Construction of Cycle Tracks and the

Associated Supporting Facilities

From Sha Po Tsuen to Shek Sheung River

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Monitoring & Audit (EM&A) Manual

Final

December 2008

In association with

ADI Limited

Oikos Consulting Limited

Hong Kong Institute of Archaeology

Client:	Civil Engineering and Development Department	Contract No. (if any):
		Agreement No.: NTN 5/06
Project Title:	Construction of Cycle Tracks and the Associated Supporting Facilities from Sha Po Tsuen to Shek Sheung River – Environmental Impact Assessment	Project No.: 4082
Document No.:	4082-OR036-02	Controlled Copy No.:
Document Title:	Final Environmental Monitoring & Audit (EM&A) Manual
Covering Letter/Transmittal Ref. No.:		Date of Issue:
4082/OG091/Elt17552/SB/ww		24 December 2008

_{Revision, Review and Approval
Records}

		/	/	/
		/	/	/
		/	/	/
02	Final EM&A Manual	Various / 24 December 2008	Wing Wong / 24 December 2008	Susana Bezy / 24 December 2008
Revision	Description	Prepared by / date	Reviewed by / date	Approved by / date

Distribution (if insufficient space, please use separate paper)

Controlled Copy No.	Issued to
01-13	EPD
14-18	CEDD
19	SWL
20	ACL

Table of Contents

1. introduction.. 1-1

1.1 Background. 1-1

1.2 Construction Programme. 1-1

1.3 Purpose of the Manual 1-1

1.4 Contents. 1-2

2. Project Organisation.. 2-2

2.1 Key Parties and Organisation Chart 2-2

2.2 Civil Engineering & Development Department 2-3

2.3 Environmental Protection Department 2-3

2.4 Engineer’s Representative. 2-3

2.5 Independent Environmental Checker 2-3

2.6 Environmental Team.. 2-4

2.7 The Contractor 2-6

3. Air Quality.. 3-1

3.1 Introduction. 3-1

3.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase. 3-1

3.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase. 3-1

4. noise.. 4-1

4.1 Introduction. 4-1

4.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase. 4-1

4.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase. 4-6

5. Water Quality.. 5-1

5.1 Introduction. 5-1

5.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase. 5-1

5.3 EM&A Requirements during Operational Phase. 5-3

6. Waste Management.. 6-1

6.1 Introduction. 6-1

6.2 EM&A Requirements during Construction Phase. 6-1

6.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase. 6-3

7. Land Contamination.. 7-1

7.1 Introduction. 7-1

7.2 Land Contamination Assessment 7-1

7.3 Safety Precautionary Measures. 7-1

8. Ecology and Fisheries.. 8-1

8.1 Introduction. 8-1

8.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase. 8-1

8.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase. 8-3

9. Cultural Heritage.. 9-1

9.1 Introduction. 9-1

9.2 Precautionary Measures. 9-1

10. Landscape and Visual. 10-1

10.1 Introduction. 10-1

10.2 EM&A Requirements. 10-1

11. Site Environmental Audit.. 11-5

11.1 Site Inspection. 11-5

11.2 Compliance with Legal and Contractual Requirements. 11-6

11.3 Environmental Complaints. 11-6

11.4 Documentation. 11-7

12. Reporting.. 12-1

12.1 General 12-1

12.2 Monthly EM&A Reports. 12-1

12.3 First Monthly EM&A Report 12-1

12.4 Subsequent Monthly EM&A Reports. 12-3

12.5 Quarterly EM&A Summary Reports. 12-5

12.6 Final EM&A Summary Report 12-6

12.7 Typical Forms to be Adopted. 12-8

12.8 Data Keeping. 12-8

12.9 Interim Notifications of Environmental Quality Limit Exceedances. 12-8

List of Tables

Table 4‑1 Selected Construction Noise Monitoring Stations. 4-2

Table 4‑2 Action and Limit Levels for Construction Noise Monitoring. 4-3

Table 4‑3 Event and Action Plan for Construction Noise Monitoring. 4-4

Table 10‑1 Construction Phase Mitigation Measures. 10-2

Table 10‑2 Operational Phase Mitigation Measures. 10-3

List of Figures

Figure 1-1 Proposed Cycle Track Alignment & Supporting Facilities

Figure 4-1 Noise Monitoring Stations

Figure 4-2 Noise Monitoring Stations

Figure 4-3 Noise Monitoring Stations

Figure 7-1 Land Contamination Investigation Locations

Figure 7-2 Land Contamination Investigation Locations

Figure 8-1 Ecological Mitigation Measures

Figure 10-1 Design Concept Drawings and Recommended Landscape Mitigation Measures

Figure 10-2 Design Concept Drawings and Recommended Landscape Mitigation Measures

Figure 10-3 Design Concept Drawings and Recommended Landscape Mitigation Measures

Figure 10-4 Design Concept Drawings and Recommended Landscape Mitigation Measures

Figure 10-5 Design Concept Drawings and Recommended Landscape Mitigation Measures

Figure 10-6 Design Concept Drawings and Recommended Landscape Mitigation Measures

List of Appendices

Appendix 1 Implementation Schedule

Appendix 2 Proforma for EM&A

1. introduction

1.1 Background

1.1.1 This Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual is for the “Construction of Cycle Tracks and the Associated Supporting Facilities from Sha Po Tsuen to Shek Sheung River”.

1.1.2 The Project location is shown on Figure 1-1 and comprises the following primary works elements:

1. Construction of a new cycle track (with footpath) linking up local cycle track networks in Yuen Long and Sheung Shui.

2. Construction of the associated support facilities which includes 5 Resting Stations (formerly named “places of rest” in the EIA Study Brief) - R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9, and 1 Information Kiosk (formerly named “Education Centre” in the EIA Study Brief) integrated into R9. Also, one small seating area consisting of two benches at Mai Po Village (near chainage CH-MP5+800m).

3. The associated streetscape, landscape, utilities diversions, traffic aids installation, street lighting, water, sewerage and drainage works;

4. Provision of environmental mitigation measures.

1.2 Construction Programme

1.2.1 The construction is scheduled to commence in mid 2009 and will be completed by early 2012.

1.3 Purpose of the Manual

1.3.1 The purpose of this EM&A Manual (hereafter refer to as the “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 both the construction and operational phase of the Project. It aims to provide systematic procedures for monitoring, auditing and minimising environmental impacts associated with the construction and operational phases.

1.3.2 Hong Kong environmental regulations, the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) and recommendations in the EIA Report for the Project 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).

1.3.3 This Manual specifies the environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure that the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA are effectively implemented and the whole EM&A programme properly managed.

1.4 Contents

1.4.1 The recommended EM&A programme in this Manual contains the following information:

· Duties of the Contractor, Engineer’s Representative (ER), the Environmental Team (ET) and the Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) with and their respective responsibilities with regards to the EM&A requirements during construction;

· Information on project organisation, work schedule and activities;

· Requirements with respect to the work schedule and the necessary EM&A programme to detect the various possible environmental impacts;

· Definition of Action/ Limit Levels and the establishment of Event/ Action Plans;

· Requirements for reviewing potential sources of pollution and assessing working procedures in the event of non-compliance with the environmental criteria;

· Requirements for the presentation of EM&A data and appropriate reporting procedures; and

· Proposed field data forms to be adopted during the various phases of the works.

1.4.2 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.

1.4.3 An Implementation Schedule (IS) of the environmental mitigation measures has been developed and presented in Appendix 1 in accordance with the requirements of Clause 3.4.12 of the EIA Study Brief.

1.4.4 This Manual shall form the basis and be regarded as an evolving document that should be updated whenever necessary to reflect the EP requirements and activities on-site (e.g. when alternative monitoring locations are proposed). The updated EM&A Manual (if any) shall be certified by ET Leader, verified by IEC and finally submitted to the Engineer’s Representative (ER) and EPD for agreement.

2. Project Organisation

2.1 Key Parties and Organisation Chart

2.1.1 Involvement of relevant parties in a collaborative and interactive manner is essential for the implementation of the recommended EM&A programme. The key parties in an EM&A programme include:

· Civil Engineering & Development Department (CEDD) - Project Proponent

· Environmental Protection Department (EPD) - Environmental Authoritty

· Engineer’s Representative (ER) - Scott Wilson Ltd. employed under Agreement No. CE 22/2006 (HY) by CEDD

· The Independent Checker (Environment) (IEC) – to be employed by CEDD

· The Environmental Team (ET) – to be employed preferably by CEDD or the Contractor

· The Contractor

2.1.2 An organisation chart that shows the relationships of the key parties is presented on Page 2-7. Each key party is briefly described in the following sections.

2.1.3 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 this EM&A Manual for the whole duration of this Project.

2.2 Civil Engineering & Development Department

2.2.1 Civil Engineering & Development Department (CEDD) is the project proponent and works department and hence will assume overall responsibility for the project. CEDD shall liaise with EPD on environmental issues associated with the project with IEC’s advices.

2.3 Environmental Protection Department

2.3.1 Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is the statutory enforcement body for environmental protection matters in Hong Kong.

2.4 Engineer’s Representative

2.4.1 The ER shall be responsible for overseeing the operations of the Contractor and the ET. He shall advise, co-ordinate and give instruction when appropriate for efficient implementation of any specific environmental mitigation measures identified by the Contractor, and/or outstanding EM&A works required to be carried out by ET in consultation with the IEC. The ER shall supervise the Contractor’s activities and ensure that the requirements in the Environmental Permit (EP), EIA Report, EM&A Manual and other government’s standards are fully complied with.

2.4.2 The ER shall inform the Contractor when action is required to reduce impacts in accordance with the Event/Action Plans, and participate in the joint site inspection undertaken by the ET and the Contractor. The ER shall review the EM&A Reports submitted by the ET and follow up the recommendations. He shall ensure that the Contractor is implementing the environmental controls and mitigation measures as set out in the EIA report and EM&A Manual, as well as additional measures necessary for compliance with the relevant environmental standards.

2.4.3 In the event that the ET needs to undertake complaint investigation work, the ER and the Contractor shall adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with Section 11.3 of the Manual, and co-operate with the ET Leader in providing all the necessary information and assistance for completion of the investigation. If mitigation measures are required following the investigation, the ER shall ensure that the Contractor has carried them out.

2.5 Independent Environmental Checker

2.5.1 The IEC shall be employed by CEDD and advise the ER on environmental issues related to the project. The IEC shall not be in any way an associated body of the ER, the Contractor or the ET for the project. The IEC shall be empowered to audit from an independent viewpoint the environmental performance during the construction of the Project. The IEC shall be a person who has relevant professional qualifications in environmental control and at least 7 years experience in EM&A and environmental management.

2.5.2 The IEC shall be responsible for the duties defined in the Manual, and shall audit the overall EM&A programme, including the implementation of all environmental mitigation measures, submissions required in this Manual, as well as any other relevant submissions required under the Environmental Permit. The IEC shall be responsible for verifying the environmental acceptability of permanent and temporary works, relevant design plans and submissions under the EP. The IEC shall verify the logbook prepared and kept by the ET Leader. The IEC shall notify EPD by fax, within 24 hours of receipt of notification from the ET Leader of any such instance or circumstance or change of circumstances or non-compliance with the EIA Report or the EP, which might affect the monitoring or control of adverse environmental impact.

2.5.3 The main duties of the IEC are to carry out independent environmental audit of the project. This shall include, inter alias, the following:

· Review and audit in an independent, objective and professional manner in all aspects of the EM&A programme;

· Validate and confirm the accuracy of monitoring results, appropriateness of monitoring equipment, monitoring locations with reference to the locations of the nearby sensitive receivers, and monitoring procedures;

· Carry out random sample check and audit on monitoring data and sampling procedures, etc;

· Conduct random site inspection (at least once a month);

· Audit the EIA recommendations and EP requirements against the status of implementation of environmental protection measures on site;

· Review the effectiveness of environmental mitigation measures and Project environmental performance;

· On an as needed basis, verify and certify the environmental acceptability of the construction methodology (both temporary and permanent works), relevant design plans and submissions under the environmental permit. Where necessary, the IEC shall agree in consultation with the ET Leader and the Contractor the least impact alternative;

· Verify investigation results of complaint cases and the effectiveness of corrective measures;

· Verify EM&A reports submitted and certified by the ET Leader; and

· Feedback audit results to ER/ ET by signing according to the Event/ Action Plans specified in this Manual.

2.6 Environmental Team

2.6.1 An ET headed by an ET Leader shall preferably be appointed by CEDD or the Contractor to carry out the recommended EM&A programme for this project. Neither ET Leader nor ET shall be in any way an associated body of ER, IEC or the Contractor. The ET Leader shall plan, organise and manage the implementation of the EM&A programme, and ensure that the EM&A works are undertaken to the required standards. The ET Leader shall have relevant professional qualifications in environmental control and possess at least 7 years experience in EM&A and/or environmental management subject to the approval of their employer.

2.6.2 The ET Leader shall be responsible for the implementation of the EM&A programme in accordance with the EM&A requirements specified in this Manual and the EP. The ET Leader shall keep a contemporaneous logbook for recording each and every instance or circumstance or change of circumstances that may affect the compliance with the recommendations of the EIA report. This logbook shall be kept readily available for inspection by the IEC, and Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) or his authorised officers.

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

2.6.4 The broad categories of works of the ET comprise the following:

· Sampling, analysis and statistical evaluation of monitoring parameters with reference to the EIA study recommendations and requirements;

· Environmental site surveillance;

· Inspection and audit of compliance with environmental protection, and pollution prevention and control regulations;

· Inspection and audit of compliance with procedures established to enable an effective response to environmental incidents, exceedances or non-compliance;

· Assess the effectiveness of the environmental mitigation measures implemented;

· Monitor the implementation of environmental mitigation measures;

· Monitor compliance with the environmental protection clauses/specifications in the Contract;

· Review the construction schedule and provide comments as necessary;

· Review work methodologies which may affect the extent of environmental impact during the construction phase and comment as necessary;

· Complaint investigation, evaluation and identification of corrective measures;

· Liaison with the IEC on all environmental performance matters, and timely submission of all relevant EM&A proforma for IEC’s approval;

· Advice to the Contractor on environmental improvement, awareness, enhancement matters, etc. and;

· Timely submission of the EM&A reports to the Project Proponent and the EPD.

2.6.5 In the event of any exceedance in Action/ Limit levels, the ET shall inform the IEC, ER and the Contractor within one working day (Monday to Friday except public holidays) of the occurrence of each and every occurrence, change of circumstances or non-compliance with the EIA Report so that appropriate remedial action can be undertaken by the Contractor promptly.

2.6.6 The ET is also responsible for the preparation of the monthly EM&A reports for submission to IEC, the Contractor and the ER, and through the ER to EPD. The ET shall assist the Contractor and the ER in formulating any necessary corrective actions and/or additional mitigation measures, and liaise with relevant Government Departments where necessary.

2.7 The Contractor

2.7.1 The Contractor shall assign an on-site environmental coordinator to oversee Contractor’s environmental performance and the implementation of the EM&A duties. The coordinator shall be a person who has relevant professional qualifications in environmental control and is subject to approval by the ER.

2.7.2 Upon the commencement of the project, the Contractor’s environmental coordinator shall prepare and submit an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Waste Management Plan (WMP) for the ER’s approval, further to the IEC’s verification. The EMP shall comprise of the appropriate extracts from (and references to) ETWB TCW No. 19/2005, the project EIA report, EM&A Manual and other relevant latest government’s standards.

2.7.3 The Contractor shall participate in the joint site inspection undertaken by the ET. The Contractor shall be responsible for submitting proposals on mitigation measures and providing requested information to the ET in the event of any exceedances in the environmental criteria (Action/ Limit levels) specified in this Manual or other current environmental standards and to rectify unacceptable practices. The Contractor shall discuss with the ET Leader, IEC and ER on any additional mitigation measures identified to be required by the ET and implement the agreed measures to alleviate any identified environmental impact to acceptable levels. The design and implementation of the control and mitigation measures shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

2.7.4 In the event that the ET needs to undertake complaint investigation work, the Contractor and the Engineer shall co-operate with the ET Leader in providing all the necessary information and assistance for completion of the investigation. If mitigation measures are required following the investigation, the Contractor shall promptly carry out these measures.

2.7.5 The Contractor shall report to the ET Leader on the action(s) taken targeting at environmental protection for inclusion in the monthly report to be prepared by the ET.

Organisation Chart

4. noise

4.1 Introduction

4.1.1 The noise assessment in the EIA indicated that residual noise impacts are expected from the construction of the Project at three existing NSRs. Noise monitoring during construction phase of the project is therefore recommended.

4.1.2 Regular site audits, outlined in Section 11 of this Manual, will serve to inspect the implementation status of the mitigation measures for any potential noise impacts during the construction of the Project.

4.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase

Noise Parameters

4.2.1 Construction noise level at the proposed noise monitoring stations shall be measured by the ET in terms of the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (L_eq). Noise measurements shall be carried out with an integrating sound level meter using the ‘fast’ response mode. L_eq(30 min) shall be used as the monitoring parameter for the time period between 07:00-19:00 hours on Monday to Friday except public holidays. For all other time periods, L_eq(5 min) will be employed for comparison with the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) criteria.

4.2.2 The supplementary information for data auditing statistical results such as L₁₀ and L₉₀ shall also be obtained for reference.

Monitoring Equipment

4.2.3 As referred to in the Technical Memorandum (TM) issued under the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO), sound level meters in compliance with the International Electrical Commission Publications 651: 1979 (Type 1) and 804: 1985 (Type 1) specifications shall be used for carrying out the noise monitoring.

4.2.4 Immediately prior to and following each noise measurement, the accuracy of the sound level meter will be checked using an acoustic calibrator generating a known sound pressure level at a known frequency. Measurements may be accepted as valid only if the calibration level from before and after the noise measurement agrees to within 1.0 dB. The acoustic calibrator to be used shall meet IEC 942, 1988 Class 1 specifications. Annual calibration of all sound level meters and acoustic calibrators shall be conducted by a laboratory in Hong Kong or the manufacturer in compliance with national standards as recommended by the manufacturer of the sound level meter and acoustic calibrator.

4.2.5 Noise measurements should be made in accordance with standard acoustical principles and practices in relation to weather conditions.

4.2.6 ET Leader is responsible for the availability of monitoring equipments. He/she shall ensure sufficient noise measuring equipments and associated instrumentations are available for carrying out noise monitoring works. All equipment and associated instrumentations shall be clearly labelled, stored and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Proposed Noise Monitoring Stations

4.2.7 Six noise monitoring stations have been recommended for construction noise monitoring. The required noise monitoring stations are provided in Table 4-1 and their locations are also shown in Figures 4-1 to 4-3.

Table 4‑1 Selected Construction Noise Monitoring Stations

Noise Monitoring Station	Description
N1	Wong Chan Sook Ying Memorial School
N2	Bethel High School
N3	No. 159 Mai Po San Tsuen
N4	No. 1C Mai Po Lo Wai
N5	Block 2, Dills Corner Garden
N6	Home of Loving Faithfulness

4.2.8 Should the status and locations of NSRs be changed after issuing this Manual, the ET Leader shall propose the updated monitoring location(s) and seek approval from ER and agreement from the IEC and EPD of the new proposal.

4.2.9 When alternative monitoring location(s) is/are proposed, the monitoring location(s) shall be chosen based on the following criteria:

· At location(s) close to the major site activities which is/are likely to have noise impacts;

· Close to the NSRs (as defined by the EIAO TM); and

· For monitoring locations located in the vicinity of the sensitive receivers, care shall be taken to cause minimal disturbance to occupants during monitoring.

4.2.10 The monitoring station shall normally be at a point 1 m from the exterior of the building facade and be at a position 1.2 m above the ground.

4.2.11 If there is a problem with access to the normal monitoring position, an alternative position may be chosen, and a correction to the measurements shall be made. For reference, a correction of +3 dB(A) shall be made to the free field measurements. The ET Leader shall agree with the IEC on the monitoring position and the corrections adopted. Once the position for the monitoring station is chosen, the impact monitoring shall be carried out at the same position.

4.2.12 Noise measurements shall be recorded on a field data sheet together with relevant information including project name, date and time of sampling, monitoring location and parameters, site observations and remarks. A sample field data sheet is attached in Appendix 2.

Impact Monitoring

4.2.13 The ET shall conduct noise monitoring at the designated monitoring stations. Noise monitoring shall be conducted on a weekly basis when noise-generating activities are underway within 300 m of the proposed monitoring stations. As it is expected that no construction works can be conducted during restricted hours of Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) while meeting the noise criteria, one set of measurement shall be taken between 07:00-19:00 hours on Mondays to Fridays except public holidays. For any schools near the construction activity, noise monitoring shall be carried out at the monitoring stations for the schools during the school examination periods. The ET Leader shall liaise with the school's personnel and the Examination Authority to ascertain the exact dates and times of all examination periods during the course of the contract.

4.2.14 General construction works carried out during restricted hours are controlled by the Construction Noise Permit (CNP) System, under the NCO. The Contractor shall apply for a CNP and abide by the requirements of the permit should works be necessary in the restricted hours. The ET shall also conduct additional noise monitoring at the designated monitoring station(s) within the restricted hours if stated in the CNP. The frequency and duration of the additional noise monitoring within restricted hours shall be proposed by the ET Leader and approved by the IEC.

4.2.15 In case of non-compliance with the construction noise criteria, more frequent monitoring as specified in the Event and Action Plan shall be carried out. This additional monitoring shall be continued until the recorded noise levels are rectified or proved to be irrelevant to the construction activities.

Event and Action Plan

4.2.16 The Action and Limit Levels for construction noise are defined in Table 4‑2 below. Should non-compliance of the noise criteria occur, actions in accordance with the Event and Action Plan given in Table 4‑3 should be carried out.

Table 4‑2 Action and Limit Levels for Construction Noise Monitoring

Noise Sensitive Uses	0700 to 1900 hours on any day not being a Sunday or general holiday, Leq(30 min), dB(A)
	Action	Limit
Dwelling	When one documented complaint is received	75
School		70 (65 during examination)

6. Waste Management

6.1 Introduction

6.1.1 Based on the waste management implication assessed in the EIA report, it has been identified that some construction wastes (including inert and non-inert wastes), chemical waste and general refuse will be generated from the construction activities. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste will be fully reused on site as far as practicable.

6.1.2 Through proper on-site handling and storage (covered containers), reuse (of inert construction wastes) and off-site disposal (via approved waste collectors to approved waste facilities and/or disposal grounds) the generation, handling and disposal of these wastes are not expected to give rise to any adverse environmental impacts. The ET shall check the Contractor’s implementation of waste management practices during the regular site environmental audits to ensure wastes are being managed properly.

6.2 EM&A Requirements during Construction Phase

Site Audit / Inspection

6.2.1 Site inspections and supervisions of waste management procedures and auditing of the effectiveness of implemented mitigation measures should be undertaken by the ET on a regular basis (e.g. weekly as a minimum). These tasks shall be scheduled in the Waste Management Plan (WMP) to be prepared by the Contractor, and the site audits summary shall be presented in the EM&A reports.

Waste Management Practices

6.2.2 An on-site environmental co-ordinator shall be employed by the Contractor. Prior to commencement of Project works, the co-ordinator shall prepare a WMP in accordance with the requirements set out in the ETWB TCW No. 19/2005, Waste Management on Construction Sites, for the ER’s approval. The WMP shall include monthly and yearly Waste Flow Tables (WFT) that indicate the amounts of waste generated, recycled and disposed of (including final disposal site), and which should be regularly updated.

6.2.3 The overall principles of construction waste management are to reduce waste generation and to reuse and recycle construction waste. The arrangement for avoidance, reuse, recovery and recycling, storage, collection, treatment and disposal of different categories of waste to be generated from the construction activities and the recommended mitigation measures are to be described in a WMP.

6.2.4 The WMP will indicate the disposal location(s) of all surplus excavated materials and wastes. A trip ticket system in accordance with ETWB TC (W) No. 31/2004 “Trip Ticket System for Disposal of Construction and Demolition Material” shall be included in the WMP. Surplus excavated materials and wastes shall only be disposed of at designated disposal locations unless otherwise approved by the Director. All measures recommended in the WMP shall be fully and properly implemented by the Contractor throughout the construction period.

Mitigation Measures

6.2.5 The implementation status of the following mitigation measures should be monitored through the site audit programme by the ET:

· To minimize the production of construction waste through careful design, planning, good site management, and control of ordering procedures, segregation and reuse of materials; To arrange for private contractors to collect used formwork materials for reuse;

· To dispose of any chemical wastes such as lubricating oil or solvent in strict accordance with the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation. Only licensed chemical waste collectors shall be employed to collect any chemical waste generated at site. The handling, storage, transportation and disposal of chemical wastes shall be conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes and A Guide to the Chemical Waste Control Scheme both published by EPD;

· All chemical toilets, if any, shall be regularly cleaned and the night-soil collected and transported by a licensed contractor to a Government Sewage Treatment Works facility for disposal;

· To assign a reliable waste collector to collect general refuse generated from the construction site on a daily basis to minimise the potential odour, pest and litter impacts; and

· To identify requirements on proper waste management for implementation during the operation of the project.

· Toolbox talks should be provided to workers about the concepts of site cleanliness and appropriate waste management procedures, including waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Good Site Practices

6.2.6 In order to check that the waste control and mitigation measures have been implemented by the Contractor as good site practices, the following shall be included as part of the site inspections and audits:

1. The reuse/recycling of all materials on site shall be investigated prior to treatment/disposal off site;

2. Good site practices shall be adopted from the commencement of works to avoid the generation of waste, reduce cross contamination of waste and to promote waste minimisation practices;

3. All waste materials shall preferably be sorted on-site into inert and non-inert construction wastes, and where the materials will be recycled or reused these shall be further segregated. Inert material, or public fill will comprise stone, rock, masonry, brick, concrete and soil which is suitable for land reclamation and site formation whilst non-inert materials include all other wastes generated from the construction process such as plastic packaging and vegetation (from site clearance).

4. The Contractor shall be responsible for identifying what materials can be recycled/ reused, whether on-site or off-site. In the event of the latter, the Contractor shall make arrangements for the collection of the recyclable materials. Any remaining non-inert waste shall be collected and disposed of to the Public Filling Areas whilst any inert C&D materials shall be re-used on site as far as possible. Alternatively, if no use of the inert material can be found on-site, the materials can be delivered to a Public Fill Area or Public Fill Bank after obtaining the appropriate licence;

5. In order to monitor the disposal of C&D material and solid wastes at public filling facilities and landfills, and control fly-tipping, a trip-ticket system shall be implemented by the Contractor, in accordance with the contract and the requirements of WBTC 31/2004 “Trip Ticket System for Disposal of Construction and Demolition Material”.

6. Under the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation, the Contractor shall register with EPD as a Chemical Waste Producer if there is any use of chemicals on site including lubricants, paints, diesel fuel, etc. Only licensed chemical waste collectors shall be employed to collect any chemical waste generated at site. The handling, storage, transportation and disposal of chemical wastes shall be conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes and A Guide to the Chemical Waste Control Scheme both published by EPD

7. A sufficient number of covered bins shall be provided on site for the containment of general refuse to prevent visual impacts and nuisance to the sensitive surroundings. These bins shall be cleared daily and the collected waste disposed of to the refuse transfer station. Further to the issue of ETWB TCW No. 6/2002A, Enhanced Specification for Site Cleanliness and Tidiness, the Contractor is required to maintain a clean and hygienic site throughout the project works;

8. All chemical toilets, if any, shall be regularly cleaned and the night-soil collected and transported by a licensed contractor to a Government Sewage Treatment Works facility for disposal;

9. Tool-box talks should be provided to workers about the concepts of site cleanliness and appropriate waste management procedures, including waste reduction, reuse and recycling; and

10. The Contractor shall comply with all relevant statutory requirements and guidelines and their updated versions that may be issued during the course of project construction.

6.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase

6.3.1 Given the nature of use of the Project, there is no EM&A requirement considered necessary during the operational phase.

Waste Management Practices

6.3.2 Waste collection facilities (e.g. litter bins) will be included in the design of the supporting facilities, and at regular intervals along the route. The Government Department responsible for managing the facilities will be responsible for arranging for regular collection of litter from these facilities. Separate collection bins shall be provided for aluminium cans, plastic drinks bottles and paper wastes, which will facilitate recycling of these waste streams.

8. Ecology and Fisheries

8.1 Introduction

8.1.1 The EIA report concluded that there will be no significant overall loss of valuable ecological habitat and it is considered any impacts to surrounding habitats and species that will arise from the construction and operation of the cycle track will be minor given that appropriate mitigation measures and good practices are properly implemented.

8.1.2 It also concluded that there will be no overall loss of fishponds and it is considered that no significant negative impacts to aquaculture or water quality will arise from the construction and operation of the cycle track. No specific ecological or fisheries monitoring is required.

8.1.3 Regular site audits, detailed in Section 11 of this Manual, will serve to inspect the implementation status of the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA report.

8.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase

Site Audit / Inspection

8.2.1 Site inspections and auditing of the effectiveness of implemented mitigation measures should be undertaken by the ET on a regular basis (at least twice a month). In particular, the construction works within the Kam Tin and Long Valley Sections of the Project shall be carried out during the dry season (October to March), and for the section in the vicinity of Mai Po Egretry during the non-breeding season (September to February).

Mitigation Measures

8.2.2 Local narrowing of the cycle track (from the standard 4 m to 3 m) shall be implemented to avoid the impact of the cycle track on the single, inactive fishpond edge just outside Mai Po Village (Figure 10-1 of the EIA Report refers).

8.2.3 Prior to tree felling, survey inspections should be made for their suitability for roosting bats. Once these trees have been highlighted, then appropriate checks of each tree for bats should be made prior to removal as a precautionary measure.

8.2.4 For the Kam Tin section and the Long Valley section of the Project, construction works shall be carried out during the dry season (October to March) if possible, to prevent any site run-off to adjacent water channels and fishponds; if not, additional measures shall be provided by the Contractor to demonstrate that site runoff will not affect sensitive receivers. In addition, construction of the Long Valley section would need to be completed during the dry season to avoid the breeding season of Greater Painted-snipes. For the short section of the proposed cycle track that passes close to some fishponds within the WCA along San Tin Tsuen Road (see Figure 9-14 of the EIA Report), it is also recommended that work be carried out in the dry season (October to March) to prevent site run-off into ponds, if practicable.

8.2.5 Construction of the section in the vicinity of Mai Po Egretry would need to be completed outside of the recognised breeding season for Ardeids in Hong Kong to prevent any disturbance to the nesting birds. This breeding season is from March to August inclusive. Therefore, construction should take place between the months of September to February to avoid any disturbance to breeding and nesting birds.

8.2.6 Planting of tall bamboo or other vegetation could also be implemented at the corner of Mai Po Road and Castle Peak Road on the northern side to act as a screen between the cycle track and the Mai Po Egretry. In situ compensation planting at the Information Kiosk and R9 should occur to provide continuing function of the bamboo and plantation (see Figure 8-1). It is recommended that the Information Kiosk and Resting Station R9 should be designed sympathetically to the natural surroundings. Compensation planting along the Sheung Yue River and Shek Sheung River including at R9 and Information Kiosk could be implemented as appropriate.

8.2.7 To prevent any negative impact to water quality as a result of site run-off, good site practice must be employed at all times, particularly in the areas close to fishponds. Practice Note for Professional Persons ProPECC PN1/94 – Construction Site Drainage shall be implemented.

8.2.8 Along Pok Wai South Road and San Tin Tsuen Roads, once the final construction sequencing is known, liaison with local residents and aquaculturists should be implemented in order to minimise temporary road blockages and to identify the best timing for works along this area.

8.2.9 During wet seasons, surface run-off from the construction sites will need to be directed into storm drains via adequately designed wastewater treatment facilities such as sand traps, silt traps, oil interceptors and sediment settling basins. Works adjacent to the fishponds near NTMDC inside the Wetland Conservation Area (WCA) and Mai Po San Tsuen should be avoided, as far as practicable, during the wet season to avoid runoff into the fishponds.

8.2.10 The use of signage at the Resting Stations to indicate that wildlife may be present and that noise levels and activities should be kept to a minimum could be implemented. This may help to reduce any potential disturbance to wildlife from human activity. At Long Valley, to mitigate against potential indirect human disturbance to Greater Painted-snipe, planting could be undertaken as appropriate along the proposed cycle track at meander 8 to act as screening

General Good Work Practices

8.2.11 To further demonstrate ecological and environmental awareness, a series of mitigation measures should be implemented throughout the construction and future maintenance of the cycle tracks. These are as follows:

· Avoid soil storage against trees;

· Fence off any potentially ecologically sensitive areas;

· Delineation of works area to prevent encroachment onto adjacent habitats;

· Reinstatement of habitat after works;

· No on-site burning of waste;

· Waste and refuse in appropriate receptacles;

· Staff training/ toolbox talks for site work near Long Valley and WCA – important areas for birds therefore staff should reduce amount of noise whilst working and during breaks where possible;

· Regular ecological checks; and

· Silt/ sediment/ oil traps for drainage to prevent site run-off

8.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase

8.3.1 Operational Phase EM&A will comprise of an audit undertaken by the ET Leader during the first year of operation of the cycle track to ensure appropriate implementation of mitigation measures including signage, mitigation planting at Mai Po Egretry, R9 and planting for screening at meander 8 in Long Valley.

.

10. Landscape and Visual

10.1 Introduction

10.1.1 The EIA has recommended landscape and visual mitigation measures to be undertaken during construction and operation phases of the Project. The implementation and maintenance of landscape mitigation measures should be checked to ensure that they are fully realised and that potential conflicts between the proposed landscape measures and any other project works and operational requirements are resolved at the earliest possible date and without compromise to the intention of the mitigation measures.

10.2 EM&A Requirements

Construction and Operational Audits

10.2.1 Regular audits should be carried out to ensure all the recommended landscape and visual mitigation measures would be effectively implemented.

10.2.2 A qualified Landscape Architect should be employed for the implementation of landscape construction works particularly during site clearance operations when the proposed tree felling and transplanting will take place and subsequent maintenance operations during the 12 month establishment period during the operational stage.

10.2.3 All measures undertaken during the construction stage and the first year of the operational stage shall be audited by the Landscape Architect, as a member of the Environmental Team. This shall be completed on a regular basis to ensure compliance with the intended aims of the EIA. Site inspections should be undertaken at two times a month throughout the construction period and once every quarter during the first year of the operational stage.

Mitigation Measures During Construction

10.2.4 Mitigation measures are recommended in the EIA for construction of the Project, these are provided in Table 10-1. Detailed requirements of the mitigation measures are provided in the Implementation Schedule in Appendix 1.

Table 10‑1 Construction Phase Mitigation Measures

Mitigation Code	Mitigation Measure
CP1	Preservation of Existing Vegetation - The proposed works should avoid disturbance to the existing trees as far as practicable within the works areas. It is recommended that a full tree survey and felling application will be undertaken and submitted for approval by the relevant government departments in accordance with ETWB TCW No. 03/2006, ‘Tree Preservation’ during the detailed design phase of the project. Where possible all trees which are not in conflict with the proposals would be retained and shall be protected by means of fencing where appropriate to prevent potential damage to tree canopies and root zones from vehicles and storage of materials. Specifications for the protection of existing trees will be circulated for approval by the relevant government authorities during the preparation of the detailed tree survey by IDC consultants at detailed design and construction stage.
CP2	Preservation of Existing Topsoil - Topsoil disturbed during the construction phase will be tested using a standard soil testing methodology and where it is found to be worthy of retention stored for re-use. The soil will be stockpiled to a maximum height of 2 m and will be either temporarily vegetated with hydroseeded grass during construction or covered with a waterproof covering to prevent erosion. The stockpile should be turned over on a regular basis to avoid acidification and the degradation of the organic material, and reused after completion. Alternatively, if this is not practicable, it should be considered for use elsewhere, including other projects.
CP3	Works Area and Temporary Works Areas - The landscape of these works areas should be restored to its original status or new amenity area following the completion of the construction phase. Construction site controls shall be enforced, where possible, to ensure that the landscape and visual impacts arising from the construction phase activities are minimised including the storage of materials, the location and appearance of site accommodation and the careful design of site lighting to prevent light spillage. Screen hoarding may not be practicable for this project due to the close viewing distances involved and spatial constraints of the works area.
CP4	Mitigation Planting - Replanting of disturbed vegetation should be undertaken at the earliest possible stage of the construction phase of the project and this should use predominantly native and/or ornamental plant species.
CP5	Transplantation of Existing Trees - Existing 792 trees recommended to be transplanted under the current proposal, final recipient site should be, as far as space allows, adjacent to their current locations alongside of the cycle track or within supporting facilities to retain their contribution to the local landscape context, potential recipient sites are shown in Figure 12-9I to 12-9P Conceptual Landscape Mater Plan of the EIA Report. The implementation programme of the proposed works should reserve enough time for advance tree transplanting preparation works to enhance the survival of these transplant trees. Transplanting proposals will subject to the findings of the detailed tree survey and felling application undertaken by IDC consultants at the detailed design stage and upon to the approval by relevant departments.
CP6	Coordination with Concurrent Projects - Coordinated implementation program with concurrent projects such as Kam Tin Trunk Sewerage Improvement Works undertaken from DSD to minimise cumulative landscape impact. This is evident through taking up the implementation of proposed landscape areas under Kam Tin Trunk Sewerage Improvement Works by cycle track proponent upon completion of cycle track.

Mitigation Measures During Operation

10.2.5 Mitigation measures recommended during operational phase of the Project are provided in Table 10-2. The Design Concept Drawings of cycle track and associated facilities are presented in Figures 10-1 to 10-6, which demonstrates the main landscape and visual mitigation strategies recommended in the EIA. Detailed requirements of the mitigation measures are provided in the Implementation Schedule in Appendix 1.

Table 10‑2 Operational Phase Mitigation Measures

Mitigation Code	Mitigation Measure
OP1	Design of Cycle Track and Associated Facilities - the cycle track, Resting Station and Information Kiosk will incorporate design features as part of design mitigation measures including: 1. Integrated design approach – the alignment of cycle track should integrated, as far as technically feasible, with existing built structures such as existing road, footpath and track and embankment of river and drainage channel as part of design mitigation measures to reduce the potential cumulative impact of the proposed works. The location and orientation of the associated facilities should be away from landscape and visually sensitive areas such wetland, fishpond and agricultural field. 2. Building massing - the proposed use of simple responsive design with a building height profile ,single-storey, lower than the adjacent village houses and avoids large built structure for supporting facilities to reduce the intrusion of mass in the rural area. 3. Treatment of built structures - the architectural design should seek to reduce the apparent visual mass of the facilities further through the use of natural materials such as wooden frame, vertical greening or other sustainable materials such as recycle plastic. 4. Responsive building finishes - In terms of the building finishes natural tones should be considered for the colour palette with non-reflective finishes are recommended on the outward facing building facades to reduce glare effect. 5. Responsive lighting design – Aesthetic design of architectural and track lighting with following glare design measures: § Directional and full cut off lighting is recommended particularly for recreation and roadside areas to minimise light spillage to the surrounding areas; § Minimise geographical spread of lighting, only applied for safety at the key access points and staircases; § Limited lighting intensity to meet the minimum safety and operation requirement; and § High-pressure sodium road lighting is recommended for more stringent light control reducing spillage and thus visual impacts.
OP2	Roadside and Amenity Planting – These planting will utilise large ornamental trees either with high canopy and thin foliage to allow visual access in the views from the adjacent neighbourhoods to the further roadside or rural landscape or dense foliage at selected locations to provide shade environment for cyclist and give accent to the existing roadside planting whilst native species will utilise on sloping or wooded areas improving the ecological connectivity between existing woodland habitats with the advantage of creating a more coherent landscape framework. Large Feature Trees will utilise within the Resting Stations or along the cycle track, where space allows, to create shaded environment and instant greening effect species such as Aleurites moluccana, Bombax malabaricum, Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus bengimina, Ficus microcarpa, Grevillea robusta, are considered. The other ornamental or native species such as Delonix regia, Bauhinia blakeana, Cassia siamea, Cassia surttensis, Celtis sinensis and Microcos paniculata are considered in the planting proposal to create a comprehensive planting framework that could enhance both ecological and landscape value of the context. Vertical greening measures should also be considered on engineering structures
OP3	Compensatory Planting Proposals - Given the works extent is largely limited along existing roadside and channel side areas to minimise impact to existing village settlements and valuable landscape resources such as wetland, streamcourse and existing trees, and considered the importance of tree retention within the works area, new tree planting will concentrate in the proposed amenity areas along the track infilling between retained and transplanted trees. Even though proposed planting areas will be largely reserved for receiving transplanted trees, the preliminary planting proposals for the proposed works include some 919 new trees utilised a combination of mature to light standard sized stock in general roadside planting areas and semi-nature stock for feature trees at selected locations. (i.e. approximate15% of mature trees, 25% of heavy standard trees, 50% of standard trees, and 10% light standard trees).The proposed planting will result in a compensatory planting ratio of 1.28:1 (new planting: trees recommended for felling). This compares favourably with the report's assertion that some 721 trees would be felled due to the proposed works. Following the retention of existing trees through preserving them at their current locations or transplanting locally to new planting areas along the cycle track, the successful establishment of newly planted trees and the transplantation of some of the existing trees, the project area will contain approximately 1824 trees. Trees forming part of the roadside and slope planting will provide amenity and shaded for the cyclists as well as neighbourhood villagers and will utilise species native to Hong Kong or wide canopy evergreen or with ornamental feature while the species selection for the areas within the Resting Stations or information kiosk will required more design accent utilised more flowering species and large feature trees. These proposals will be subject to review at detailed design stage of the project.
OP4	Treatment of Retaining Wall and Slopes- In accordance with GEO Publication No. 1/2000 "Technical Guidelines on Landscape Treatment and Bio-engineering for Man-made Slopes and Retaining Walls", these engineering structures will be aesthetically enhanced through the use of soft landscape works including tree and shrub planting to give man-made slopes a more natural appearance blending into the local rural landscape. Whip sized planting is preferred on the face of soil cut slopes and at the crest and toe of the slope, and within berm planters these smaller, younger plants adapt to their new growing conditions more quickly than larger sized stock and establish a naturalistic effect more rapidly.

11. Site Environmental Audit

11.1 Site Inspection

11.1.1 Site inspection provides a direct means to trigger and enforce the specified environmental protection and pollution control measures necessary to comply with the contract specifications. They shall be undertaken regularly and routinely by the ET to inspect the activities at the works site in order to ensure that appropriate environmental protection and pollution control mitigation measures are properly implemented by the Contractor in accordance with the EM&A recommendations. With well-defined pollution control and mitigation specifications and a well-established site inspection, deficiency and action reporting system, site inspection is one of the most effective tools to enforce the environmental protection requirements on the site.

11.1.2 The ET Leader is responsible for formulation of the environmental site inspection, deficiency and action reporting system, and for carrying out the site inspections under the EM&A works. He/she shall prepare and submit a proposal on the site inspection, deficiency and action reporting procedures within 21 days of the construction contract commencement to the Contractor for agreement and to the ER and IEC for approval. The ET’s proposal for rectification would be made known to the IEC.

11.1.3 The ET shall conduct a site inspection at least once a week during the construction period of the Project. The areas of inspection shall include, but shall not be limited to, the environmental situation, and pollution control and mitigation measures within the site. It should also review the environmental situation outside the site area that is likely to be affected, directly or indirectly, by the site activities. The ET Leader shall make reference to the following information in conducting the inspection:

· The EIA recommendations and requirements in this Manual on environmental protection and pollution control mitigation measures;

· On-going results of the EM&A programme;

· Works progress and programme;

· Individual works methodology proposals (which shall include proposals on associated pollution control measures);

· The contract specifications on environmental protection and pollution prevention;

· The relevant environmental protection and pollution control laws, ProPECC Notes; and

· Previous site inspection results undertaken by the ET.

11.1.4 The Contractor shall update the ET with all relevant information of the contract for him/ her to carry out the site inspections. The inspection results and its associated recommendations on improvements to the environmental protection and pollution control works shall be submitted to the IEC and the Contractor in a site inspection proforma within 24 hours, for reference and for taking immediate action.

11.1.5 The Contractor shall follow the procedures and time frame as stipulated in the environmental site inspection, deficiency and action reporting system formulated by the ET to report on any remedial measures subsequent to the site inspections.

11.1.6 The ET shall conduct ad-hoc site inspections if significant environmental problems are identified. The IEC shall also conduct independent site audits. Inspections may also be required subsequent to receipt of any environmental complaints, or as part of the investigation work, as specified in the Event/Action Plan for environmental monitoring and audit.

11.2 Compliance with Legal and Contractual Requirements

11.2.1 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.

11.2.2 The Contractor shall regularly copy relevant documents to the ET so that the checking work can be carried out. The documents shall at least include the updated Work Progress Reports, the updated Works Programme, application letters for different license/permits under the environmental protection laws, and all valid licence(s)/permit(s). The site diary shall also be available for the ET’s inspection upon his request.

11.2.3 After reviewing the document, the ET Leader shall advise the ER and the Contractor 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 may not cope 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 the Contractor and the ER accordingly. The review shall be copied to IEC for any follow-up action.

11.2.4 Upon receipt of the advice, the Contractor shall undertake immediate action to remedy the situation. The ER shall check that the Contractor has taken appropriate action in order that the environmental protection and pollution control requirements are fulfilled.

11.3 Environmental Complaints

11.3.1 Complaints reviewed on environmental issues shall be referred to the ET Leader for carrying out complaint investigation procedures. Upon receipt of complaints the ET shall undertake the tasks outlined below.

· Log complaint and date of receipt onto the complaint database and inform the IEC immediately;

· Investigate the complaint to determine its validity, and to assess whether the source of the problem is due to works activities;

· If a complaint is valid and due to works, identify mitigation measures in consultations with the IEC;

· If mitigation measures are required, advise the Contractor accordingly;

· Review the Contractor’s implementation of the identified mitigation measures, and the concurrent situation;

· If the complaint is transferred from EPD, submit interim report to EPD on status of the complaint investigation and follow-up action within the time frame assigned by EPD;

· Undertake additional monitoring and audit to verify the complaint if necessary, and ensure that any valid reason for complaint does not recur through proposed amendments to work methods, procedures, machines and/or equipment, etc;

· Report the investigation results and the subsequent actions to the source of complaint. (If the source of complaint is identified through EPD, the results should be reported within the time frame assigned by EPD); and

· Log a record on the complaint, investigation, the subsequent actions and the results in the monthly EM&A reports.

11.3.2 The ET Leader shall immediately notify the ER, IEC, Contractor and EPD of any complaints received and keep him well informed of the actions being taken to settle these complaints.

11.3.3 During the complaint investigation work, the Contractor and ER shall co-operate with the ET Leader in providing all the necessary information and assistance for completion of the investigation. If mitigation measures are identified to be required in the investigation in consultation with the IEC, the Contractor shall promptly carry out the measures. The ER shall ensure that the Contractor has implemented the mitigation measures.

11.4 Documentation

11.4.1 All documentation is required to be filed in a traceable and systematically manner and ready for inspection upon request. All EM&A results and findings shall be documented in the EM&A report prepared by the ET and endorsed by IEC prior to circulation to the Contractor, ER and EPD

12. Reporting

12.1 General

12.1.1 The following reporting requirements are based upon a paper-documented approach. However, the same information shall be provided in an electronic medium upon agreeing the format with the ER and EPD. All the monitoring data shall also be submitted in an agreed electronic format in accordance with the requirements under Annex 21 of the EIAO TM. This would enable a transition from a paper/historic and reactive approach to an electronic/real time proactive approach.

12.2 Monthly EM&A Reports

12.2.1 The results and findings of all EM&A work required in this Manual shall be presented in a monthly EM&A report prepared and certified by the ET Leader. The monthly EM&A reports shall be verified by IEC and then submitted to EPD.

12.2.2 Each EM&A monthly report shall be submitted within 10 working days of the end of each reporting month. The first report is due in the month after the construction commences. The monthly EM&A report shall be submitted to the ER, the Contractor, the IEC and EPD. Before submission of the first EM&A report, the ET Leader shall liaise with the parties on the exact number of copies needed and format of the monthly reports for both hard and soft copy.

12.2.3 The ET Leader shall review the number and location of monitoring stations and parameters to be monitored every 6 months or on a needed basis in order to cater for the changes in surrounding environment and nature of works in progress.

12.3 First Monthly EM&A Report

12.3.1 The first monthly EM&A report shall include at least the following, where applicable:

6. Executive Summary (1-2 pages);

- Breaches of Action/ Limit levels;

- Complaint Log;

- Notifications of any summons and successful prosecutions;

- Reporting Changes; and

- Future key issues.

7. Basic Project Information

- Project organisation including key personnel contact names and telephone numbers;

- Programme with fine tuning of activities showing the inter-relationship with environmental protection/mitigation measures for the month;

- Management structure; and

- Work undertaken during the month.

8. Environmental Status

- Works undertaken during the month with illustrations (such as location of works); and

- Drawings showing the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers and the locations of the monitoring and control stations.

9. Summary of EM&A requirements including:

- All monitoring parameters;

- Environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels);

- Event/Action Plans;

- Environmental mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study final report;

- Environmental requirements in contract documents;

1. Implementation Status

- Advice on the implementation status of environmental protection and pollution control/ mitigation measures as recommended in the project EIA report, summarised in the updated implementation schedule.

2. Monitoring Results (in both hard and soft copies) together with the following information

- Monitoring methodology;

- Name of laboratory and types of equipment used and calibration details;

- Parameters monitored;

- Monitoring locations;

- Monitoring date, time, frequency, and duration;

- Weather conditions during the period;

- Graphical plots of the monitored parameters in the month annotated against;

§ Major activities being carried out on site during the period;

§ Weather conditions that may affect the results; and

§ Any other factors which might affect the monitoring results;

- QA/QC results and detection limits;

- Waste generation and disposal records;

- All monitoring results should be tabulated with exceedances highlighted for ease of reference; and

- Compare/contrast and assess the EM&A data with the EIA predictions and provide discussion for any discrepancies.

3. Report on Non-compliance, Complaints, Notifications of Summons and Successful Prosecutions

- Compliance status with the EP under the EIAO and any EP submissions;

- Record of all non-compliance (exceedances) of the environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels);

- 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 all notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental protection/ pollution control legislation, including locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken, result 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.

4. Comments, Recommendations and Conclusions

- An account of the future key issues reviewed from the works programme and work method statements;

- Advice on the solid and liquid waste management status; 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.

12.4 Subsequent Monthly EM&A Reports

12.4.1 The subsequent monthly EM&A reports shall include the following:

1. Executive Summary (1-2 pages)

- Breaches of Action/ Limit levels;

- Complaint log;

- Notifications of any summons and successful prosecutions;

- Reporting changes;

- Future key issues.

2. Environmental Status

- Programme with fine tuning of activities showing the inter-relationship with environmental protection/mitigation measures for the month;

- Work undertaken during the month with illustrations including key personnel contact names and telephone numbers; and

- Drawings showing the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers and the locations of the monitoring and control stations.

3. Monitoring Results (in both hard and electronic copies) together with the following information.

- Monitoring methodology;

- Types of equipment used and calibration details;

- Parameters monitored;

- Monitoring locations;

- Monitoring date, time, frequency, and duration;

- Weather conditions during the period;

- Graphical plots of the monitored parameters in the month annotated against;

§ Major activities being carried out on site during the period;

§ Weather conditions that may affect the results; and

§ Any other factors which might affect the monitoring results;

- QA/QC results and detection limits;

- Waste generation and disposal records;

- All monitoring results should be tabulated with exceedances highlighted for ease of reference; and

- Compare/contrast and assess the EM&A data with the EIA predictions and provide discussion for any discrepancies.

4. Implementation Status

- Advice on the implementation status of environmental protection and pollution control/mitigation measures as recommended in the Project EIA report, summarised in the updated implementation schedule.

5. Report on Non-compliance, Complaints, Notifications of Summons and Successful Prosecutions

- Record of all non-compliance (exceedances) of the environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels);

- Record of all notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental protection/pollution control legislation, including locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken, result 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

- A description of the actions taken in the event of non-compliance and deficiency reporting and any follow-up procedures related to earlier non-compliance.

6. Comments, Recommendations and Conclusions

- An account of the future key issues reviewed from the works programme and work method statements;

- Advice on the solid and liquid waste management status; and

7. Appendix

- Action/ Limit Levels;

- Graphical plots of trends of monitored parameters at key stations over the past four reporting periods for representative monitoring stations annotated against the following:

§ Major activities being carried out on Site during the periods;

§ Weather conditions during the period; and

- Any other factors which might affect the monitoring results

§ Monitoring schedule for the present and next reporting period;

§ Cumulative statistics on complaints, notifications of summons and successful prosecutions; and

§ Outstanding issues and deficiencies.

12.5 Quarterly EM&A Summary Reports

12.5.1 The quarterly EM&A summary report, which should generally be around 5 pages (including about 3 of text and tables and 2 of figures), should contain at least the following listed information. Apart from these, the first quarterly summary report should also confirm that the monitoring work is proving effective and that it is generating data with the necessary statistical power to categorically identify or confirm the absence of impact attributable to the works.

1. Up to half a page executive summary;

2. Basic project information including a synopsis of the project organisation, programme, contacts of key management, and a synopsis of work undertaken during the quarter;

3. A brief summary of EM&A requirements including:

- Monitoring parameters;

- Environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels); and

- Environmental mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA report;

4. 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, including waste generation and disposal records;

5. Drawings showing the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers and the locations of the monitoring and control stations;

6. Compliance status with the EP under the EIAO and any EP submissions;

7. Graphical plots of the trends of monitored parameters over the past 4 months (the last month of the previous quarter and the present quarter) for representative monitoring stations annotated against;

- The major activities being carried out on site during the period;

- Weather conditions during the period; and

- Any other factors that might affect the monitoring results.

8. Compare/contrast and assess the EM&A data with the EIA predictions and provide discussion for any discrepancies;

9. Advice on the solid and liquid waste management status;

Comments, Recommendations and Conclusions

10. A summary of non-compliance (exceedances) of the environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels);

11. A brief review of the reasons for and the implications of non-compliance including review of pollution sources and working procedures;

12. A summary description of the action taken in the event of non-compliance and any follow-up procedures related to earlier non-compliance;

13. A summary record of all complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, liaison and consultation undertaken, actions and follow-up procedures taken;

14. A summary record of all notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental protection/pollution control legislation, locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken and results;

15. Comments (e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of the mitigation measures), recommendations (e.g. any improvement in the EM&A programme) and conclusions for the quarter; and

16. Proponent’s contacts and any hotline telephone number for the public to make enquiries.

12.6 Final EM&A Summary Report

12.6.1 Timing for completion of the EM&A Programme shall be confirmed by ER in liaison with the IEC. The termination of EM&A programme shall be determined on the following basis:

(a) completion of construction activities and insignificant environmental impacts of the remaining outstanding construction works;

(b) trends analysis to demonstrate the narrow down of monitoring exceedances due to construction activities and the return of ambient environmental conditions; and

(c) no environmental complaint and prosecution involved.

12.6.2 The proposed termination may be required to consult related local community such as village representative/committee and/or District Board and the proposal should be endorsed by the IEC, A/ER and the project proponent prior to final approval from the Director of Environmental Protection.

12.6.3 The final EM&A summary report shall include the following:

1. An executive summary;

2. Basic project information including a synopsis of the project organisation, programme, contacts of key management, and a synopsis of work undertaken during the entire construction phase of the works;

3. A brief summary of EM&A requirements including:

- Monitoring parameters;

- Environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels); and

- Environmental mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study final report.

4. 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 status proformas, including waste generation and disposal records;

5. Drawings showing the project area, any environmental sensitive receivers and the locations of the monitoring and control stations;

6. Compliance status with the EP under the EIAO and any EP submissions;

7. Graphical plots of the trends of monitored parameters over the period of construction (of the project) for representative monitoring stations annotated against;

- The major activities being carried out on site during the period;

- Weather conditions during the period;

- Any other factors which might affect the monitoring results; and

- The return of ambient environmental conditions.

8. Compare/contrast and assess the EM&A data with the EIA predictions and annotate with explanation for any discrepancies;

9. Provide clear-cut decisions on the environmental acceptability of the project with reference to the specific impact hypothesis;

10. Advice on the solid and liquid waste management status;

11. A summary of non-compliance (exceedances) of the environmental quality performance limits (Action/ Limit levels);

12. A brief review of the reasons for and the implications of non-compliance including review of pollution sources and working procedures;

13. A summary description of the actions taken in the event of non-compliance and any follow-up procedures related to earlier non-compliance;

14. A summary record of all complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, liaison and consultation undertaken, actions and follow-up procedures taken;

15. Review the monitoring methodology adopted and with the benefit of hindsight, comment on its effectiveness (including cost effectiveness);

16. A summary record of all notification of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental protection/pollution control legislation, locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow-up actions taken and results;

17. Review the practicality and effectiveness of the EIA process and EM&A programme (e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of the mitigation measures);

18. Recommend any improvement in the EM&A programme; and

19. A conclusion to state the return of ambient and/or the predicted scenario as per EIA findings.

12.7 Typical Forms to be Adopted

12.7.1 To facilitate the management of the EM&A programme for the construction of the project, the record forms presented in Appendix 2 (including those presented in the preceding sections) shall be adopted where applicable during the construction phase of the project. These forms are listed as follows:

1. Implementation Status Performa;

2. Data Recovery Schedule;

3. Site Inspection Corrective Action Proforma;

4. Proactive Environmental Protection Proforma;

5. Regulatory Compliance Proforma;

6. Complaint Log;

7. Sample Template for Interim Notifications of Environmental Quality Limits Exceedances; and

8. Noise Monitoring Field Record Sheet.

12.8 Data Keeping

12.8.1 Site-based document such as the monitoring field records, laboratory analysis records, site inspection forms, etc. are not required to be included in the monthly EM&A reports, for submission. However, the document shall be well kept by the ET and be ready for inspection upon request. All relevant information shall be clearly and systematically recorded in the document. The monitoring data shall also be recorded in electronic 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 in construction of the Project.

12.9 Interim Notifications of Environmental Quality Limit Exceedances

12.9.1 With reference to Event/Action Plans in previous sections, when the environmental quality limits are exceeded, the ET shall immediately notify the IEC, ER and EPD, as appropriate. The notification shall be followed up with advice to EPD on the results of the investigation, proposed actions and success of the actions taken, with any necessary follow-up proposals. A sample template for the interim notifications is shown in Appendix 2.

Event	Action
Event	ET Leader	IEC	ER	Contractor
Action Level is reached	1. Notify IC(E) and Contractor 2. Carry out investigation 3. Report the results of investigation to the IC(E) and Contractor 4. Discuss with the Contractor and formulate remedial measures 5. Increase monitoring frequency to check mitigation effectiveness	1. Review the analysed results submitted by the ET 2. Review the proposed remedial measures by the Contractor and advise the ER accordingly 4. Supervise the implementation of remedial measures	1. Confirm receipt of notification of failure in writing 2. Notify Contractor 3. Require Contractor to propose remedial measures for the analysed noise problem 4. Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented	1. Submit noise mitigation proposals to IC(E) 2. Implement noise mitigation proposals
Limit Level is reached	1. Notify IC(E), ER, EPD and Contractor 2. Identify source 3. Repeat measurement to confirm findings 4. Increase monitoring frequency 5. Carry out analysis of Contractor's working procedures to determine possible mitigation to be implemented 6. Inform IC(E), ER and EPD the causes & actions taken for the exceedances 7. Assess effectiveness of Contractor's remedial actions and keep IC(E), EPD and ER informed of the results 8. If exceedance stops, cease additional monitoring	1. Discuss amongst ER, ET, and Contractor on the potential remedial actions 2. Review Contractor's remedial actions whenever necessary to assure their effectiveness and advise the ER accordingly 3. Supervise the implementation of remedial measures	1. Confirm receipt of notification of failure in writing 2. Notify Contractor 3. Require Contractor to propose remedial measures for the analysed noise problem 4. Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented 5. If exceedance continues, consider what portion of the work is responsible and instruct the Contractor to stop that portion of work until the exceedance is abated	1. Take immediate action to avoid further exceedance 2. Submit proposals for remedial actions to IC(E) within 3 working days of notification 3. Implement the agreed proposals 4. Resubmit proposals if problem still not under control 5. Stop the relevant portion of works as determined by the ER until the exceedance is abated

1.1.1 This Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual is for the “Construction of Cycle Tracks and the Associated Supporting Facilities from Sha Po Tsuen to Shek Sheung River”.

1.1.2 The Project location is shown on Figure 1-1 and comprises the following primary works elements:

1.2.1 The construction is scheduled to commence in mid 2009 and will be completed by early 2012.

1.3.3 This Manual specifies the environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure that the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA are effectively implemented and the whole EM&A programme properly managed.

1.4 Contents

1.4.1 The recommended EM&A programme in this Manual contains the following information:

1.4.2 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.

1.4.3 An Implementation Schedule (IS) of the environmental mitigation measures has been developed and presented in Appendix 1 in accordance with the requirements of Clause 3.4.12 of the EIA Study Brief.

2. Project Organisation

2.1.1 Involvement of relevant parties in a collaborative and interactive manner is essential for the implementation of the recommended EM&A programme. The key parties in an EM&A programme include:

2.1.2 An organisation chart that shows the relationships of the key parties is presented on Page 2-7. Each key party is briefly described in the following sections.

2.1.3 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 this EM&A Manual for the whole duration of this Project.

2.2.1 Civil Engineering & Development Department (CEDD) is the project proponent and works department and hence will assume overall responsibility for the project. CEDD shall liaise with EPD on environmental issues associated with the project with IEC’s advices.

2.3.1 Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is the statutory enforcement body for environmental protection matters in Hong Kong.

2.5.3 The main duties of the IEC are to carry out independent environmental audit of the project. This shall include, inter alias, the following:

2.6.4 The broad categories of works of the ET comprise the following:

2.7.5 The Contractor shall report to the ET Leader on the action(s) taken targeting at environmental protection for inclusion in the monthly report to be prepared by the ET.

3. Air Quality

3.2.2 Regular environmental audits in accordance with Section 11 of this Manual shall be undertaken during the construction works to ensure the proper implementation of the mitigation measures for potential construction dust emissions.

3.2.3 Mitigation measures that are required for controlling dust emissions include:

3.3.1 No specific monitoring during the operational phase of the Project is required.

4.1.1 The noise assessment in the EIA indicated that residual noise impacts are expected from the construction of the Project at three existing NSRs. Noise monitoring during construction phase of the project is therefore recommended.

4.1.2 Regular site audits, outlined in Section 11 of this Manual, will serve to inspect the implementation status of the mitigation measures for any potential noise impacts during the construction of the Project.

4.2.2 The supplementary information for data auditing statistical results such as L10 and L90 shall also be obtained for reference.

4.2.5 Noise measurements should be made in accordance with standard acoustical principles and practices in relation to weather conditions.

4.2.7 Six noise monitoring stations have been recommended for construction noise monitoring. The required noise monitoring stations are provided in Table 4-1 and their locations are also shown in Figures 4-1 to 4-3.

4.2.8 Should the status and locations of NSRs be changed after issuing this Manual, the ET Leader shall propose the updated monitoring location(s) and seek approval from ER and agreement from the IEC and EPD of the new proposal.

4.2.9 When alternative monitoring location(s) is/are proposed, the monitoring location(s) shall be chosen based on the following criteria:

4.2.10 The monitoring station shall normally be at a point 1 m from the exterior of the building facade and be at a position 1.2 m above the ground.

4.2.12 Noise measurements shall be recorded on a field data sheet together with relevant information including project name, date and time of sampling, monitoring location and parameters, site observations and remarks. A sample field data sheet is attached in Appendix 2.

4.2.16 The Action and Limit Levels for construction noise are defined in Table 4‑2 below. Should non-compliance of the noise criteria occur, actions in accordance with the Event and Action Plan given in Table 4‑3 should be carried out.

4.2.17 The EIA has recommended the following in order to avoid cumulative noise impacts due to potential concurrent projects in the Project area:

4.2.18 The EIA report indicated that construction activities would cause noise exceedance at NSRs. Therefore, appropriate mitigation measures and good site practices are recommended to be properly implemented. The Contractor shall be responsible for the design and implementation for these measures.

4.2.19 The mitigation measures recommended in the EIA report are summarized below.

4.2.20 If the noise levels exceed the limit level after adopting the above measures upon ET Leader’s advices, the Contractor shall liaise with the ET Leader on some other mitigation measures, propose them to ER and IEC for approval and carry out the mitigation measures after approval.

4.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase

4.3.1 No specific monitoring during the operational phase of the Project is required.

5.1.2 No water quality monitoring is required during the construction phase. However, in order to ensure proper implementation of mitigation measures regular on-site environmental audits through visual site inspection programme are recommended to be carried out during the construction phase.

5.2 EM&A Requirements During Construction Phase

5.2.3 The environmental audit shall include a review of the effectiveness of measures to minimise surface runoff and their effectiveness for reducing erosion and retaining suspended solids laden runoff within the site. The following will be included during the review:

5.3 EM&A Requirements during Operational Phase

5.3.1 No specific monitoring during the operational phase of the Project is required.

6.2.5 The implementation status of the following mitigation measures should be monitored through the site audit programme by the ET:

6.2.6 In order to check that the waste control and mitigation measures have been implemented by the Contractor as good site practices, the following shall be included as part of the site inspections and audits:

6.3 EM&A Requirements During Operational Phase

6.3.1 Given the nature of use of the Project, there is no EM&A requirement considered necessary during the operational phase.

7. Land Contamination

7.3 Safety Precautionary Measures

7.3.1 As general precautionary measures, when handling identified contaminated materials, the following control measures should be implemented by the Contractor and the implementation status of the following measures should be monitored through the site audit programme by the ET:

8.1.2 It also concluded that there will be no overall loss of fishponds and it is considered that no significant negative impacts to aquaculture or water quality will arise from the construction and operation of the cycle track. No specific ecological or fisheries monitoring is required.

8.1.3 Regular site audits, detailed in Section 11 of this Manual, will serve to inspect the implementation status of the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA report.

8.2.2 Local narrowing of the cycle track (from the standard 4 m to 3 m) shall be implemented to avoid the impact of the cycle track on the single, inactive fishpond edge just outside Mai Po Village (Figure 10-1 of the EIA Report refers).

8.2.3 Prior to tree felling, survey inspections should be made for their suitability for roosting bats. Once these trees have been highlighted, then appropriate checks of each tree for bats should be made prior to removal as a precautionary measure.

8.2.7 To prevent any negative impact to water quality as a result of site run-off, good site practice must be employed at all times, particularly in the areas close to fishponds. Practice Note for Professional Persons ProPECC PN1/94 – Construction Site Drainage shall be implemented.

8.2.8 Along Pok Wai South Road and San Tin Tsuen Roads, once the final construction sequencing is known, liaison with local residents and aquaculturists should be implemented in order to minimise temporary road blockages and to identify the best timing for works along this area.

8.2.11 To further demonstrate ecological and environmental awareness, a series of mitigation measures should be implemented throughout the construction and future maintenance of the cycle tracks. These are as follows:

· Avoid soil storage against trees;

· Fence off any potentially ecologically sensitive areas;

· Delineation of works area to prevent encroachment onto adjacent habitats;

· Reinstatement of habitat after works;

· No on-site burning of waste;

· Waste and refuse in appropriate receptacles;

· Staff training/ toolbox talks for site work near Long Valley and WCA – important areas for birds therefore staff should reduce amount of noise whilst working and during breaks where possible;

· Regular ecological checks; and

· Silt/ sediment/ oil traps for drainage to prevent site run-off

.

9.2.1 It is recommended that care should be taken during the construction stage to report any signs of possible discovery of artefacts.

4.2.2 The supplementary information for data auditing statistical results such as L₁₀ and L₉₀ shall also be obtained for reference.