1. INTRODUCTION

Purpose of the Manual

1.1 The purpose of this Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual is to guide the set up of an EM&A programme to ensure compliance with the 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 to be undertaken for the improvement to Castle Peak Road between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam. It aims to provide systematic procedures for monitoring, auditing and minimization of the environmental impacts associated with the construction works.

1.2 This Manual contains the following:

· Responsibilities of the Contractor, the Engineer or Engineer’s Representative (ER), Environmental Team (ET), and the Independent Checker (Environment) IC(E) with respect to the EM&A requirements during the course of the project;

· Information on project organization and programming of construction activities for the project;

· The hypotheses of potential impacts, the basis for, and description of the broad approach underlying the EM&A programme;

· Requirements with respect to the construction schedule and the necessary EM&A programme to track the varying environmental impact;

· The specific questions and testable hypotheses that the monitoring programme is designed to answer;

· Full details of the methodologies to be adopted, including all field, laboratory and analytical procedures, and details on quality assurance and quality control programme;

· The rationale on which the environmental monitoring data will be evaluated and interpreted and the details of the statistical procedures that will be used to interpret the data;

· Definition of Action and Limit levels;

· Establishment of Event and Action Plans;

· Requirements of reviewing pollution sources and working procedures required in the event of non-compliance of the environmental criteria and complaints;

· Requirements of presentation of environmental monitoring and appropriate reporting procedures; and

· Requirements for review of EIA predictions and effectiveness of the EM&A programme.

1.3 For the purpose of this manual, the “Engineer” shall refer to the Engineer as defined in the Contract and the Engineer’s Representative (ER), in cases where the Engineer’s powers have been delegated to the ER, in accordance with the Contract. The ET shall refer to the person delegated the role of executing the EM&A requirements. The IC(E) shall refer to the person responsible for reviewing the work carried out by the ET.

Background

1.4 To cope with the anticipated increase in traffic, various sections of Castle Peak Road have been widened over the last few years. Improvement to Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Tan was commenced in February 1997 and was completed in November 2000 while improvement to Castle Peak Road from Area 2 of Tsuen Wan to Ka Loon Tsuen is scheduled to commence in August 2001 and finish in June 2005. When these proposals are completed, the whole section of Castle Peak Road between Tsuen Wan West and Hong Kong Gold Coast in Tuen Mun will be of dual 2-lane standard with the exception of the section between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam.

1.5 An assessment has been carried out showing that by 2006 the capacity of a single two-lane Castle Peak Road between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam would be inadequate to cope with the increasing traffic flows.

1.6 In view of the above, it was recommended that the section between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam should be widened to a dual-2 lane standard in order to provide a continuous level of service from So Kwun Tan to Tsuen Wan. The Highways Department carried out a Preliminary Project Feasibility Study (PPFS), which was completed in March 1998. A Preliminary Environmental Review (PER) was also carried out in conjunction with the PPFS to identify the potential environmental concerns arising from the implementation of the project. The results of the PER indicated that during the construction and operation stages, air quality, noise, water quality, ecology, landscape and visual impacts were expected.

1.7 In October 1999, Maunsell Consultants Asia Limited (MCAL) was commissioned by the Highways Department as lead consultant to undertake an engineering feasibility study and preliminary design for this project. Further studies including Traffic Impact Assessment Study, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study, Marine Impact Assessment Study and Drainage Impact Assessment Study were also carried out. Maunsell Environmental Management Consultants Limited (MEMCL) is responsible for the EIA study.

1.8 Under Section C.2 (ix) of Schedule 2, Part 1 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap.499), the project is a designated project and therefore will require an environmental permit.

1.9 The scope of works for the proposed widening of Castle Peak Road project includes the following:

· widening of about 1.1 km of Castle Peak Road from Ka Loon Tsuen to Tai Lam Kok to dual-2 lane carriageway

· construction of a new dual 2-lane viaduct, of approximately 0.8 km, from Siu Lam to Tai Lam Kok

· provision of 3 m wide footpath on both sides of Castle Peak Road and a lay-by for the maintenance vehicles of the Marine Department at the eastern end of the Project boundary

· reprovision of existing legal run-ins and appropriate modifications to junctions affected by this road improvement scheme

· construction of sea wall from Ka Loon Tsuen to Tai Lam Kok

· reclamation work at Tai Lam Kok

· resurfacing of the existing Castle Peak Road from Tai Lam Kok to Siu Lam

· associated slope works, road and drainage works, traffic aids, street furniture and street lighting, utilities works, environmental mitigation measures, landscaping and other ancillary works.

1.10 The current layout of the project is shown on Figure 1.1 of this report.

Environmental Monitoring and Audit Requirements

1.11 The potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of the proposed Improvement to Castle Peak Road between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam have been assessed in the EIA report. Environmental impacts including air quality, noise, water quality, waste managment, ecology, and landscape and visual have been assessed. These impacts can be minimized to acceptable levels with the implementation of environmental measures. However, in order to ensure the compliances, baseline and compliance monitoring works have been recommended and are described in details in the subsequent sections.

Project Organization

1.12 Different level involvement is essential to ensure that the project progresses in an environmental acceptable manner. In general, the parties involved in the project organization should include:

· EPD and HyD (The Authorities)

· Engineer’s Representative (ER (Project Proponent’s Representative))

· Contractor

· Environmental Team (ET)

· Independent Checker (Environment) (IC(E))

1.13 The construction programme and the project organization and lines of communication with respect to environmental protection works are shown in Figure 1.2 and Figure 1.3.

1.14 The responsibility of respective parties are:

The EPD and HyD

· Statutory bodies for relevant environmental protection matters in Hong Kong

· Provide mandatory environmental standards

· Consultation board for environmental issues arising from the project

The Engineer or Engineer’s Representative

· Supervise the Contractor’s activities and ensure that the requirements in the EM&A Manual are fully complied with;

· Inform the Contractor when action is required to reduce impacts in accordance with the Event and Action Plans;

· Review the EM&A works performed by the ET;

· Audit the monitoring activities and results;

· Review the EM&A reports submitted by ET;

· Review the proposal on mitigation measures submitted by the Contractor in accordance with the Event and Action Plans; and

· Adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with the relevant section of this manual.

The Contractor

· Employ an ET to undertake monitoring, laboratory analysis and reporting of EM&A;

· Provide assistance to ET in carrying out monitoring;

· Submit proposals on mitigation measures in case of exceedances of Action and Limit levels in accordance with the Event and Action Plans;

· Implement measures to reduce impact where Action and Limit levels are exceeded; and

· Adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with the relevant section of this manual.

The Environmental Team

ET Leader

· The ET leader shall have relevant professional qualifications, or have sufficient relevant EM&A experience subject to approval of the ER and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD);

· Overall supervision and administration of the Environmental Team’s daily operation;

· Managing the various specialist and professionals who are designated as the member of the Team;

· Liaison with other government departments or external parties regarding any environmental issues arising from the project; and

· Ensuring the outputs of the team meet the objectives and requirements set out in this manual.

Environmental Engineer / Scientist

· To schedule the environmental monitoring activities;

· To check the validity of data upon receipt of field measurement and laboratory results;

· To prepare reports, which are specified in the EM&A Manual, in timely manner and ensure the quality of the outputs;

· To liaise with ER and Contractor upon receipt of complaints and/or breaching of statutory limits;

· To ensure the Event/Action Plan is implemented;

· To investigate the causes of complaints and/or limit exceedances;

· To advise on required mitigation measures;

· To ensure the proposed mitigation measures are implemented;

· To perform regular audits of the environmental monitoring data;

· To perform site inspections during audit;

· To provide advice on any pollution control measures, if necessary, after a site inspection; and

· Provision, calibration and maintenance of monitoring equipment.

Environmental Technician

· To perform monitoring activities for the environmental parameters as required by the EM&A Manual;

· To be proficient in the monitoring methodologies and QA/QC procedure set out in this EM&A Manual;

· To ensure the quality of the monitoring data;

· To know the specified Action and Limit Levels in the EM&A Manual;

· To alert the ET Leader of any observed exceedances of the Action/Limit Levels;

· Calibration and general maintenance of monitoring equipment; and

· To assist the Environmental Engineer / Scientist in performing regular site inspections as required.

The Independent Checker (Environment)

· Review the EM&A works performed by the ET;

· Audit the monitoring activities and results;

· Report the audit results to the ER and EPD in parallel;

· Review the EM&A reports submitted by the ET;

· Review the proposal on mitigation measures submitted by the Contractor whenever necessary in accordance with the Event and Action Plans; and

· Adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with the relevant section of this manual.

1.15 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.