12.1.1 This
section further elaborates the requirements of EM&A for the construction
and operation of the Project, based on the assessment results of various
environmental issues.
12.1.2 The
objectives of carrying out EM&A for the Project include the following:
·
to provide a database against which any short or long
term environmental impacts of the Project can be determined
·
to provide an early indication should any of the
environmental control measures or practices fail to achieve the acceptable
standards
·
to monitor the performance of the Project and the
effectiveness of mitigation measures
·
to verify the environmental impacts predicted in this
EIA
·
to determine project compliance with regulatory
requirements, standards and government policies
·
to take remedial action if unexpected problems or
unacceptable impacts arise
·
to provide data to enable an environmental audit.
12.1.3 The
following sections summarise the recommended EM&A requirements. Details of EM&A are provided in a
stand-alone EM&A Manual.
12.2
Air Quality Impact
Construction Phase
12.2.1 The
construction work will inevitably lead to dust (TSP) emissions, mainly from
excavation, filling activities, truck haulage and material handling. No exceedance of hourly and daily TSP criteria are
predicted at air sensitive receivers (ASRs) in the vicinity of work sites with
four times daily watering on active work areas.
12.2.2 With
implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, dust suppression measures
stipulated in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, good
site practices and comprehensive dust monitoring and audit, the dust impact
would be further diminished.
12.2.3 Dust
monitoring is recommended in the EM&A Manual to ensure the efficacy of the
control measures.
Operational Phase
12.2.4
There will be no exceedance of AQOs at the sensitive
receivers. No mitigation measures and air quality
monitoring are considered necessary during the operation phase of the Project.
Although no air quality monitoring is required for the operation phase, the
operator for the proposed CWB tunnel, HyD, will conduct air quality monitoring
for the operation performance of the EVB ventilation shaft. The purpose of the air quality
monitoring is to ensure that the ventilation system and/or air pollution
control device to be installed at EVB will be performed as per the design
specifications. Details of the air
quality monitoring should be formulated in the detailed design stage subject to
agreement between EPD and HyD.
12.3
Noise Impact
Construction Phase
12.3.1 Construction
noise impacts from this Project, in addition to the concurrent construction
tasks of other Schedule 2 designated projects, CRIII and HKCEC ALE projects,
could be expected at the NSRs identified in this EIA. Appropriate mitigation measures are
required in order to alleviate the impacts to meet the EIAO-TM criteria. Noise
monitoring during construction phase will need to be carried out to ensure that
such mitigation measures are implemented properly.
Operational Phase
12.3.2 After completion
of the Project, traffic noise monitoring should be carried out at the NSRs in
the vicinity of the recommended direct mitigation measures. The purpose of this
monitoring is to ensure that the proposed mitigation measures are effective to
alleviate traffic noise impact. The Highways Department will be responsible for
the operational phase monitoring. Qualified environmental team should be
employed to carry out the proposed monitoring. The parameters, monitoring
equipment, locations and procedures are presented in detail in the EM&A
Manual.
12.3.3
The
assessment has indicated that the noise from ventilation buildings would comply
with the EIAO-TM standards. As part of the design process, however, monitoring
of operation noise from proposed EVB during the testing and commissioning stage
would be recommended to verify the maximum sound power levels as assumed in the
noise assessment in this EIA.
12.4
Water Quality
Impact
Construction
Phase
12.4.1 The potential water quality impacts arising
from the proposed land-based construction works for the CWB have been
assessed. It is predicted that
there will not be any insurmountable adverse impacts on marine water quality. With the implementation of the
recommended mitigation measures, it is anticipated that the identified water
quality impacts would be kept to within acceptable levels. Monitoring of marine water quality
during the construction phase is therefore not considered necessary for this
site.
12.4.2 Regular site audit shall be carried
out during construction stage to ensure that no adverse impact on the marine
waters and seawater intakes in the vicinity; and to scrutinize timely
implementation of the recommended mitigating measures.
Operational Phase
12.4.3 No unacceptable water quality impacts
would be expected from the Project.
No monitoring programme specific for operational water quality would be
required.
12.5.1 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 the recommended good waste management practices
and EPD’s regulations and requirements.
The mitigation measures recommended in Section 6 should form the basis
of the site Waste Management Plan to be developed by the Contractor at the
construction stage.
12.5.2 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, 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 on a quarterly basis thereafter. In addition, the routine site
inspections should check the implementation of the recommended good site
practices and other waste management mitigation measures.
12.6
Land Contamination
12.7
Marine Ecology
12.7.1 As no
adverse impact on marine habitats and associated wildlife was identified, no
monitoring programme specific for marine ecology would be required.
12.8
Landscape and
Visual
Introduction
12.8.1 The EIA has recommended landscape
and visual mitigation measures to be undertaken during construction and
operation phases of the Project. This Section defines the EM&A requirements
to ensure the proposed landscape and visual impact mitigation measures are
effectively implemented.
12.8.2
The construction phase EM&A of the landscape and visual environment and
mitigation works shall be carried out as part of the site audit programme.
Specific EM&A during operation phase of the Project is not required as long
as the proposed mitigation measures in the EIA and as depicted in the Landscape
Mitigation Plan are fully implemented.
Baseline Monitoring
12.8.3
Baseline changes with respect to the landscape and visual environments
should be carried out in reference to the recorded baseline conditions of the
site as described in Section 10 of the EIA. The monitoring should in particular
record changes of each landscape resource, landscape character area and the
view conditions of each visually sensitive receiver. Parameters used to
describe changes in each of the above should be the same as in Section 10 of
the EIA.
12.8.4
The baseline monitoring should be conducted as a one-off site survey
prior to commencement of any construction works.
Construction Phase
12.8.5
The proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures for the
construction phase are described in Sections 10 and 13. The measures are on-site management
measures to be undertaken by the Contractor. All mitigation measures proposed in the
EIA and implemented by the Contractor should be audited by a landscape auditor,
as a member of the Environmental Team, on a regular basis to ensure compliance
with the intended aims of the measures. Site inspection should be undertaken at
least once every two weeks throughout the construction period.
12.8.6
In particular, the extent of the agreed works areas should be regularly
checked during the construction phase. Any trespass by the Contractor outside
the limit of the works, including any damage to the existing trees, woodland
and vegetation should be noted.
12.8.7
The landscape auditor should also audit the proposed operation phase
mitigation measures in the EIA and as depicted in the Landscape Mitigation Plan
to ensure that they are fully implemented within the Project design and
construction.
Operation
Phase
12.8.8
The proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures for the operation
phase are described in Sections 10 and 13.
The measures are design measures to be incorporated in the detailed
planning and design of the reclamation, infrastructure and open spaces
works. Landscape mitigation
measures would be subsequently managed and maintained according to ETWB TCW
2/2004.
12.8.9
Monitoring of design works against the recommendations of the landscape
and visual impact assessment should be undertaken during the detailed design to
ensure that the mitigation measures are satisfactorily incorporated into the
design. Any changes to the design,
include design changes on site should also be checked.
12.9.1 There is no monitoring and audit
requirement for the marine archaeology.