1.1
Project Description
Project Background
1.1.1
Tseung Kwan O (TKO) is the seventh New
Town in Hong Kong. Since the
approval in 1982 to develop TKO into a new town, TKO has undergone very rapid
development and the New Town now provides home to about 310330,000 people. According to the current TKO Outline
Zoning Plan (Plan No. S/TKO/1415), the existing and currently planned
development would bring the population up to around 480,000.
1.1.2
Over the past few years, Civil
Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has conducted a number of studies
on potential developments in TKO, to establish the extent of further
development, population levels, strategic road networks and external
connections, etc. However, since
these studies have been carried out, a number of planning parameters have
changed, including population level targets and the associated need for
extensive reclamation, the implementation timing and scale of strategic road
links, as well as the deletion of port facilities previously proposed in Area
131. A review of the overall
planning of TKO is now being undertaken in the light of these recent changes,
and to ensure a comprehensive planning approach to the development of this area
within the context of the South East New Territories (SENT) Development
Strategy.
1.1.3
Maunsell Consultants Asia Limited
(MCAL) has been commissioned by the New Territories East Development Office of
the TDD
CEDD of
the Hong Kong SAR Government to undertake the “Feasibility Study for Further
Development of TKO” (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”), with
environmental support from Maunsell Environmental Management Consultants
Limited (MEMCL). The Project is a
Designated Project under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO). An Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) Study for the Project has been undertaken as part of the Feasibility
Study, in accordance with the EIA Study Brief and the Technical Memorandum on
Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIAO-TM).
Site Location
1.1.4
The proposed development under the
Project includes the Western Coast Road (WCR), the Cross Bay Link (CBL), new
developments at Town Centre South (TCS), Pak Shing Kok (PSK) and remaining
areas of Tiu Keng Leng (TKL) as shown on Figure 1.1. Locations of the site
areas are described below:
·
WCR – the western shoreline of Junk
Bay, Devil’s
PeakChiu
Keng Wan Shan, Lei Yue Mun Road, Eastern Harbour Crossing ex-casting
basin, Kaolin Mine Site at Cha Kwo Ling and Cha Kwo Ling Road;
·
CBL – Junk Bay, land area south of TKO
Area 86 and Wan Po Road;
·
TCS – the newly reclaimed land south
of Po Yap Road, as well as the Eastern Drainage Channel
and the toe along TKO Stage 1 Landfill;
·
TKL – the newly reclaimed land to the
east of Ocean Shores (south of Chui Ling Road); and
·
PSK – the three large terraces to the
northeast of TKO Stage 1 Landfill (TKOL) and Wan Po Road.
1.1.5
A narrow strip of new land of
approximately 12.3 ha will be formed along the western shoreline of Junk Bay to
accommodate the toll plaza, the tunnel operation and management facilities, the
interchange linking WCR with the CBL bridge and Road P2 to the north carrying
traffic to TKO Town Centre. Based
on the current design, there would be no reclamation required in the Victoria
Harbour and no reclamation required for the new development at TCS and
PSK.
Project Scope
1.1.6
The scope of the Project comprises:
(i)
local road and engineering infrastructure of TCS, PSK and remaining
areas of TKL;
(ii)
local engineering infrastructure for the proposed recreational
development at TKO Stage 1 LandfillL;
(iii)
modification of existing infrastructure to serve TCS development;
(iv)
WCR to provide a linkage between TKO and the main urban area;
(v)
CBL to provide a linkage between the weastern and
south-eastern areas of TKO as well as a direct linkage from south-eastern areas
of TKO to Kowloon via the WCR, as an alternative route bypassing the New Town
Centre; andCBL to provide a linkage between the eastern western and
south-eastern areas of TKO and alternative route bypassing the New Town Centre;
and
(vi)
Road P2 to provide an extension of Po Shun Road to connect with WCR.
Construction Programme
1.1.7
The construction of the Project would
be divided into 4 Development Packages as follows:
·
TCS, TKL, PSK & Tseung Kwan O Landfill (TKOL)
Development;
·
Western Coast Road;
·
Cross Bay Link;
·
Road P2 and D4 Flyover.
1.1.8
The Project construction works are
anticipated to commence in October 2007 with completion of the Project by
December 2017 with all the major roads such as WCR, CBL and Road P2 in
operation by December 2016 (the remaining year is for laying of salt water main
along Wan Po Road). A construction programme is provided in Appendix A.
1.2
Purpose
of the Manual
1.2.1
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 for the construction and operational phase of the proposed Project. It aims to provide systematic
procedures for monitoring, auditing and minimising environmental impacts
associated with construction works and operational activities.
1.2.2
Hong Kong environmental regulations
and the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines have served as
environmental standards and guidelines in the preparation of this Manual. In addition, the EM&A Manual has
been prepared in accordance with the requirements stipulated in Annex 21 of the
EIAO-TM.
1.2.3
This Manual contains the following
information:
·
responsibilities of the Contractor,
the Engineer or Engineer’s Representative (ER), Environmental Team (ET) and
Independent Checker (Environment) (IC(E)) with respect to the environmental
monitoring and audit requirements during the course of the project;
·
project organisation for the project;
·
the basis for, and description of the
broad approach underlying the EM&A programme;
·
requirements with respect to the
construction programme schedule and the necessary environmental monitoring and
audit programme to track the varying environmental impact;
·
details of the methodologies to be
adopted, including all field laboratories 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;
·
definition of Action and Limit levels;
·
establishment of Event and Action
plans;
·
requirements for reviewing pollution
sources and working procedures required in the event of non-compliance with the
environmental criteria and complaints;
·
requirements for presentation of
environmental monitoring and audit data and appropriate reporting procedures;
·
requirements for review of EIA
predictions and the effectiveness of the mitigation measures / environmental
management systems and the EM&A programme.
1.2.4
For the purpose of this manual, the ET
leader, who shall be responsible for and in charge of the ET, shall refer to
the person delegated the role of executing the EM&A requirements.
1.3
Project
Organisation
1.3.1
The roles and responsibilities of the
various parties involved in the EM&A process and the organisational
structure of the organisations responsible for implementing the EM&A
programme are outlined below. The proposed project organisation and lines of
communication with respect to environmental protection works are shown in Figure 1.2.
The Contractor
1.3.2
The Contractor shall report to the
Engineer. The duties and responsibilities of the Contractor are:
·
employ an Environmental Team (ET) to
undertake monitoring, laboratory analysis and reporting of environmental
monitoring and audit;
·
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;
·
implement the corrective actions
instructed by the Engineer;
·
accompany joint site inspection
undertaken by the ET; and
·
adhere to the procedures for carrying
out complaint investigation
Environmental Team
1.3.3
The ET shall report to the Contractor.
The ET Leader and the ET shall be employed to conduct the EM&A programme
and ensure the Contractor’s compliance with the project’s environmental
performance requirements during construction. The ET Leader shall be an
independent party from the Contractor and have relevant professional
qualifications, or have sufficient relevant EM&A experience subject to
approval of the Engineer’s Representative (ER) and the Environmental Protection
Department (EPD). The ET shall be led and managed by the ET leader. The ET
leader shall possess at least 10 years experience in EM&A and/or
environmental management.
1.3.4
The duties and responsibilities of the
ET are:
·
monitor various environmental
parameters as required in this EM&A Manual;
·
analyse the environmental monitoring
and audit data and review the success of EM&A programme to cost-effectively
confirm the adequacy of mitigation measures implemented and the validity of the
EIA predictions and to identify any adverse environmental impacts arising;
·
carry out regular site inspection to
investigate and audit the Contractors' site practice, equipment and work
methodologies with respect to pollution control and environmental mitigation,
and effect proactive action to pre-empt problems; carry out ad hoc site
inspections if significant environmental problems are identified;
·
audit and prepare monitoring and audit
reports on the environmental monitoring data and site environmental conditions;
·
report on the environmental monitoring
and audit results to the IC(E), Contractor, the ER and EPD or its delegated
representative;
·
recommend suitable mitigation measures
to the Contractor in the case of exceedance of Action and Limit levels in
accordance with the Event and Action Plans;
·
adhere to the procedures for carrying
out complaint investigation.
Engineer or Engineer’s
Representative
1.3.5
The Engineer is responsible for
overseeing the construction works and for ensuring that the works undertaken by
the Contractor in accordance with the specification and contractual
requirements. The duties and responsibilities of the Engineer with respect to
EM&A aremay include:
·
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;
·
employ an IC(E) to audit the results
of the EM&A works carried out by the ET;
·
participate in joint site inspection
undertaken by the ET;
·
adhere to the procedures for carrying
out complaint investigation.
Independent Checker
(Environment)
1.3.6
The Independent Checker (Environment)
shall advise the Engineer’s Representative on environmental issues related to
the project. The IC(E) shall
possess at least 10 years experience in EM&A and/or environmental
management.
1.3.7
The duties and responsibilities of the
IC(E) are:
·
review the EM&A works performed by
the ET (at least at monthly intervals);
·
carry out random sample check and
audit the monitoring activities and results (at least at monthly intervals);
·
review the EM&A reports submitted
by the ET;
·
review the effectiveness of
environmental mitigation measures and project environmental performance;
·
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.
1.3.8
Sufficient and suitably qualified
professional and technical staff shall be employed by the respective parties to
ensure full compliance with their duties and responsibilities, as required
under the EM&A programme for the duration of the Project.