1.                  INTRODUCTION

 

Background To The Study

 

1.1              A Doppler VHF Omni-directional Range and Distance Measuring Equipment (DVOR/DME) Station is being operated on Lung Kwu Chau to provide bearing and distance information to the approaching/departing aircrafts to and from the Chek Lap Kok Airport.  The existing jetty at Lung Kwu Chau, which is ruined and abandoned for use, is too small and of too shallow water depth to accommodate the Civil Aviation Department’s (CAD) vessels for transporting equipment and personnel for servicing and maintaining the DVOR/DME.  Currently, the transportation has to rely on helicopters, which is however prohibited during night times and adverse weather conditions.  In order that emergency repair work can be undertaken during such periods, CAD has proposed to construct a proper jetty for berthing of marine vessels.  The construction work will be implemented under the project, namely “Construction of Lung Kwu Chau Jetty” (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”).

 

1.2              Maunsell Consultants Asia Ltd have been commissioned by the Civil Engineering Department (CED) of the Hong Kong SAR Government to undertake the EIA Study of the Project.  In accordance with the EIA Study Brief, an initial assessment of the environmental impacts arising from the Project was firstly undertaken to identify those environmental issues of key concern during the construction and operation phases of the Project that require further more detailed assessment.  The findings of the initial assessment were presented in the Final Initial Assessment Report (IAR) submitted on 16 May 2001.  A detailed assessment of all the key issues identified in the IAR has followed after the consultation exercise with the Lung Kwu Tan villagers, relevant government departments and the Marine Parks Committee, and confirmation of the preferred jetty location.

 

Purpose and Scope of EIA

 

1.3              The Project is a Schedule 2 Designated Project under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) (Cap. 499), with dredging and building works proposed within the gazetted Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau (LKC) Marine Park, and the LKC, Tree Island and Sha Chau Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

 

1.4              The main objective of the EIA Study is to provide information on the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts arising from the construction and operation of the proposed Project and related activities taking place concurrently, and to contribute to decisions on the overall environmental acceptability of the Project, after the implementation of environmental mitigation measures.

 

1.5              The EIA will provide a detailed assessment of the potential environmental impacts in relation to the following key issues associated with the Project:

 

(i)              impact to marine ecology of the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park during construction and operation of the proposed jetty and during demolition of the existing jetty;

 

(ii)            impact to capture fisheries from dredging works during construction and operation stages of the proposed jetty;

            (iii)     water quality impact associated with dredging works and construction and operation of the proposed jetty;

 

            (iv)     landscape and visual impact to Lung Kwu Chau during both construction and operational stages;

 

            (v)      archaeological impact to the Lung Kwu Chau Archaeological Site, including marine archaeological impact to the seabed of the dredging area;

 

            (vi)     management of construction waste and dredged sediment generated during the construction stage of the proposed works; and

 

            (vii)    environmental performance of alternative means for servicing the DVOR/DME station at Lung Kwu Chau and/or alternative sitings and design of the proposed jetty.

 

1.6              Under the preliminary design given in the EIA Study Brief, the Project comprises construction of a precast concrete blockwork jetty and a concrete catwalk and dredging of an approach channel (refer to Section 2).  Alternative jetty location and design options have been investigated, as described in Section 2, and the preliminary design of the Project has been refined from an environmental perspective and has formed the basis of the detailed assessment.  This EIA report has also reported on the justification of the Project and addressed environmental benefits and disbenefits of different options/transport modes in Section 2.

 

EIA Study Area

 

1.7              The Assessment Area for the purpose of this EIA Study, as specified in the Brief, is presented below (refer to Figure 1.1):

 

·                water quality impact assessment - cover the area within the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park;

·                ecological impact assessment – the area within the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park and the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Lung Kwu Chau, Tree Island and Sha Chau;

·                fisheries impact assessment – the area likely to be impacted by the Project;

·                cultural heritage impact study - cover the entire footprint of the work boundary as shown in Figure 2.3;

·                landscape impact assessment – the area within a 500m distance from the Project (as shown in Figure 8.1); and

·                visual impact assessment - defined by visual envelope (also called zone of visual influence) of the Project (as shown in Figure 8.1).

 

Structure of the Report

 

1.8              The remainder of the report is organised as follows:

·              Section 2 describes the Project and its need, and addresses alternative options;

·              Section 3 identifies and assesses the potential water quality impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Project, and recommends mitigation measures to minimize the impact;

·              Section 4 identifies and assesses the potential ecological impact associated with the construction and operation of the Project, and recommends mitigation measures to minimize the impact;

·              Section 5 identifies and assesses the potential fisheries impact associated with the construction and operation of the Project;

·              Section 6 identifies and assesses the potential cultural heritage impact associated with the construction and operation of the Project;

·              Section 7 identifies and assesses the potential marine sediment and waste management implications associated with the construction of the Project and recommends appropriate waste handling, transportation and disposal practices;

·              Section 8 identifies and assesses the potential landscape and visual impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Project;

·              Section 9 highlights the Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) requirements for the Project.  The scope and approach are presented in detail in a stand-alone EM&A Manual;

·              Section 10 summarizes and concludes the findings of the EIA Study; and

·              Section 11 presents the Implementation Schedules of the various environmental issues addressed in the EIA Study.