1.1.1
The Land Drainage Division of the
Drainage Services Department (DSD) completed the Stormwater Drainage Master
Plan in Sai Kung, East Kowloon and Southern Lantau (DMP Study) and Preliminary
Project Feasibility Study Report for the drainage improvements in Sai Kung
in September 2000 and October 2001 respectively.
1.1.2
The DMP Study identified deficiencies
and flooding problems in the existing drainage systems within the study
area. The proposed drainage improvement works, included
under PWP Item No. 120CD - Drainage Improvement in Sai Kung
(hereinafter called ‘the Project’), is to implement as a part of the
recommendations in the DMP Study for upgradeing sections of
the three existing rivers in Sai Kung, namely Sai Kung River, Pak Kong River
and Ho Chung Channel as
a part of the recommendations in the DMP Study.
1.1.3
According to the Project Brief, the
drainage improvement works of this Project mainly comprise the following:
(a) Construction of approximately 150m longof channel
using grass concrete and masonry lined bank in Sai Kung River, approximately
280m longo channel with f
three cells 3.0m x 3.0m box culvert between Sai Kung River to Sha Ha and
approximately 270m longof of access road. The section of Sai Kung River required
improvement work under this Project is about 150m compared to the total length
of Sai Kung River of about 1.3 km.
(b) Construction of approximately 600m long of channel
using grass concrete and masonry bank and natural bed in Pak Kong River and
construction of approximately 50m longof access
road. The section required improvement
work under this Project is about 600m compared to the total length of Pak Kong
River of about 1.32 km.
(c) Construction of approximately 650m longof channel
using grass concrete and masonry bank and natural bed in Ho Chung Channel,
construction of approximately 80m longof access road
and reconstruction junction and weir arrangement adjacent to WSD Ho Chung Lowland
Pumping Station. The section required improvement works under this project is
about 650m compared to the total length of Ho Chung River of about 1.6km.
1.1.4
The proposed drainage improvements
works have beenwere
critically reviewed. Comprehensive consultation with local residents, village
representatives, the Rural
Committee, the District Council and green groups have beenwere also
conducted. The proposed lining for the Sai Kung River and Ho Chung Channel were
revised to gabion lining. In addition, the local residents in Pak Kong also
requested during public consultation to reduce the scope of works at Pak Kong
to only re-construction of two bottlenecks in the river and stabilisation of an
existing slope adjacent to Hiram’s Highway. The detailed description of
alternatives and revised scope of works are described in Section 2 of this EIA
Report.
1.1.5
The location plan for the three rivers
in Sai Kung is presenteshownd in Figure
1.1 and the individual layout plans for the sections withof
improvement works at Sai Kung River, Pak Kong River and Ho Chung Channel are
given in Figures 1.2 to 1.4. A
schematic cross- section
layout and typical sections are presented in Figures 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7.
1.1.6
The construction workImplementation of
the Project is scheduled to commence in August 2002 for the design
works and for the construction work in DDecember 2005 with a view to completing all
the construction works by mid 2008.
1.1.7
An application (No. ESB-088/2001) for
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study brief under section 5(1) of
the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) was submitted by the
Applicant on 1 November 2001 with a Project Profile (No. PP-149/2001)
for the captioned proposed project.
1.1.1
The proposed project is a
Designated Project under Schedule 2 Part I Category
I.1 (b) of the EIAO and requires an environmental permit
under the EIAO for its construction and operation. An EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-088/2001) was obtained for the
preparation of this EIA.
1.1.8
The proposed project covers one non-designated
project (at Sai Kung River/Sha Ha Diversion and two designated projects (at Pak Kong River and Ho
Chung Channel). Since the rivers at Pak Kong and Ho
Chung finally discharge to ‘Coastal Protection Areas’ which
are within 300m from the nearest proposed project boundaries, they require an environmental
permit under Schedule 2 Part I Category I.1 (b) of the EIAO for its
construction and operation. An EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-088/2001) was obtained
for the preparation of this EIA.
1.2.1
The purpose of this EIA study is to access and concludeprovide information on
the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from the construction
and operation of the proposed project and related activities takening
place concurrently. Theis information
will contribute to decisions by the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP)
on:
(i)
the overall acceptability of any
adverse environmental consequences that are likely to arise as a result of the proposed
project;
(ii)
the conditions and requirements for
the detailed design, construction and operation of the proposed project to
mitigate against adverse environmental consequences wherever practicable; and
(iii)
the acceptability of residual impacts
after the proposed mitigation measures are implemented.
1.2.2
The objectives of the EIA study are as
follows:
(i)
to describe the proposed project and
associated works together with the requirements for carrying out the proposed
project;
(ii)
to identify and describe the elements of
the community and environment likely to be affected by the proposed project
and/or likely to cause adverse impacts to the proposed project, including both
the natural and man-made environment;
(iii)
to identify and quantify emission sources
and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential
affected uses;
(iv)
to identify any potential impacts from
point and non-point pollution sources on the identified water systems and
sensitive receivers during the construction and operation stages;
(v)
to identify and quantify any potential
losses and damage to flora, fauna and wildlife habitats;
(vi)
to identify and quantify, where
applicable, any potential landscape and visual impacts and determine the significance
of impacts on sensitive receivers;
(vii)
to identify any potential impacts to
the historical, archaeological and cultural resources and propose measures to
mitigate these impacts;
(viii)
to propose the provision of
infrastructure or mitigation measures so as to minimise pollution,
environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction and operation of the
proposed project;
(ix)
to identify, predict and evaluate the
residual (i.e. after practicable mitigation) environmental impacts and the cumulative
effects expected to arise during the construction and operation phases of the
proposed project in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential affected
uses;
(x)
to identify, assess and specify
methods, measures and standards, to be included in the detailed design,
construction and operation of the proposed project, which are necessary to
mitigate these environmental impacts and reduce them to acceptable levels;
(xi)
to investigate the extent of 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;
(xii)
to design and specify the
environmental monitoring and audit requirements, if required, to ensure the
implementation and the effectiveness of the environmental protection and
pollution control measures adopted; and
(xiii)
to consider alternatives with a view
to avoiding or minimiszing
the potential environmental impacts to the sensitive uses, and to compare the
environmental benefits and dis-benefits of each of the different options and to
provide reasons for selecting the preferred option(s) and to describe the part
environmental factors played in the selection.
1.2.3
The scope of this EIA study
covers the proposed project mentioned in Section 1.1.3
above. The EIA study
addresses the likely key issues described below,; together with
any key issues identified during the course of the EIA study.
(i)
the potential impacts on the drainage,
hydrology and water quality from the discharge of stormwater into the coastal
waters of Hebe Haven, Sha Ha and Inner Port Shelter during construction and
operation phases of the proposed project, and the potential impacts on the
drainage, hydrology and water quality of the downstream of the existing Sai
Kung River during the construction and operation of the future Sai Kung River
& Sha Ha Diversion Culvert;
(ii)
the potential aquatic and terrestrial
ecological impacts arising from the construction works, including loss of
habitats, removal of vegetation and disturbance to animals of the proposed
project;
(iii)
the potential landscape and visual
impacts arising from the removal of vegetation and the cutting of banks and
slopes of the proposed project. In
addition, appropriate landscape treatment shall also be provided to enhance the
amenity value of the affected areas;
(iv)
the potential noise and dust impacts
to sensitive receivers during the construction phases, in particular at areas
near the school(s), village houses and other residential quarters/dwellings of
the proposed project; and
(v)
the potential impacts on the cultural
heritage sites, in particular Che Kung Temple in Ho Chung, Ho Chung
Archaeological Site and Sha Ha Archaeological Site, if they are affected by the
construction works of the proposed project.
1.3.1
The relevant Assessment Areas for the purpose of
this EIA Study, as specified in the Brief, are:, is presented below:
·
Noise impact assessment – include all areas
within 300m from the Project boundary.
(If the first layer of noise sensitive receivers provides acoustic
shielding to those receivers further from the site, the assessment area could
be reduced accordingly).
·
Air quality impact assessment - the
assessment area shall be a distance of 500m from the Project boundary.
·
Water quality impact assessment –
include all areas within 500m from the Project boundary.
·
Ecological impact assessment – the
assessment area for terrestrial ecological assessment shall include all areas
within 500 m distance from the site boundary of the works areas, or the area
likely to be impacted by the Project.
For aquatic ecology, the assessment area shall be the same as for water
quality assessment.
·
Cultural heritage impact study - all
sites of cultural heritage that might be adversely affected by the impacts due
to vibration associated with the construction activities of the Project.
·
Landscape and visual impact assessment
– the assessment area for landscape impact assessment shall include all areas
within a 500 m distance from the work limit of the proposed Project, while the
assessment area for the visual impact assessment shall be defined by the visual
envelope of the Project.
1.4.1
The remainder of the report is
organised as follows:
·
Section 2 describes the Project and
its need, implementation programme, and addresses alternative considerations;
·
Section 3 identifies and assesses the potential
air quality impacts associated with the construction of the Project, and
recommends necessary mitigation measures;
·
Section 4 identifies and assesses the potential noise
impacts associated with the construction of the Project, and recommends mitigation
measures to comply with the established noise standards, wherever necessary;
·
Section 5 identifies and assesses the
potential water quality impacts associated with the construction and operation
of the Project, and recommends mitigation measures to minimise the impact;
·
Section 6 identifies and assesses the potential waste
management implications associated with the construction of the Project and
recommends appropriate waste handling, transportation and disposal practices;
·
Section 7 identifies and assesses the
potential land contamination impacts associated with the construction of the
Project;
·
Section 8 identifies and assesses the potential
ecological impact associated with the construction and operation of the
Project, and recommends mitigation measures to minimise the impact;
·
Section 9 identifies and assesses the
potential cultural heritage impact associated with the construction and
operation of the Project;
·
Section 10 identifies and assesses the
potential landscape and visual impacts associated with the construction and
operation of the Project;
·
Section 11 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 12 concludes the findings and
environmental outcomes of the EIA Study; and
·
Section 13 presents the Implementation
Schedules of the various environmental issues addressed in the EIA Study.