1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

1.1.1 The revitalization of the Yau Tong Bay brownfield site has been encouraged by Government under numerous planning studies and its implementation has been largely established in the Outline Zoning Plan. The bay, upon completion not only satisfies the community needs for school, open space, housing as introduced by Government, but also will bring back the brownfield land for more environmentally friendly and non-polluting productive use. The Yau Tong Bay Development project was initiated by a group of owners who hold significant interests in Yau Tong Bay (YTB). The owners have joined together to form a joint venture and have appointed Main Wealth Development Ltd as the Project Manager for the proposed redevelopment.

1.1.2 Maunsell Consultants Asia Ltd. has been commissioned by Main Wealth Development Ltd as the EIA Co-ordinator for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study of Yau Tong Bay Development. A team of environmental consultants have also been appointed to undertake the EIA Study in order to assess the potential environmental impacts during the construction and operation phases of Yau Tong Bay Development. The environmental team comprises the following consultants:

· CH2M Hill (China) Limited

· David C Lee Surveyors Ltd.

· Dennis Lau & Ng Chun Man Architects & Engineers (H.K) Ltd

· Maunsell Consultants Asia Ltd.

· Maunsell Environmental Management Consultants Ltd.

· Maunsell Geotechnical Services Ltd.

· MVA Hong Kong Ltd.

· Westwood Hong & Associates Ltd.

1.1.3 The Environmental Impact Assessment Study for Yau Tong Bay Development is divided into two packages, namely, “Reclamation of Yau Tong Bay” and “Engineering Feasibility Study for the Comprehensive Development at Yau Tong Bay” under the Study Brief No. ESB-0010/1998 and ESB-0028/1999 respectively.

1.1.1 The first application for approval of the EIA Reports for Package 1 (EIA-046/2000) and Package 2 (EIA-048/2000) EIA Study were formally submitted under the EIA Ordinance on 25 July and 29 August 2000 respectively. Both of the approval applications were unsuccessful because the EIA reports did not meet the requirements of the EIA Study Brief and TM as advised by the Director of Environmental Protection. Letters from EPD stating the reasons of disapproval are attached in Appendix 1A.

1.1.2 A series of discussions among EPD, various government departments and the environmental consultants have been made. Several working papers and Draft Final EIA Report have been submitted to substantiate the assessment results on the environmental impacts of the development to the environment. Taking into account the comments from EPD on the previous submitted EIA reports, this EIA report has been revised to include the assessment results on the environmental impacts generated from all possible development scenarios. The responses to comments from EPD on the previous EIA reports and Draft Final EIA Report are summarized in Appendix 1B and Appendix 1C.

1.1.1 To proceed with the Yau Tong Bay Development, the YTB will be reclaimed and the existing marine lots will be resumed for the future Comprehensive Development Area (CDA) development. The reclamation site is majority zoned as CDA on the current Cha Kwo Ling, Yau Tong, Lei Yue Mun Outline Zoning Plan No. S/K/15/13.

1.2 Purpose and Objective of the EIA Study for the Reclamation of YTB

1.2.1 The environmental impact of the YTB reclamation work is assessed in a separate EIA study. The purpose of this EIA study is to assess the environmental issues arising from the construction and operation phases of the comprehensive development at YTB, and to propose mitigation for all identified adverse environmental impacts.

1.2.2 The objectives of the EIA Study are as follows:

· to describe the Project and associated works together with the requirements for carrying out the Project;

· to identify and describe the elements of the community and the 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;

· to identify and quantify pollution sources and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

· to propose the provision of infrastructure or mitigation measures so as to minimize pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction and operation of the Project;

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

· to identify, assesses 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 environmental impacts and reducing them to acceptable levels;

· to investigate the extent of side-effects of proposed mitigation measures that may lead to other forms of impacts;

· to identify constraints associated with the mitigation measures recommended in this EIA study; and

· to design and specify the environmental monitoring and audit requirements necessary to ensure the implementation and the effectiveness of the environmental protection and pollution control measures adopted.

1.3 Report Structure

1.3.1 The details of this EIA study has been organised into three separate volumes:

· Volume 1 of 4: Final EIA Report - Book 1 of 2

· Volume 2 of 4: Final EIA Report - Book 2 of 2

· Volume 3 of 4: Environmental Monitoring and Audit Manual; and

· Volume 4 of 4: Executive Summary.

1.3.2 The structure of the Final EIA Report is outlined below:

Section 1 Introduction

Section 2 Description of the Project

Section 3 Industrial / Residential Interface

Section 4 Air

Section 5 Noise

Section 6 Water Quality

Section 7 Waste Management

Section 8 Sewerage and Sewage Treatment Implications

Section 9 Visual and Landscape

Section 10 Environmental Monitoring and Audit

Section 11 Conclusion

Section 12 Implementation Schedule of Recommended Mitigation Measures