Prevention and Mitigation through Environmental Impact Assessment

The EPD seeks to intervene at the earliest stages of projects to protect people and the environment from adverse impacts. It also aims to engage stakeholders and the public in the process by creating opportunities for them to give their views and gain access to information about specific projects.

Figures of increasing trend of EIA applications (as at 31 December 2002)

Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance

The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), which came into effect in 1998, requires all designated projects to undergo EIAs. In 2002, the EPD received 115 applications for projects worth $31 billion, processed 24 environmental reports and issued 40 environmental permits. The EIAO aims to avoid or mitigate against impacts before projects are built, and the impact avoidance measures contained in the applications approved in 2002 will eventually benefit about 246 000 people. The EPD also managed 156 environmental monitoring and audit programmes.

Several major EIAs were completed and endorsed in 2002, involving such projects as the Deep Bay Link, Shenzhen Western Corridor and Improvement to Tung Chung Road. The Deep Bay Link and the Shenzhen Western Corridor will provide a road and bridge link from the western New Territories to western Shenzhen. The potential impacts on water quality, ecology and noise in the Deep Bay area were assessed and minimised by measures such as a careful choice of bridge alignment and land points and the adoption of a proper bridge design and construction methods. The EIA for the Shenzhen Western Corridor required cross-boundary co-operation. Each side did its own EIA and shared the information with the other side so the cumulative impacts could be addressed.

The Improvement to Tung Chung Road project will provide a safer and improved road linking Lantau's North and South, without having to open a new road that could disturb many environmentally sensitive sites in the area. To further reduce the potential environmental impacts, it was proposed to build elevated structures over streams so the road passed over, and not through, these ecologically important habitats. About 25 hectares of compensatory planting would also be included to mitigate against ecological, visual and landscape impacts due to the loss of about 15 hectares of shrubland and woodland.

Links with Stakeholders

The EPD is constantly trying to improve communication on the EIA process with stakeholders. Two public hearings on the existing EIA mechanisms were organised by the Legislative Council in December 2001 and January 2002 and indicated the need for more EIA training and support for proponents.

In July 2002, the EPD established the EIAO Support Section as a dedicated advisory unit. Its purpose is to help government works departments enhance their understanding of the EIA mechanism according to the Policy Objectives 2001. All eight works departments under the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau were invited to participate in the programme by the Director of Environmental Protection, who officiated at a seminar for 180 participants in November 2002. Eight tailor-made workshops were then held for a total of 200 engineers. The EIAO Support Section also operates an EIA Helpdesk Hotline to answer enquiries and provide assistance on EIA matters.

Another avenue for communication on EIAs is the User Liaison Groups. Four groups were established in 2000 for government works departments, consultants, contractors, and private developers and public corporations. The groups meet separately with the EPD to share experiences and discuss how the EIA process can be improved. They were brought together for the first time in May 2002, when a User Liaison Groups Congress was held. The various stakeholders shared views and got direct feedback from each other. Green groups, academics, Advisory Council on the Environment members and other concerned parties were also invited to attend.

Public Access

All EIA reports and decisions are placed on our website, making them accessible to the public. In 2002 the website received more than 95 000 hits. In addition, proponents of major developments have been required to post environmental monitoring and audit data on project-specific web pages since 2001. By the end of 2002, 15 such websites had been set up. These were bolstered with the requirement in late 2002 that webcams be installed on selected major work sites to enhance transparency and encourage greater compliance.

The webcam images can also be viewed on a large television inside the new EIAO Registry Office in Southorn Centre. Computers are set up inside the new EIAO Registry Office in Southorn Centre so visitors can get free electronic access to information including live webcam images. They can also get access to physical copies of EIAs and other reports. Project proponents can also pick up applications and register at the office.