CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background........................................................................................................
1.2 Purpose of the Project.......................................................................................
1.3 Objectives and Scope of the Environmental
Assessment.............................
1.4 Approach to the Study.......................................................................................
2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
2.1 The Project..........................................................................................................
2.2 Ecological Reserve............................................................................................
2.2.1 Conservation Management Plan..........................................................
2.2.2 Ecological Benefit..................................................................................
2.3 Development Site..............................................................................................
2.3.1 Master Plan of the Development Site..................................................
2.4 Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement......................................................................
2.4.1 Alignment of the Sha Lo Tung Road
Improvement.............................
2.5 Works Programme............................................................................................
3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
3.1 Ecology...............................................................................................................
3.2 Water Quality......................................................................................................
3.2.1 Environment and Water Quality Sensitive
Receivers.........................
3.2.2 Ecological Reserve................................................................................
3.2.3 Development Site..................................................................................
3.2.4 Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement..........................................................
3.3 Air Quality............................................................................................................
3.3.1 Ecological Reserve................................................................................
3.3.2 Development Site..................................................................................
3.3.3 Road Improvement Works....................................................................
3.4 Noise...................................................................................................................
3.5 Waste Management..........................................................................................
3.5.1 Ecological Reserve................................................................................
3.5.2 Development Site..................................................................................
3.5.3 Road Improvement Works....................................................................
3.6 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment....................................................
3.6.1 Landscape Impacts for the Development Site....................................
3.6.2 Landscape Impacts for the Sha Lo Tung Road
Upgrade Works......
3.6.3 Visual Impacts for the Development site.............................................
3.6.4 Visual Impacts for the Sha Lo Tung Road
Upgrade Works..............
3.7 Sewerage Impact Assessment........................................................................
3.8 Tree Assessment...............................................................................................
3.8.1 Development Site..................................................................................
3.8.2 Road Improvement Works....................................................................
3.9 Environmental Monitoring and Audit................................................................
3.10 Overall Conclusion.............................................................................................
3.10.1 Environmental Outcomes......................................................................
3.10.2 Environmental Benefit............................................................................
LIST OF FIGURES
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
The Pilot Project for
Public-Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po is
proposed to be one of the pilot projects under the Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) scheme. This Project
establishes the framework for a public-private partnership to conserve the Sha
Lo Tung Valley in Tai Po.
Endorsement of the Project will ensure long-term active conservation
management of the ecologically sensitive areas currently located on private
land owned by the Sha Lo Tung Development Company (SLTDC). More importantly, the Project will provide
a source of funds to sustain such conservation action. The Project is fully in line with
Government’s policy intentions for conserving high priority sites such as
Sha Lo Tung, by packaging long term conservation action with sustainable,
compatible commercial activities within the conservation area and suitable
development on adjoining land. With
appropriate development concessions granted in non-sensitive areas (as
identified as the Development Site) adjoining the Conservation Area, the
capital and ongoing costs of establishing and managing conservation operations
and infrastructure in the Valley are assured. This balance between development and
conservation expectations will enable the Valley to become a unique nature
attraction and educational resource for both locals and tourists, which can be
achieved quickly and without Government funding.
1.2
Purpose
of the Project
This Project responds directly
to the former Environment, Transport and Works (ET&W) (now Environment)
Bureau’s invitation to submit proposals for areas selected as potential
“pilot projects” for “Public-Private partnership”
schemes under the Government’s Conservation Policy announced in November
2004. The conservation objectives
espoused in the Project are directed at conservation, ecological enhancement,
sustainable use and education. The
landowner’s commitment to these objectives is achieved through management
and funding obligations provided by development concessions located in
non-sensitive parts of the statutory plan area. With 96% of the private land within the
Valley owned by the SLTDC, the commitment of Green Power and co-operation of
Government, such a partnership can be established immediately to establish
early conservation action within the Valley and ensure its sustainability over
the long term. This Project identifies the steps necessary in such a
partnership, especially the institutional arrangements of the key stakeholders,
namely the landowner (SLTDC), Government and the NGO (Green Power).
The
Project identifies three critical reasons for endorsement of a pilot priority
project within the Sha Lo Tung Valley under the new conservation policy,
namely:-
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1.
The
Valley Is Accorded High Priority for Nature Conservation and Management
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In
the announcement of the Conservation Policy on 12 November 2004, the Environment,
Transport & Works Bureau (ETWB) (now Environment Bureau) identified that
the Sha Lo Tung Valley scored 2.7 out of 3.0 on the Bureau’s scoring of
ecologically important sites in Hong Kong.
This places the Valley as No.2 in the ranking of the twelve most
ecologically important sites in Hong Kong. The streamcourse and riparian habitats
have been the subject of many local and international specialist studies and
the ecological significance of the area is reflected in the Outline Zoning Plan
(No. S/NE-SLT/4) which states “the primary planning intention is to
conserve the areas of ecological significance, to preserve the natural
landscape, to promote conservation and to maintain the rural character of the
area”. Sha Lo Tung was also
identified as one of the 12 priority sites for enhanced conservation under the
Conservation Policy. The Project
will protect the habitats through active management to maintain preferable
successional stage and hence suitability as a dragonfly habitat, and prevent
anthropogenic threats such as use of four wheel drive vehicles, wargames and
vegetation removal and undesirable natural succession which are unfavourable to
the existing wildlife.
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2.
Nature
Conservation Must Be Beneficial to the Biodiversity, Successfully Planned and
Sustainable Alongside Limited Compatible Development
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The
Project sets out the framework for a new partnership known as the Sha Lo Tung
Conservation Management Board (SCMB) – a tripartite entity formed between
the Government, the SLTDC and Green Power.
Within this framework, long term conservation management is the
responsibility of Green Power, the NGO, who has provided assurance that this
will be carried out in a professional manner and will operate with transparent
and auditable processes. Green
Power has a proven track record of suitable experience through operation of
conservation and education activities at their Guangzhou Green Country
Ecological Education Centre.
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3.
Institutional
Arrangements and Funding Must Be Realistic and Achievable
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The
Conservation Policy encourages commitment from the landowner (the SLTDC)
through encouraging compatible development concessions on less ecologically
sensitive land under the “pilot project” that will fund
conservation facilities and operations.
The “Public-Private partnership” between Government, the
SLTDC and Green Power operating in the form of the Sha Lo Tung Conservation
Management Board (SCMB) will oversee start-up operations and administer
on-going funding through a new Conservation Trust Fund. The SLTDC will inject upfront
“seed capital” to construct and equip all conservation,
educational, recreational and public facilities, with such capital repaid from
income generated by the SLTDC’s Multi-Cultural
Education Retreat cum Columbarium development in the green belt zone
adjoining the Conservation Area.
With the Government as an active partner in the “pilot
project”, the Government will facilitate the SLTDC’s submission to
fulfil statutory requirements and procedures.
1.3
Objectives
and Scope of the Environmental Assessment
Although
the Project will preserve Sha Lo Tung Valley, the associated construction works
at the Development Site and Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement have the potential to
cause environmental impacts to the ecologically sensitive Sha Lo Tung Valley if
not controlled properly.
Notwithstanding that the Project is not classified as a Designated
Project (DP) under the Environmental
Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO),
the SLTDC committed to provide information on the nature and extent of
environmental impacts arising from the Project; to recommend appropriate
mitigation measures to control the potential environmental impacts in meeting
the standards and criteria established in the Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process of
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO-TM), and to confirm the environmental acceptability of the
Project.
The
Environmental Assessment (EA) Report addresses the nature and extent of the
identified potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and
operation of a Pilot Project for Public-Private Partnership Conservation
Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po, including an Ecological Reserve, Nature
Interpretation Centre, Multi-Cultural
Education Retreat cum Columbarium and Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement
(hereafter referred to as the Project).
The
specific objectives of the EA Study are listed below.
(i)
to describe the Project and
associated works together with the requirements for carrying out the Project;
(ii)
to identify and describe
elements of the community and environment likely to be affected by the Project
and/or likely to cause adverse impacts to the Project, including the natural
and man-made environment and, the associated environmental constraints;
(iii)
to provide information on the
consideration of alternatives to avoid and minimise the potential environmental
impacts to the ecologically sensitive areas and other sensitive uses; to compare
the environmental benefits and dis-benefits of each of the different options;
to provide reasons for selecting the preferred option(s) and to describe the
part that environmental factors played in the selection;
(iv)
to identify and characterise
emission sources and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive
receivers and potentially affected uses;
(v)
to identify and quantify any
potential losses or damage and other potential impacts to flora, fauna and
natural habitats and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(vi)
to identify and quantify any
potential landscape and visual impacts and to propose measures to mitigate
these impacts;