1. introduction

1.1 Background

1.1.1.1 The title of the Project is “Tsing Yi – Lantau Link” (hereinafter referred to as the Project).

1.1.1.2 The objective of the Project is to enhance the connectivity between Tsing Yi and North Lantau to meet the future traffic demands generated by the future developments in North Lantau and the Northwest New Territories. The Project will provide additional traffic capacity between Lantau and urban areas for the long-term planning horizon.

1.1.1.3 The Project connects North Lantau Highway, the proposed Route 11 and the proposed Hong Kong Island West – Northeast Lantau Link (HKIW-NEL Link) at North Lantau, crosses Kap Shui Mun Fairway and Ma Wan Fairway, and connects with Tsing Sha Highway on the west of Nam Wan Tunnel after landing at Tsing Yi.

1.1.1.4 In May 2023, Highways Department (HyD) commissioned AECOM Asia Co Ltd. to undertake the assignment of Agreement No. CE 78/2022 (HY) Tsing Yi - Lantau Link - Investigation, Design and Construction. The objectives of the Agreement are to review the findings of previous feasibility study, identify the recommended alignment, conduct technical assessments, and carry out site investigation, detailed design and supervision on construction works for TYLL. The scope of the Agreement also includes the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Project under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO).

1.2 Designated Projects under Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance

1.2.1.1 A Project Profile (No. PP-653/2023) was submitted to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on 10 May 2023 under the EIAO and the EIA Study Brief No. ESB-359/2023 for the Project was issued on 21 June 2023 under the EIAO.

1.2.1.2 The Project comprises the following elements which are classified as Designated Projects (DPs) as per the amended Schedule 2, Part I of the EIAO (effective since 30 June 2023). The DPs elements of this Project are summarised in Table 1.1 and indicated in Figure 1.1.

Table 1.1 Schedule 2 DPs in this Project

Schedule 2 Designated Project ⁽¹⁾		Designated Project Element under the Project
Item A.1	A carriageway for motor vehicles that is an expressway, trunk road, primary distributor road or district distributor road.	Tsing Yi – Lantau Link, comprising Main Bridges, North Lantau Interchange and Tsing Yi Connection, is proposed as trunk road.
Item A.8	A carriageway bridge for motor vehicles, or a railway bridge, the length between abutments for which is more than 100 m, with bridge piers over the sea supporting the bridge.	· A 3-span continuous and earth-anchored suspension bridge crossing the Ma Wan Fairway between Ma Wan and Tsing Yi with a main span of about 1400 m. · A single-tower suspension bridge crossing Kap Shui Mun Fairway between North Lantau and Ma Wan with a main span of about 500 m.
Item C.1	Reclamation works (including associated dredging works) more than 5 ha in size.	· Tsing Yi Tower Island: approximately 6.0 ha in size. · Ma Wan South Tower Island: approximately 7.9 ha in size. · Ma Wan South Anchorage Island: approximately 4.7 ha in size. · Kap Shui Mun Tower Island: approximately 1.2 ha in size.
Item C.2	Reclamation works (including associated dredging works) more than 1 ha in size and a boundary of which is less than 500 m from the nearest boundary of an existing or planned specified area⁽²⁾ that is wholly or partly situated on or over any foreshore and sea-bed⁽³⁾.	· The nearest boundary of Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach is located within 500m from the boundary of reclamation works for the Ma Wan South Anchorage Island.
Item C.12	A dredging operation that is less than 500m from the nearest boundary of an existing or planned specified area⁽²⁾ that is wholly or partly situated on or over any foreshore and sea-bed⁽³⁾.	· The nearest boundary of Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach is located within 500m from the dredging operation for the Ma Wan South Anchorage Island.

Notes: (1) Refer to the amended Schedule 2, Part I of EIAO (effective since 30 June 2023).

(2) For this Project under Items C.2 and C.12, specified area refers to bathing beach.

(3) Foreshore and sea-bed has the meaning given by section 2 of the Foreshore and Sea-bed (Reclamations) Ordinance (Cap. 127).

1.3 Purpose of the EIA

1.3.1.1 The purpose of the EIA Study is to provide information on the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from the construction and operation of the Project and associated works that will take place concurrently. This information will contribute to decisions by the Director of Environmental Protection on:

(i) the overall acceptability of any adverse environmental consequences that are likely to arise as a result of the Project;

(ii) the conditions and requirements for the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project to mitigate against adverse environmental consequences wherever practicable; and

(iii) the acceptability of residual impacts after the proposed mitigation measures are implemented.

1.4 Objectives of this EIA Study

1.4.1.1 The objectives of the EIA study are as follows:

(i) to describe the Project and associated works together with the requirements and environmental benefits for carrying out the Project;

(ii) to identify and describe the elements of the community and environment likely to be affected by the Project and/or likely to cause adverse impacts to the Project, including both the natural and man-made environment and the associated environmental constraints;

(iii) to identify and quantify emission sources and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential affected uses, and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(iv) to identify and quantify any potential impacts from point and non-point pollution sources on the identified water systems and sensitive receivers and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(v) to identify and quantify potential waste management requirements and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(vi) to identify and quantify contaminated land within the Project area, and to propose measures to avoid disposal in the first instance;

(vii) to identify, evaluate and address any potential ecological impacts arising from the Project and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(viii) to identify and quantify the fisheries impacts and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(ix) to identify any potential landscape and visual impacts and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(x) to identify any negative impacts on cultural heritage and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

(xi) to identify potential hazard to life impacts and to propose mitigation measures to mitigate these impacts;

(xii) to propose the provision of infrastructure or mitigation measures so as to minimise pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during the construction and operation stages of the Project;

(xiii) to investigate the feasibility, practicability, effectiveness and implications of the proposed mitigation measures;

(xiv) to identify, predict and evaluate the residual environmental impacts (i.e. after practicable mitigation) and the cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation phases of the Project in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

(xv) to identify, assess and specify methods, measures and standards, to be included in the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project which are necessary to mitigate these residual environmental impacts and cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable levels;

(xvi) to investigate the extent of the secondary environmental impacts that may arise from the proposed mitigation measures and to identify constraints associated with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA study, as well as the provision of any necessary modification;

(xvii) to design and specify the environmental monitoring and audit requirements; and

(xviii) to identify any additional studies necessary to implement the mitigation measures and proposals recommended in the EIA report.

1.4.1.2 This EIA study is carried out in accordance with the requirements as stipulated in the EIA Study Brief No. ESB-359/2023 and the prevailing Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIAO-TM) and based on the best and latest information available during the course of the EIA study.

1.5 Structure of the EIA Report

1.5.1.1 The objectives and scope of the EIA study are provided in this Section 1. A description of the Project and details of options consideration are provided in Section 2. Sections 3 to 12 detail the assessment of each key environmental issues covering relevant legislation, assessment criteria, baseline environmental conditions, assessment criteria, methodology and assessment findings.

1.5.1.2 Sections 3 to 12 are outlined as below:-

· Section 3: Air Quality Impact

· Section 4: Noise Impact

· Section 5: Water Quality Impact

· Section 6: Waste Management Implications

· Section 7: Land Contamination Impact

· Section 8: Terrestrial and Marine Ecological Impact

· Section 9: Fisheries Impact

· Section 10: Landscape and Visual Impact

· Section 11: Cultural Heritage Impact

· Section 12: Hazard to Life

1.5.1.3 An outline of the requirements for the Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) programme is presented in Section 13. The EM&A programme is presented in detail in a separate EM&A Manual. A summary of environmental outcome is provided in Section 14 and a conclusion of the whole assessment is given in Section 15.

1.5.1.4 An Executive Summary has been prepared as a separate document in both Chinese and English, which contains summaries of the key findings, recommendations and conclusions of the EIA Report.