1.3 Environmental Monitoring and
Audit Requirements
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1
Purpose of the Manual
1.1.1
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
Environmental Impact Assessment (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 operation of the proposed Wan Chai
Development Phase II and Central-Wan Chai Bypass (WDII & CWB). It aims to provide systematic procedures
for monitoring, auditing and minimising environmental impacts associated with
construction works and operational activities.
1.1.2
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 Technical Memorandum on the EIA
Process (EIAO-TM).
1.1.3
This
Manual contains the following information:
·
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 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 (as stated in Volume 5, Appendix 2.5
of the EIA Report) 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; and
·
requirements for review of EIA predictions and the
effectiveness of the mitigation measures / environmental management systems and
the EM&A programme.
1.1.4
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.
1.2
Project Description
Site Location and Study Area
1.2.1
The
Project is located mainly in Wan Chai North, Causeway Bay Gloucester
Road Victoria
Park Road Fenwick Pier Street
1.2.2
The
study area encompasses existing developments along the Wan Chai, Causeway Bay Major land
Project Scope
1.2.3
The
scope of the Project comprises:
(i)
Land
formation for key transport infrastructure and facilities, including the Trunk
Road (i.e. CWB) and the associated slip roads for connection to the Trunk Road
and for through traffic from Central to Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. The land formed for the above transport
infrastructure will provide opportunities for the development of an attractive
waterfront promenade for the enjoyment of the public.
(ii)
Reprovisioning
/ protection of the existing facilities and structures affected by the land
formation works mentioned above.
(iii)
Extension,
modification, reprovisioning or protection of existing storm water drainage
outfalls, sewerage outfalls and watermains affected by the revised land use and
land formation works mentioned above.
(iv)
Upgrading
of hinterland storm water drainage system and sewerage system, which would be
rendered insufficient by the land formation works mentioned above.
(v)
Provision
of the ground level roads, flyovers, footbridges, necessary transport
facilities and the associated utility services.
(vi)
Construction
of the new waterfront promenade, landscape works and the associated utility
services.
(vii)
The
Trunk Road (i.e. CWB) within the study area and the associated slip roads for
connection to the Trunk Road.
Designated Projects under the EIAO
1.2.4
The proposed Project is an engineering feasibility
study of an urban development project with a study area covering more than 20 ha . Under the EIAO, this Project is
classified as a Schedule 3 Designated Project (DP) under item 1 of the Schedule
3 “Major Designated Projects Requiring Environmental Impact Assessment
Reports”. A detailed environmental
assessment for approval by the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) is
required.
1.2.5
The Project also contains various Schedule 2 DPs that,
under the EIAO, require Environmental Permits (EPs) to be granted by the DEP
before they may be either constructed or operated. Table
1.1 summarises the six individual DPs under this Project. Figure
1.2 shows the
locations of these Schedule 2 DPs.
Table 1.1 Schedule
2 Designated Projects under this Project
|
Item |
Designated Project |
EIAO Reference |
Reason for inclusion |
|
DP1 |
Central-Wanchai
Bypass (CWB) including its road tunnel and slip roads |
Schedule 2,
Part I, A.1 and A.7 |
Trunk road and road tunnel more than |
|
DP2 |
Road P2 and other
roads which are classified as primary/district distributor roads |
Schedule 2,
Part I, A.1 |
Primary / district distributor roads |
|
DP3 |
Reclamation
works including associated dredging works |
Schedule 2,
Part I, C.1 and C.12 |
Reclamation more than |
|
DP4 |
Temporary
typhoon shelter |
Schedule 2,
Part I, C.5 |
A typhoon shelter designed to provide
moorings for not less than 30 vessels |
|
DP5 |
Wan Chai East
Sewage Outfall |
Schedule 2,
Part I, F.5 and F.6 |
Submarine sewage pipelines with a total
diameter more than |
|
DP6 |
Dredging for
the Cross-harbour Water Mains from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui |
Schedule 2,
Part I, C.12 |
A dredging operation less than |
1.2.6
Description of the six DPs are given below:
·
DP1
- Central-Wanchai Bypass including its road tunnel and slip roads
The Trunk Road is a dual-3 carriageway defined from
the connection with the existing Rumsey Street Flyover in Central, through to a
connection with the existing IEC to the east of the CBTS. At the Rumsey Street Flyover connection,
a Central Interchange will provide connections into the Central area, and then
the Trunk Road will drop down into tunnel and run along the Central shoreline,
through CRIII, to the WDII project area.
In WDII area, the Trunk Road will continue in tunnel until it needs to
rise onto elevated structure to connect with the elevated IEC. Total Trunk Road length is around
As the CWB is a trunk road and its tunnel within the
study area is longer than
·
DP2
- Road P2 and other roads which are classified as primary/district distributor
roads
The major element of the future ground level road system
is Road P2, which runs east-west from Central to connections with the existing
road network in Wan Chai North.
Road P2 is a dual 2-lane primary distributor that serves both local
east-west movements and the distribution of north-south traffic movements.
The Road P2 alignment has been planned to run over the
top of the Trunk Road tunnel through CRIII and the HKCEC water channel, to the
connection with
Along the Wan Chai shoreline, the existing Hung Hing
Road in front of the Wan Chai North Public Transport Interchange (PTI) is
realigned to connect with the new Road P2 / Fleming Road junction, but the
current Hung Hing Road alignment further east in front of the Wan Chai Sports
Ground is retained. The length of
the new Road P2 through WDII is approximately
Since these are primary / district distributor roads,
they are classified as a DP under Schedule 2, Part I, A1. The location of DP2 is shown in Figure 1.2b.
·
DP3
- Reclamation works including associated dredging works
The project is driven by the need for the
implementation of the Trunk Road, which will form an east-west strategic route
through Central and Wan Chai to existing IEC. Construction of this Trunk Road will,
though, require permanent reclamation in the areas to the west of HKCEC, through
the HKCEC water channel, along the Wan Chai shoreline and along the North Point
shoreline. Permanent reclamation is
not required in the ex-Public Cargo working
Area (PCWA) basin or in the CBTS.
During the Trunk Road construction, temporary
reclamation will be required in the ex-PCWA basin and the CBTS to facilitate
cut-and-cover tunnel construction of the Trunk Road. After construction of the Trunk Road,
the temporary reclamation will be removed and the ex-PCWA basin and the CBTS
will be reinstated.
The total volume of sediments to be dredged and
disposed is estimated to be approximately
The minimum area of permanent reclamation required is
summarised as follows:
(i) HKCEC
West:
(ii) HKCEC
Water Channel:
(iii) Wan
Chai Shoreline:
(iv) North
Point Shoreline:
The total reclamation area is
For the mitigation of odour, dredging to remove the polluted
sediments at the south-west corner of the CBTS will be carried out during the
implementation of harbour-front enhancement and forms part of DP3.
Further, as dredging will be carried out less than
The location of DP3 is shown in Figure 1.2c.
·
DP4
– Temporary typhoon shelter
The construction of the Trunk Road tunnel beneath the
CBTS will temporarily affect the existing moorings. To maintain the operation of the CBTS
during the construction period, it is necessary to reprovision a temporary
typhoon shelter in the vicinity of the existing one. The Project therefore includes a
temporary typhoon shelter with around
·
DP5
– Wan Chai East Sewage Outfall
The Wan Chai West Sewage Screening Plant will be
decommissioned once flows have been diverted to the Wan Chai East Sewage
Screening Plant. The Wan Chai East
Sewage Screening Plant will have adequate capacity to handle these flows. However, in the longer term, the
existing sewage outfall will need to be upgraded to handle the future design
flows. A new sewage outfall will be
constructed under the project to replace and upgrade the existing Wan Chai East
sewage outfall. The configuration
of the new sewage outfall will comprise a landfall section of
·
DP6
– Dredging for the Cross-harbour Water Mains from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui
An existing cross harbour fresh water mains of about
Construction Programme
1.2.7
The
construction works are anticipated to commence on site in early 2009, with
completion of the project by 2016. A
construction programme is presented in Appendix 2.5 of the EIA Report.
Related
Projects
1.2.8
The
following projects are related to the WDII project:
(i)
Civil
Engineering and Development Department's CRIII project, comprising reclamation along
the Central waterfront for transport infrastructure needs (including CWB and
NIL) and basic land use requirements. A section of CWB tunnel will also be
constructed under CRIII project. Construction will take place from February
2003 to September 2012.
(ii)
Trade
Development Council’s Atrium Link Extension project, comprising a link bridge
spanning across the water channel between the Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) Phase I and HKCEC Extension. Construction will take place from
May 2006 to March 2009.
1.3
Environmental
Monitoring and Audit Requirements
1.3.1
The
following sub-sections summarise the EM&A requirements recommended in the
EIA Report.
Air Quality Impact
Construction Phase
1.3.2
The
construction work will inevitably lead to dust (Total Suspended Particulates,
TSP) emissions, mainly from excavation, truck haulage and material
handling. It is predicted that the
dust generated will exceed the hourly and daily criteria of 500 mg m-3 and 260 mg m-3, respectively, at ASRs
from Wan Chai to Causeway
Bay
1.3.3
Mitigation
measures, including vehicle speed limit and a watering programme within the
site, have been proposed and presented in the EIA Report. With implementation of the proposed dust
suppression measures, good site practices and comprehensive dust monitoring and
audit, the TSP levels at all ASRs will comply with the dust criteria. Dust monitoring requirements are
recommended in Section 2 of this EM&A Manual to ensure the efficacy of the
control measures.
Operational Phase
1.3.4
As
presented in Volume 1, Section 3.7 of the EIA Report, the predicted air quality
due to traffic emission in the study area complies with the AQO. No mitigation measures or environmental
monitoring are considered necessary during the operational phase of the
Project. Regarding the odour issue,
this Project will not create any new odour source during operational
phase. However, odour nuisance
associated with the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter is an existing environmental
problem. In order to improve the
environment, this Project will take the opportunities to mitigate the potential
sources of odour nuisance within the Project area so as to alleviate this
existing environmental problem as well as to provide an acceptable environment
for the future land uses within the project area. Enhancement measures have
been formulated to alleviate this existing odour problem. To ascertain the
effectiveness of the Enhancement Package over time, and to monitor any on-going
odour impacts at the ASRs, annual monitoring of odour impacts is proposed
during the operational phase of the Project.
Noise Impact
Construction Phase
1.3.5
Construction
noise impacts from this Project, in addition to the concurrent construction
tasks of other projects such as CRIII and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Atrium Link Extension (HKCEC ALE), are predicted at the NSRs identified in this
EIA. Appropriate mitigation
measures, including movable noise barriers and reducing the percentage of
on-time operation of the powered mechanical equipment, are required in order to
alleviate the impacts to meet the EIAO-TM criteria. Noise monitoring during construction
phase will have to be carried out to ensure that such mitigation measures have
been implemented properly. Details
are provided in Section 3 of this EM&A Manual.
Operational Phase
1.3.6
According
to the assessment results, no adverse impact from the Project is expected on
the representative NSRs. Therefore,
EM&A for operational noise impact is not required.
Water Quality Impact
Construction Phase
1.3.7
A
water quality monitoring and audit programme will be conducted during dredging
and filling operations to verify whether or not impact predictions are
representative, and to ensure that the dredging and filling operations do not
result in unacceptable impacts.
When monitoring shows unacceptable water quality impact, appropriate
mitigation measures, such as changes in the operation of marine works, will be
introduced.
1.3.8
Water
quality monitoring should be carried out at selected potentially affected
sensitive receivers, to assess whether or not impacts follow the predictions
made in this EIA. Section 4 of this
EM&A Manual includes site-specific monitoring and auditing protocols for
baseline and all stages of the dredging operations. Such protocols include but are not limited
to the locations of monitoring stations, parameters and frequencies for
monitoring, monitoring equipment, data management procedures, and reporting of
monitoring results.
1.3.9
Environmental
audit specifications should be developed for all phases of the works, including
procedures to ensure compliance with mitigation measures, environmental quality
performance limits, and procedures for reviewing results and auditing
compliance with specified performance limits.
Operational Phase
1.3.10
As
adverse water quality impact will not be generated from the operation of the
Project, operational water quality monitoring and audit is not considered
necessary.
Waste Management
1.3.11
Waste
management will be the contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all wastes
produced during the construction of the Project are handled, stored and
disposed of in accordance with EPD’s good waste management practices, and
regulations and requirements. The
mitigation measures recommended include special procedures in handling
contaminated sediment during disposal and transportation, good site management
and reuse and recycling of construction and demolition material, should form
the basis of the site Waste Management Plan to be developed by the Contractor
at the construction stage. These
measures include special handling procedures in dredged marine sediment
transportation and disposal, good site practices and waste reduction measures,
reuse and recycling of construction and demolition materials.
1.3.12
It is
recommended that the waste arisings generated during the construction
activities should be audited periodically to determine if wastes are being
managed in accordance with approved procedures and the site Waste Management
Plan. The audits should look at all
aspects of waste management including waste generation, storage, recycling,
transport and disposal. An
appropriate audit programme would be to undertake a first audit near the
commencement of the construction works, and then to audit quarterly thereafter. Details are presented in Section 5 of this
EM&A Manual.
Land Contamination
Construction Phase
1.3.13
Remedial
actions, viz. excavation and landfill disposal and ex-situ solidification / stabilization (CS/S), shall be implemented
to treat the contaminated soil identified at A King Shipyard. Section 6 of this EM&A Manual
details the procedures, testing requirements and associated mitigation measures
for the proposed soil remediation.
A Remediation Report, demonstrating that the clean-up is adequate and
that all excavated contaminated soil has undergone proper treatment or landfill
disposal, shall be prepared and submitted to EPD for record after the remedial
works.
Operational Phase
1.3.14
As
adverse land contamination impact is not anticipated from the operation of the
Project, operational land contamination monitoring and audit is considered not
necessary.
Marine
Ecology
1.3.15
Translocation
of all 19 coral colonies found within the proposed reclamation area to other
suitable locations such as Junk
Bay
1.3.16
It is
recommended to implement monitoring of the transplanted corals after
translocation. The health status of each transplanted coral colony should be carefully
recorded. For hard corals, this
should include information on surface area with partial mortality and blanched
/ bleached area. For gorgonian coral, the percentage of branches affected by
partial mortality should be recorded. The translocation methodology, monitoring proposal and the ecologist
involved in this coral translocation exercise should be approved by the AFCD
prior to the commencement of this exercise.
Landscape and Visual Impact
Construction Phase
1.3.17
Construction
activities would give rise to landscape and visual impacts varying from slight
to substantial significance.
1.3.18
The
landscape and visual mitigation measures for the construction phase are
described in Volume 1, Section 10 of the EIA Report. The measures are on-site management
measures to be undertaken by the contractor. Monitoring of the Contractor to ensure
that the measures are carried out properly should be undertaken by resident
site staff of the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Highways
Department.
Operational
Phase
1.3.19
The
operation of WDII and CWB projects would give rise to landscape and visual
impacts of varying from moderate negative to moderate beneficial. Overall, it is considered that the
residual landscape and visual impacts of the proposed development and the
associated designated projects are considered acceptable with mitigation measures during operation up to 10 years
and beneficial with mitigation in
the long run after 20 to 30 years.
1.3.20
The
proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures are described in Volume 1,
Section 10 of the EIA Report. The
measures are design measures to be incorporated in the detailed planning and
design of the reclamation, infrastructure and open space works.
1.4
Project Organisation
1.4.1
The
construction of the Project will involve several construction Contracts and
hence multiple contractors may be employed at the work site. In view of this,
an ET should be employed (or an Environmental Project Offices (ENPO) be
established) by the Project Proponent to maintain impartially. The proposed
project organisation and lines of communication with respect to environmental
protection works are shown in Figure 1.3.
Figure 1.3 Project
Organisation
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The Contractor
1.4.2
The
Contractor shall report to the Engineer. The duties and responsibilities of the
Contractor are:
·
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 Section 9.3 of this EM&A Manual.
Environmental Team
1.4.3
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 Environmental Protection Department
(EPD). The ET shall be led and managed by the ET leader. The ET leader shall possess at least 7
years experience in EM&A. The
ET team shall include a landscape auditor to audit the mitigation measures
implemented by the Contractor on a regular basis to ensure compliance with the
intended aims of the measures. The duties and responsibilities of the ET are:
·
monitor
various environmental parameters as required in the 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 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;
·
audit
and prepare 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; and
·
adhere
to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with
Section 9.3 of this EM&A Maunal.
Engineer or Engineer’s
Representative
1.4.4
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 may 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; and
·
adhere
to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation in accordance with
Section 9.3 of this EM&A Manual.
Independent Checker
(Environment)
1.4.5
The
IC(E) shall advise the Engineer’s Representative on environmental issues
related to the project. The IC(E) shall possess at least 7 years experience in
EM&A. The duties and
responsibilities of the IC(E) are:
·
review the EM&A works performed by the ET (at not
less than monthly intervals);
·
audit
the monitoring activities and results (at not less than monthly intervals);
·
report
the audit results to the ER and EPD in parallel;
·
review the EM&A reports (monthly and quarterly
summary reports) submitted by the 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
Section 9.3 of this EM&A Manual.