate and identify source of the problem;
· if considered necessary by HEC, undertake additional monitoring to verify the existence and severity of the alleged complaint;
· identify necessary remedial measures and implement as soon as possible;
· repeat the monitoring to verify effectiveness of mitigation measures; and
· repeat review procedures to identify further possible areas of improvement if the repeat monitoring results continue to substantiate the complaint.
4)
The outcome of the
investigation and the action taken shall be documented on a complaint proforma
(Annex B). A formal
response to each complaint received shall be prepared by HEC within a maximum
of five working days, in order to notify the concerned person(s) that action has
been taken.
5)
All enquiries
which trigger this process shall be reported in the monthly reports which shall
include results of inspections undertaken by the contractor, and details of the
measures taken, and additional monitoring results (if deemed necessary). It should be noted that the receipt of
complaint or enquiry will not be, in itself, a sufficient reason to introduce
additional mitigation measures.
In all cases the complainant shall be notified
of the findings, and audit procedures shall be put in place to ensure that the
problem does not recur.
Monthly reports submitted to HEC, EPD and AFCD
shall be prepared by the ET. The
monthly reports shall be prepared and submitted within 10 working days of the
end of each reporting month.
Additional details on reporting protocols are presented in Section 9.
The ET shall continue to carry out environmental
monitoring and site inspections until completion of the construction works and
the specified operational phase monitoring period.
Potential ecological impacts associated with the
construction and operation of the wind turbine have been identified in the EIA
Report. The following measures
have been developed in accordance with this approach to mitigate the impacts.
Undertake Romer’s Tree Frog surveys within the Project Area just
before the construction works commence.
Due to the small size of the Project Area and given that there are no
optimal habitats for Romer’s Tree Frog, one day-time and one night-time survey
is considered sufficient. The
surveyor(s) should actively search within the Project Area paying special
attention to the water bodies (ie abandoned containers). All recorded Romer’s Tree Frog (adults
and tadpoles) must be caught by hand and translocated to the stream pools of
middle course of Stream S4 near Lo Tik Wan (Figure 3.1), the
critical natural habitats for Romer’s Tree Frog within the Study Area,
immediately after the survey. The
Romer’s Tree Frog surveys and translocation works shall be undertaken by a
qualified ecologist with at least five years of relevant experience in faunal
translocation works.
Surface run-off from the construction site should be directed into
existing stream channel via adequately designed sand/silt removal facilities
such as sand traps, silt traps and sediment basins. Channels, earth bunds or sand bag barriers should be
provided on site to properly direct stormwater to such silt removal facilities.
·
Erect fences along
the boundary of the works area before the commencement of works to prevent
tipping, vehicle movements, and encroachment of personnel onto adjacent
areas.
·
Avoid any damage
and disturbance, particularly those caused by filling and illegal dumping, to
the remaining and surrounding natural stream habitats.
·
Regularly check
the work site boundaries to ensure that they are not breached and that no
damage occurs to surrounding areas.
·
Prohibit and
prevent open fires within the site boundary during construction and provide
temporary fire fighting equipment in the Project Area.
·
Treat any damage
that may have occurred to individual major trees in the adjacent area and along
the 275 kV Cable Route (used to transport the construction materials) with
surgery.
·
Reinstate
temporary disturbed areas immediately after completion of the construction
works, ie through on-site tree/shrub planting. Tree/shrub species used should make reference from those in
the surrounding area and/or Annex C of the EIA Report.
The implementation of the ecological mitigation measures
stated in Section 3.3 above should be checked as part of the environmental
monitoring and audit procedures during the construction period.
Monitoring for bird collision during operation
is required. The purpose of the monitoring is to assess the
impact (via collisions) of the wind farm on birds, with a particular focus on
species of conservation interest (ie Black Kite). During the operation of the wind turbine, monitoring will be
undertaken at monthly intervals for a period of 12 months. An area of 50 m radius will be searched
around the base of the turbine.
After this 12-month period, the monitoring results will be
reviewed. Should any bird
mortality or injury be confirmed as due to the wind turbine, relevant government
departments (ie Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Agriculture,
Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD)) would be notified. If the bird collision event persists
more than 3 times, HEC will discuss remedial
action with government and implement any agreed actions to solve the event such
as adjustment of wind turbine lighting and the colour of the wind turbine. The effectiveness of the proposed
remedial action will be verified and evaluated with discussion with EPD/AFCD.
A simple Event and Action Plan during the first
12 months of operation of the wind turbine is recommended in Table 3.1.
Table
3.1 Event
and Action Plan during Operation of Wind Turbine
|
Monitoring |
Event |
Action |
|
|
Criteria |
|
Environmental Team Leader/ Environmental
Manager (employed by HEC) |
HEC |
|
Bird
Collision |
Bird
injury or mortality recorded in the vicinity of the wind turbine (50 m radius
from the turbine) and confirmed due to the wind turbine. |
1.
Notify HEC and check the wind turbine site to find out the cause of the
event(s). |
1. Identify and
report the cause(s) of the event if bird mortality or injury confirmed due to
the wind turbine. |
|
|
|
2. Undertake weekly
bird monitoring (observing the influence of the wind turbine on the behaviour
of birds). The normal monitoring
schedule will be resumed if the cause(s) of the event have been identified. |
2. Submit proposals
to relevant government departments (ie EPD and AFCD) for remedial action and
implement the action to solve the event if the collision event persists more
than 3 times. |
|
|
|
3. If the collision
event persists more than 3 times, discuss and develop remedial actions with
HEC such as adjustment of wind turbine lighting and the colour of the wind
turbine. |
3.
Verify and evaluate the effectiveness of the remedial action with Environmental Team Leader/ Environmental Manager and EPD/AFCD. |
If, after the
12-months monitoring period, insignificant number of bird collisions have been
reported then monitoring will cease as it will have been demonstrated that the
wind turbine is not having an adverse impact on bird species.
For land based construction works, dust suppression measures
have been recommended in the EIA Report to reduce potential impacts to
sensitive receivers.
Implementation of these measures shall be reviewed during site
inspections to ensure compliance with the requirements of the EIA and the
effectiveness of these measures.
Site formation by cutting the hill slope and filling
to form the site platform, foundation construction, cable laying, wind turbine
erection and landscaping works are the main construction activities. In them, wind erosion, materials
handling and on-site stockpiling are the major dusty activities.
ASRs have been identified within 500 m from the project
site in accordance with the EIA Study Brief (ESB-112/2004) and the criteria set
out in Annex 12 of the EIAO-TM and through site inspections and
review of land use plans. Type of
Use, height of buildings, their horizontal distance from the worksite boundary
and approximate base elevation (in mPD) are summarised in Table 4.1. The locations of ASRs are shown
in Figure 4.1.
Table 4.1 Air
Sensitive Receivers
|
ASR |
Location |
Type |
No. of Storeys |
Distance from Nearest Worksite
Boundary (m) |
Approximate Base Elevation in mPD |
|
A1 |
No.1 Tai Ling Tsuen |
R |
2 |
185 |
79 |
|
A2 |
No.2 Tai Ling Tsuen |
R |
1 |
240 |
69 |
|
A3 |
No.3 Tai Ling Tsuen |
R |
1 |
245 |
69 |
|
A4 |
Tai Wan Kau Tsuen |
R |
3 |
420 |
12 |
|
A5 |
Po Lo Village |
R |
1 |
415 |
39 |
|
A6 |
Lung Tsai Tsuen |
R |
1 - 3 |
470 |
35 |
|
A7 |
Lo Tik Wan Village |
R |
2 - 3 |
430 |
10 |
|
A8 |
Tai Peng |
R |
2 - 3 |
470 |
42 |
|
Note: (a)
The base
elevation of the wind turbine is 92 mPD. |
|||||
In order to reduce the dust emissions during
construction phase, the following dust suppression measures stipulated in the Air
Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation will be incorporated into
the Particular Specification and implemented by the Contractor.
·
Covering
entirely by impervious sheet or frequently watering of the on-site stockpile of
excavated materials to keep wet always before backfilling;
·
Frequent
watering of exposed area or worksite of excavation to maintain surface wet;
·
Provision of
vehicle washing to remove any dusting materials from small village trucks’ body
and wheel at the exit of worksite;
·
Well-maintained
diesel-powered mechanical equipment to avoid black smoke emissions; and
·
Shut-down
of diesel-powered mechanical equipment
or trucks inside the worksites when they are not in operation.
Given the very limited dust emission anticipated
due to the small worksites and limited generation of excavated spoils, dust
monitoring is not required during the construction stage. Weekly site audit shall be conducted
instead, to ensure the recommended dust suppression measures are properly
implemented.
In this section, the general requirements, methodology,
equipment, and mitigation measures for the monitoring and audit of noise
impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Project are
described below.
The use of PME during the construction phase will
be the main source of noise impact.
The main construction activities are:
·
excavation by
cutting and filling to form a site platform;
·
construction of
retaining wall around site perimeter;
·
construction of
concrete footing for wind turbine foundation;
·
erection of wind
turbine and high voltage distribution pillar; and
·
landscaping works
including planting of trees and shrubs.
The sources of noise emitted from the operating
wind turbine include the rotation of mechanical and electrical equipment and
aerodynamic noise originating from the flow of air around the blade.
All NSRs, as defined by EIAO-TM, have been identified within an area of 300 m of the Study Area boundary. For NSRs outside the 300m Study Area
boundary, such as Tai Wan Kau Tsuen and Lo Tik Wan are also identified.Noise Sensitive Receivers (NSRs) as defined by the EIAO-TM have
been identified within an area of 500 m of the Study Area boundary. Their approximate horizontal distances
from the proposed site boundary are presented in Table 5.1 and
Tthe locations
of the NSRs have been shown in Figure 5.1. No planned NSRs are identified in the
study boundary.
Table 5.1 Identified
Noise Sensitive Receivers
|
NSR |
Location |
Type of Uses |
|
N1 |
No. 1 Tai Ling Tsuen |
Residential (2-Storey) |
|
N2 |
No. 2 Tai Ling Tsuen |
Residential (1-Storey) |
|
N3 |
No. 3 Tai Ling Tsuen |
Residential (1-Storey) |
|
N4 |
Tai Wan Kau
Tsuen |
Residential
(3-Storey) |
|
N5 |
Lo Tik Wan |
Residential
(1-Storey) |
As the predicted construction noise levels at
the identified NSRs comply with the stipulated noise criterion, noise
monitoring is not required during the construction stage. Methodology and criteria related to
EM&A is therefore not applicable for the construction phase.
The EIAO-TM and Technical Memorandum on
Noise From Places Other than Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction
Sites (IND-TM) specifies the applicable Acceptable Noise Levels
(ANLs) for operational noise of wind turbine system. The ANLs are dependent on the Area Sensitivity Rating (ASR)
and the time of the day and are presented in Table 5.2.
Table 5.2 ANLs
to be used as Operation Noise Criteria
|
Time Period |
LAeq 30min (dB(A)) |
||
|
ASR “A” |
ASR “B” |
ASR “C” |
|
|
Daytime 0700-1900 |
60 |
65 |
70 |
|
Evening 1900-2300 |
60 |
65 |
70 |
|
Night-time 2300-0700 |
50 |
55 |
60 |
Noise associated with the operation of wind turbine is
controlled under Section 13 of the NCO and the predictions will
be undertaken in accordance with the IND-TM. The criteria noise limits are set out in the EIAO-TM
as follows:
·
the
total fixed source noise level at the facade of the nearest NSR is at least 5
dB(A) lower than the appropriate ANL (as shown in Table 5.4) as
specified in the Technical Memorandum on Noise from Places other than
Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction Sites (IND-TM); or,
·
where
the prevailing noise level in the area is 5 dB(A) or more below the appropriate
ANL, the total fixed source noise level must not exceed this noise level.
The criteria noise limits stipulated in the IND-TM
are dependent on the Area Sensitivity Rating (ASR) of the NSRs as shown in Table
5.24.
As the site is located in a rural area and no
influencing factors affect the NSRs, an ASR “A” has been assumed for the NSRs
located within 300 m of study boundary.
Background noise measurements have been conducted by HEC during 2004 to
investigate the prevailing noise level in the study area. The 48-hour continuous measurements of
prevailing free field noise levels in the vicinity of No. 1 Tai Ling Tsuen are
in the range of 45 – 80 dB(A) LAeq, 30min. With the inclusion of façade correction, the measured prevailing
noise level will be higher than the (ANL-5) criterion, and therefore the (ANL –
5) criterion, i.e. 45 dB(A) LAeq, 30min for night-time period will
be considered as the stipulated noise limit for the assessment of operational
noise impact.
In any event,
the Area Sensitive Rating assumed in this Report is for indicative assessment
only given that there are currently no influencing factors assumed in the
vicinity of the NSRs. It should be
noted that fixed noise sources are controlled under Section 13 of the NCO. At the time of investigation, the Noise
Control Authority shall determine noise impact from concerned fixed noise
sources on the basis of prevailing legislation and practices being in force,
and taking account of contemporary conditions / situations of adjoining land
uses. Nothing in this Report shall
bind the Noise Control Authority in the context of law enforcement against all
the fixed noise sources being assessment. As the site is located in
a rural area and no influencing factors affect the NSRs, an ASR “A” has been
assigned to the NSRs located
within 300 m of study boundary.
Background noise measurements have been conducted by HEC during 2004 to
investigate the prevailing noise level in the study area. The 48-hour continuous measurements of
prevailing free field noise levels in the vicinity of No. 1 Tai Ling Tsuen are
in the range of 45 – 80 dB(A) LAeq, 30min. With the inclusion of façade
correction, the measured prevailing noise level will be higher than the (ANL-5)
criterion, and therefore the (ANL – 5) criterion, i.e. 45 dB(A) LAeq,
30min for night-time period will be considered as the
stipulated noise limit for the assessment of operational phase.
The ET Leader shall be responsible for providing
and maintaining a sufficient number of sound level meters to conduct the
necessary impact monitoring and ad hoc
monitoring at the agreed monitoring location.
Sound level meters and calibrators shall comply
with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) Publication 651 : 1979 (Type 1) and 804 : 1985 (Type 1) specification
as referred to in the GW-TM & IND-TM. The sound level meters shall be
supplied and used with the manufacturers recommended wind shield and with a
tripod.
The calibration of the sound level meters shall
be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements. The sound level meters, including the
calibrators, shall be verified by the manufacturers once every two years to ensure
that they perform to the same level of accuracy as stated in the manufacturers
specifications. Calibrated
hand-held anemometers capable of measuring the wind speed in ms-1
shall also be supplied for the measurement of wind speeds during noise
monitoring periods. The anemometers shall be used and calibrated in accordance
with the manufactures recommendations.
Sound level meters shall be calibrated using a
portable calibrator before and after each measurement. The calibration levels shall be noted
with the measurement results and where the difference between the calibration
levels is greater than 1 dB(A) the measurement shall be repeated.
The ET Leader shall ensure the equipment shall
be kept in a good state of repair in accordance with the manufacturer's
recommendations and maintained in proper working order with sufficient spare
equipment available in the event of breakdown to maintain the planned
monitoring programme.
Noise measurements should not be made in the
presence of fog, rain, wind with a steady speed exceeding 5 ms-1 or
wind with gusts exceeding 10 ms-1. The wind speed shall be checked with the hand-held
anemometers.
The ET Leader will be responsible for conducting noise
monitoring at the following representative monitoring location, as defined in Table 5.3 and shown in Figure
5.2.
Table 5.3 EM&A
Representative Monitoring Location
|
NSR No. |
Identity/Description |
|
NM1 |
No. 1 Tai Ling Tsuen (N1) |
The monitoring location shall normally be at a
point 1 m from the exterior of the sensitive receiver building façade and at a
height approximately 1.2 m above the ground or at the height that has the least
obstructed view of the construction activity in relation to the receiver. For reference, a correction of +3 dB(A)
shall be made to the free field measurements.
To investigate the prevailing noise levels at the nearest NSR (NM1) , a continuous 48-hour noise measurement has been conducted from 1200 hours on 25 May 2004 to 1200 hours on 27 May 2004. As there were problems in gaining access to the nearest NSR (NM1), free-field noise measurement has been made at a close proximity to NM1. In addition, as the measurements are conducted off-site from the nearest NSR NM1, potential community noise associated with the residents will not be included in the measurement. Therefore, the measured levels are considered to represent the lowest ambient noise levels.
The chirps of
the insect “cicadas” were identified as the dominant noise sources during the
noise measurement. Although the
chirps are seasonal in nature, the cicadas only chirps in early morning and
day-time, such that the measured noise levels during night-time would not be
affected by the chirps. Therefore
the background noise measurement would represent the typical acoustic
environment in the vicinity of the NSRs.
The noise measurement results with facade
correction are summarised in Table 5.4. A timeline chart showing the prevailing noise levels is
presented in Figure 5.3.
Table 5.4 Measured
Prevailing Noise Level (with facade correction)
|
Period |
|
LAeq,
30min |
|
|
|
Minimum |
Average |
Maximum |
|
0700 – 2300 hours |
49.8 |
65.8 |
81.9 |
|
2300 – 0700 hours |
47.6 |
60.8 |
82.5 |
Without potential noise sources in the vicinity
of the nearest NSR, it is anticipated that the measured prevailing noise levels
can represent the results of baseline monitoring, and hence baseline monitoring
is not necessary.
Given that compliance with the stipulated noise
criterion is predicted, noise monitoring is not required during the construction
stage. Weekly site audits will be
conducted to ensure that the plant inventory used on site are consistent with
the assumptions and mitigation measures used in the EIA report.
During the operation of the wind turbine, noise monitoring
shall be carried out during the night-time period at the agreed monitoring
location once every fourteen days for a period of six consecutive months. A sample data sheet is shown in Annex C. Two types of measurement shall be carried out:
a) Broadband measurement of LAeq
(t). Note that the
measurement period (t) shall normally be 30 minutes (six consecutive 5-minute
measurement). However, if it can
be demonstrated that the noise level is constant, then a shorter measurement
period (no less than 5 minutes) may be used.
b) Frequency analysis between
31.5 and 16 kHz measured at 1/3 octave intervals. If the noise emanating from the wind turbine is found to be
tonal (as defined in IND-TM) then an appropriate tonal correction should be
applied to the measured noise level (MNL) to achieve the corrected noise level
(CNL). This CNL shall be compared
with the noise specifications.
Though the predicted construction noise levels comply with
the stipulated noise criterion, good site practice and noise management is
recommended for minimising the construction noise impact on nearby NSRs. The measures include:
·
Only well-maintained plant should be operated on-site and plant should
be serviced regularly during the construction works;
·
Machines and plant that may be used intermittently, such as vibratory
poker, should be shut down between work periods or should be throttled down to
a minimum;
·
Plant known to
emit noise strongly in one direction, should, where possible, be orientated to
direct noise away from nearby NSRs; and
·
Mobile plant
should be sited as far away from NSRs as possible.
In the event of exceedances or
complaints, upon
the advice of the ET Leader, the Contractor shall liaise with the ET Leader to
agree further mitigation measures, propose the recommended measures to HEC for
approval, and then implement the mitigation measures.
In the design stage, the
allowable maximum sound
power level of 100dB(A) with no pure tones shall be included in the tender
specification of wind turbine.the maximum allowable sound
power level of 100 dB(A) shall be included in the tender specification of wind
turbine.
The supplier shall guarantee this noise level by
providing certificate of measurement and verify the overall noise level during
commissioning and testing in accordance to international standard procedures
such as IEC 61400-11.
Whenever necessary, the supplier
shall apply attenuation measures to achieve the guaranteed noise level during detailed design stage.
During the operational phase of
the wind turbine, in the event of exceedances, HEC shall liaise with the ET Leader to
investigate the cause of noise exceedances taking into account background noise
levels. Whenever necessary, the supplier of the wind turbine will be requested
to provide attenuation measures to achieve the guaranteed noise level during detailed design
stage.
This section presents the EM&A recommendations for
auditing the water quality mitigation measures during the construction phase of
the Project.
As stated in the EIA report, no water quality monitoring is
required for the construction phase.
However, as part of the regular audit procedures, it is recommended that the ET Leader confirms that the Contractor
has implemented the mitigation measures, as described in Section 8.6 of the EIA Report.
The Contractor shall implement the following on-site
measures to minimise potential water quality impacts associated with land based
construction.
·
Surface run-off
from the construction site should be directed into stream channel via
adequately designed sand/silt removal facilities such as sand traps, silt traps
and sediment basins. Channels,
earth bunds or sand bag barriers should be provided on site to properly direct
stormwater to such silt removal facilities.
·
Silt removal
facilities should be maintained and the deposited silt and grit should be
removed regularly, at the onset of and after each rainstorm to ensure that
these facilities are functioning properly at all times.
·
During excavation
in the wet season, temporarily exposed soil surfaces
should be covered, eg by tarpaulin, and temporary access roads should be
protected by crushed stone or gravel, as excavation proceeds. Intercepting channels should be
provided (eg along the crest/edge of the excavation) to prevent storm runoff
from washing across exposed soil surfaces. Arrangements should always be in place to ensure that
adequate surface protection measures can be safely carried out well before the
arrival of a rainstorm.
·
Earthworks final
surfaces should be well compacted and the subsequent permanent work or surface
protection should be carried out as soon as practical after the final surface
are formed to prevent erosion caused by rainstorms. Rainwater pumped out from trenches or foundation excavations
should be discharged into storm drains via silt removal facilities.
·
Open stockpiles of
construction materials (eg aggregates and sand) on site should be covered with
tarpaulin similar fabric during rainstorms. Measures should be taken to prevent the washing away of
construction materials, soil, silt or debris into any drainage system.
·
The use of
chemical toilets will be necessary and these should be provided by a licensed
contractor, who will be responsible for appropriate disposal and maintenance of
these facilities.
In addition to implementing the specified mitigation
measures, the Contractor will also be required to obtain a WPCO discharge licence should any wastewater discharges be released
from the site. This may require
the Contractor to undertake monitoring of the quality/quantity of the
discharges to show compliance with the conditions of the licence; however, at
this stage, this does not form part of the EM&A programme.
No monitoring of water quality or mitigation measures are
required during the operational phase of the Project.
The
construction works will involve some site formation which will necessitate the
removal of small quantities of spoil (approximately 1,300 m3 of excavated
materials). The
quantity of waste materials arising from the construction phase is not expected
to be high as most of the spoil (95% of the excavated materials)
will be used as backfill, but practical measures will be taken to avoid,
minimise and recycle wastes. Good construction practices, including
limiting activities within the site boundary and avoiding of filling and
illegal dumping by site management and audit, and provision of impermeable floor for the site are
recommended to ensure that adverse environmental impacts are prevented.
During the
construction phase, weekly site audit shall be conducted to ensure the good construction practice, waste management and disposal
are properly implemented.
Details of all mitigation measures should be further developed at the
detail design stage. The
recommended mitigation measures should be included into the Contract Document
where the Contractor is responsible for their implementation as recommended in
the EIA Study. During the site
environmental audit inspections, the Environmental
Team (ET) Leader should be responsible for ensuring
that landscape and visual mitigation measures are fully implemented by the
Contractor, as per the approved construction programme. The following key
mitigation measures are recommended.Details of all mitigation
measures should be further developed at the detail design stage. The recommended mitigation measures
should be included into the Contract Document where the Contractor is
responsible for their implementation as recommended in the EIA Study. During the site environmental audit
inspections, the Environmental
Team (ET) Leader should be responsible for
ensuring that landscape and visual mitigation measures are fully implemented by
the Contractor, as per the approved construction programme. The following key
mitigation measures are recommended.
Mitigation measures recommended in the EIA Report for landscape and
visual impacts during the detail design stage are summarised below:
Table 8.1 Mitigation
measures recommended in the EIA Report
|
NSR No. |
Identity/Description |
|
MM1 |
New cut and fill
slopes and other land affected by construction works would be reinstated to natural land form and topography of the natural
slope as far as practical. Grading of these
slopes to resemble a natural, rolling landform similar to that of adjacent
topography would be carried out. Approximately 1,400 sq.m. of disturbed areas
would be reinstated. |
|
MM2 |
Appropriate landscape
planting including trees, shrubs and grasses (approx. 1,400 sq.m.) will be provided to soften the ground level appearance of the proposed
wind turbine site. |
|
MM3 |
A light grey non-reflective colour scheme will be used to enable the
proposed wind turbine to blend in well with natural surroundings and minimize
the visual intrusion.
|
|
MM4 |
Existing soil resources on site from the cut slope will be re-used for
backfilling at site as far as practicable to minimize the need to import or
export soils. |
|
MM5 |
Selection of low
rotating speed machine to minimize the visual disturbance. |
·
Appropriate colour scheme and non-reflective paints
should be made to enable the proposed wind turbine to blend in well with
natural surroundings and minimise the visual intrusion;
·
The shape of the maintenance platform should be
adjusted so that the site formation works could be planned to avoid disturbance
to the existing two trees within the site; and
·
In order to minimize the visual disturbance, a low
rotating speed machine should be chosen.
Mitigation measures recommended in the EIA Report for landscape and
visual impacts during the construction
stage are the same as those in the construction
stage and these would be implemented by the contractor.
Mitigation measures recommended in the EIA Report
for landscape and visual impacts during the construction stage are summarised below:
·
New cut and fill slopes and other land affected by
construction works should be reinstated to natural land form and topography of
the natural slope as far as practical;
·
Appropriate compensatory planting including trees,
shrubs and grasses should be provided within the project site;
·
Screening of site construction works by use of
temporary hoarding that is appropriate to its site context;
·
Tree protective measures should be implemented to
ensure trees identified as to be retained are satisfactorily protected during
the construction phases; and
·
Conservation of soil resources for reuse.
A landscape architect should make regular
on-site visits within the establishment period to monitor the condition of
newly planted vegetation.
A landscape architect
should make regular on-site visits within the establishment period to monitor
the condition of newly planted vegetation before handling over the
responsibility of maintenance to the Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd.
Site inspections provide a direct means to track
and ensure the enforcement of specified environmental protection and pollution
control measures. The inspections
should be undertaken weekly by the Environmental Team (ET) Leader to ensure
that appropriate environmental protection and pollution control mitigation
measures are properly implemented.
Additionally, the ET Leader shall be responsible for defining the scope
of the inspections, detailing any deficiencies that are identified, and
reporting any necessary action or mitigation measures that were implemented as
a result of the inspection; the results of the inspections shall be made
available to HEC.
The areas of inspection should include the
general environmental conditions in the vicinity of the site and pollution
control and mitigation measures within the site; it should also review the
environmental conditions outside the site area which are likely to be affected,
directly or indirectly, by site activities. The ET Leader shall make reference to the following
information in conducting the inspections:
·
the EIA and
EM&A recommendations on environmental protection and pollution control
mitigation measures;
·
ongoing results of
the EM&A programme;
·
works progress and
programme;
·
individual works
method statements which shall include proposals on associated pollution control
measures;
·
the contract
specifications on environmental protection; and
·
the relevant
environmental protection and pollution control laws.
The ET Leader’s inspection results and their associated
recommendations on improvements to the environmental protection and pollution
control works shall be submitted to HEC within 24 hours, for reference and for
taking immediate action. They
shall also be presented, along with the remedial actions taken, in the monthly
EM&A report. HEC and their
contractors shall follow the procedures and time-frames stipulated in the
environmental site inspection for the implementation of mitigation proposals
and the resolution of deficiencies in the Environmental Management system. An action reporting system shall be
formulated and implemented to report on any remedial measures implemented
subsequent to the site inspections.
Ad hoc site inspections shall also be carried out by
the ET Leader if significant environmental problems are identified. Inspections may also be required
subsequent to receipt of an environmental complaint, or as part of the
associated investigation work.
There shall be contractual environmental
protection and pollution control requirements as well as Hong Kong’s
environmental protection and pollution control laws which HEC shall comply
with.
The ET Leader shall review the progress and
programme of the works to check that relevant environmental laws have not been
violated, and that any foreseeable potential for violating the laws can be
prevented.
HEC shall also regularly copy relevant documents
to the ET Leader so that the checking work can be carried out. The relevant documents are expected to
include the updated Work Progress Reports, the updated Works Programme, the
application letters for different licences/permits under the environmental
protection laws, and all the valid licences/permit. The site diary shall also be available, upon request, to the
ET Leader during his site inspection.
After reviewing the documentation, the ET Leader
shall advise HEC of any non-compliance with the contractual and legislative
requirements on environmental protection and pollution control for them to take
follow-up actions. If the ET
Leader's review concludes that the current status on licence/permit application
and any environmental protection and pollution control preparation works is
incompatible with the works programme or may result in potential violation of
environmental protection and pollution control requirements by the works in due
course, he shall also advise HEC accordingly.
Upon receipt of the advice, HEC shall undertake
immediate action to remedy the situation.
Reports can be provided in an electronic medium
upon agreeing the format with EPD.
This would enable a transition from a paper/historic and reactive
approach to an electronic/real time proactive approach. All the monitoring data (baseline and
impact) should also be submitted on diskettes.
The ET Leader shall prepare and submit an Ecological
Baseline Report within 10 working days of the completion of the Romer’s Tree
Frog baseline survey. Copies of
the Ecological Baseline Report shall be submitted to AFCD and EPD. The exact number of copies required by
AFCD and EPD will be established through liaison. The report will be supported by the results of the Romer’s
Tree Frog baseline survey in electronic format, along with the details of any
necessary translocation works, including methodology and location of the
receptor site.
The results and findings of all EM&A work
(mainly site audit) required in the Manual shall be recorded in the monthly
EM&A Reports and be prepared by the ET Leader. The reports shall be submitted to EPD and copied to AFCD
within two weeks of the end of each calendar month, with the first report due
in the month after construction works commence. The ET Leader shall liase with the relevant parties to
confirm the exact number and format of monthly reports in both hard copy and
electronic format. The report
shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements:
The first monthly EM&A report
shall include at least but not be limited to the following :
(a)
Executive Summary
(1-2 pages);
·
Complaint Log;
·
Notifications of
any summons and successful prosecutions;
·
Reporting Changes;
·
Future key issues.
(b) Basic
Project Information
·
Project
organisation including key personnel contact names and telephone numbers;
·
Construction
Programme with fine tuning of construction activities showing the
inter-relationship with environmental protection/mitigation measures for the
month; and
·
Works undertaken
during the month.
(c) Environmental
Status
·
Works undertaken
during the month with illustrations (such as location of works); and
·
Drawing showing
the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers.
(d) Summary of
EM&A requirements including:
·
Environmental
mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study final report;
·
Environmental
requirements in contract documents;
(e) Implementation
Status
Advice
on the implementation status of environmental protection and pollution
control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study report,
summarised in the updated implementation schedule.
(f) Site
Audit Report
(g) Report
on Complaints, Notifications of Summons and Successful Prosecutions
·
Record of all
complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, including locations and
nature of complaints investigation, liaison and consultation undertaken,
actions and follow-up procedures taken, results and summary;
·
Record of
notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the
current environmental protection/pollution control legislation’s, including
locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken,
results and summary;
·
Review of the
reasons for and the implications of non-compliance, complaints, summons and
prosecutions including review of pollution sources and working procedures; and
·
Description of the
actions taken in the event of non-compliance and deficiency reporting and any
follow-up procedures related to earlier non-compliance.
(h) Others
·
An account of the
future key issues as reviewed from the works programme and work method
statements; and
·
Submission of
implementation status proforma, proactive environmental protection proforma,
regulatory compliance proforma, site inspection proforma, data recovery
schedule and complaint log summarising the EM&A of the period.
The subsequent monthly EM&A reports shall include the
following:
(a) Executive
Summary (1-2 pages)
·
Complaint Log
·
Notifications of
any summons and successful prosecutions;
·
Reporting Changes
·
Future key issues
(b) Environmental
Status
·
Construction
Programme with fine tuning of construction activities showing the
inter-relationship with environmental protection/mitigation measures for the
month;
·
Works undertaken
during the month with illustrations including key personnel contact names and
telephone numbers; and
·
Drawing showing
the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers.
(c) Implementation Status
Advice
on the implementation status of environmental protection and pollution
control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study report,
summarised in the updated implementation schedule.
(e) Report
on Complaints, Notifications of Summons and Successful Prosecutions
·
Record of all
complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, including locations and
nature of complaints investigation, liaison and consultation undertaken,
actions and follow-up procedures taken, results and summary;
·
Record of
notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the
current environmental protection/pollution control legislation’s, including
locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken,
results and summary;
·
Review of the
reasons for and the implications of non-compliance, complaints, summons and
prosecutions including review of pollution sources and working procedures; and
·
Description of the
actions taken in the event of non-compliance and deficiency reporting and any
follow-up procedures related to earlier non-compliance.
(f) Others
·
An account of the
future key issues as reviewed from the works programme and work method
statements.
(g)
Appendix
·
Outstanding issues
and deficiencies.
HEC shall prepare and
submit a Monthly Report on Bird Monitoring, for a period of 12
months, during the operation of the wind turbine. Copies of the Monthly Report on Bird Monitoring shall be
submitted to AFCD and EPD. The
exact number of copies required by AFCD and EPD will be established through
liaison.
HEC shall prepare and
submit a Monthly Report on Noise Monitoring, for a period of 6
months, during the operation of the wind turbine. Copies of the Monthly Report on Noise Monitoring shall be
submitted to EPD. The exact number
of copies required by EPD will be established through liaison.
The EM&A programme shall be terminated upon completion
of those construction and operation activities that have the potential to
result in a significant environmental impact and conclusion of the post-project
monitoring.
The final EM&A summary report shall include, inter
alia, the following:
(a)
an executive
summary;
(b)
basic project information including a synopsis
of the project organisation, programme, contracts of key management, and a
synopsis of work undertaken during the entire construction period;
(c) a brief summary of EM&A
requirements including:
·
environmental
mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study final report;
(d) advice
on the implementation status of environmental protection and pollution
control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study report,
summarised in the updated implementation schedule;
(e) drawings
showing the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers;
(g)
provide clear-cut
decisions on the environmental acceptability of the project with reference to
the specific impact hypothesis;
(l) a
summary description of the actions taken in the event of non-compliance and any
follow-up procedures related to earlier non-compliance;
(m) a summary record
of all complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, liaison and
consultation undertaken, actions and follow-up procedures taken;
(p) a summary
record of notification of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of
the current environmental protection/pollution control legislation’s, locations
and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken and results;
(q) review
the practicality and effectiveness of the EIA process and EM&A programme
(e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of the mitigation measures) recommend any
improvement in the EM&A programme; and
(r) a
conclusion to state the return of ambient and/or the predicted scenario as per
EIA findings.
HEC
shall prepare and submit a Monthly Report on Bird Monitoring, for a period
of 12 months, during the
operation of the wind turbine.
Copies of the Monthly Report on Bird Monitoring shall be submitted to
AFCD and EPD. The exact number of
copies required by AFCD and EPD will be established through liaison.
HEC
shall prepare and submit a Monthly Report on Noise Monitoring, for a period
of 6 months, during the
operation of the wind turbine.
Copies of the Monthly Report on Noise Monitoring shall be submitted to
EPD. The exact number of copies
required by EPD will be established through liaison.
Documentation such as the
monitoring field records, site inspection forms, etc. are not required to be
included in the monthly EM&A reports for submission. However, such documents shall be well
kept by the ET Leader and HEC, as appropriate, and shall be available for
inspection upon request. All
relevant information shall be clearly and systematically recorded in the
documents. The monitoring data
shall also be recorded in magnetic media form, and the software copy can be
available upon request. All the
documents and data shall be kept for at least one year after completion of the
construction contract.
Interim notifications of bird collision event during the
operation of the wind turbine will be issued to EPD and AFCD after the
identification of an exceedance.
The notification shall be followed up with advice to HEC, EPD and AFCD
on the results of the investigation, proposed actions and success of the
actions taken, with any necessary follow-up proposals. The Monthly Reports will contain all
available details concerning measures exceedances and complaints, their causes
and those steps taken to control impacts and prevent their recurrence.
To facilitate public inspection of the Baseline Monitoring
Report and Monthly EM&A Reports via the EIAO
Internet Website and at the EIAO Register Office, electronic copies of these Reports shall be prepared in
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) (version 4.0 or later) and in Portable
Document Format (PDF version 4.0 or later), will be submitted at the same time
as the hard copies. For the HTML version, a content page capable of providing
hyperlink to each section and sub-section of these Reports will be included in
the beginning of the document. Hyperlinks to all figures, drawings and tables
in these references are made. All provided in the main text from there the
respective references area made. All graphics in these Reports will be
interlaced GIF format. The content of the electronic of these Reports will be
same as the hard copies.
HEC
shall notify EPD in writing the internet address where the environmental
monitoring data are to be placed. All environmental monitoring data shall be made
available to the public via internet access in the shortest possible time and
in no event later than 2 weeks after the relevant environmental monitoring data
are collected or become available.
The internet address and the relevant environmental monitoring data
shall be made available to the public via the the EIAO
Internet Website and at the EIAO Register Office.
The internet website shall enable user-friendly public
access to the monitoring data with features capable of:
·
Providing access
to all environmental monitoring data collected since the commencement of works;
·
Searching by date;
·
Searching by types
of monitoring data (noise and ecology); and
·
Hyperlinks to
relevant monitoring data after searching.