1                     INTRODUCTION

Background of the Project

1.1               According to the Territorial Development Strategy Review in 1996, the housing supply capacity of approved plans and programmes would not be adequate to meet the estimated housing demand after 2001. In response to the estimated shortfall in flat supply, the Government identified a list of areas, including Tuen Mun Area 54, having potential for housing development.

 

1.2               The New Territories West Development Office (NTWDevO) of Territory Development Department (TDD) completed the “Planning and Development Study of Potential Housing Site in Area 54, Tuen Mun” (the Study) in 1999 under Agreement No. CE21/97. The Study put forward proposals on housing types, development parameters and planning layouts and assessed the development impacts on transport network, infrastructural capacities and environmental quality.

 

1.3               In order to convey the sewage collected from Tuen Mun Area 54 to the existing sewers at Ming Kum Road, a new sewage pumping station, close to Tsz Tin Road, will be constructed and operated, with a capacity of about 90,000 m3 per day.

 

1.4               The proposed sewage pumping station is classified as a Designated Project under Schedule 2, Part I, F3(b) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), i.e. a sewage pumping station with an installed capacity of more than 2000 m3 per day and a boundary of which is less than 150 m from an existing or planned residential area. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study is thus required for the proposed Tuen Mun Area 54 sewage pumping station (hereafter referred to as “the Project”).

 

1.5               Maunsell Consultants Asia Limited (MCAL) was commissioned by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, represented by the Director of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), on 19 December 2006 to undertake the “Environmental Impact Assessment for the Tuen Mun Area 54 Sewage Pumping Station” under Additional Service No. 2 of Agreement No. CE21/2005(CE) (hereafter referred to as “the Assignment”).

 

Project Location and Programme

1.6               Under this Assignment, MCAL will carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Tuen Mun Area 54 Sewage Pumping Station so as to establish the environmental constraints of the proposed works and to identify appropriate measures to overcome the constraints.  The location of the proposed sewage pumping station is shown in Figure 1.1.

 

1.7               The proposed Tuen Mun Area 54 sewage pumping station (TM54SPS) is located in the central part of Site 4A of Tuen Mun Area 54, north of Kei Lun Wai, south of Tsz Tin Tsuen and west of Site 2 of Tuen Mun Area 54. The location is shown on Figure 1.2.  The proposed development at Site 4A of Tuen Mun Area 54 is shown on Figure 1.2.  Site 4A is zoned “Government, Institution or Community” (G/IC) on the Tuen Mun Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) No. S/TM/22 and is reserved for school development.

 

1.8               The construction works for the Project are scheduled to commence in early 2011 for completion in early 2014.  A tentative construction programme is shown in Figure 1.3.

 

Purpose of the Manual

1.9               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 proposed Project.  It aims to provide systematic procedures for monitoring, auditing and minimising environmental impacts associated with Project activities.

 

1.10            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.

 

1.11            This Manual contains the following information:

·        responsibilities of the Contractor, the Engineer or Engineer’s Representative (ER), Environmental Team (ET) and Independent Checker (Environment) (IEC) with respect to the environmental monitoring and audit requirements during the course of the Project;

·        Project organisation;

·        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; and

·        requirements for review of EIA predictions and the effectiveness of the mitigation measures / environmental management systems and the EM&A programme.

1.12            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.

 

Project Organization

1.13            The roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved in the EM&A process and the organizational structure of the organizations responsible for implementing the EM&A programme are outlined below. The proposed Project organization and lines of communication with respect to environmental protection works are shown in Figure 1.4.

 

The Contractors

1.14            The Contractors shall report to the Engineers employed by CEDD (for civil works) or DSD (for E&M works). The duties and responsibilities of the Contractors are:

·        provide assistance to ET in carrying out monitoring and auditing;

·        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 Engineers;

·        accompany joint site inspection undertaken by the ET; and

·        adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation.

 

Environmental Team

1.15            The Environmental Team (ET) is employed by the Project Proponent to undertake monitoring, laboratory analysis and reporting of environmental monitoring and audit.

   

1.16            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, which shall include being an Accredited Monitoring Professional of the Hong Kong Institute of Environmental Impact Assessment (HKIEIA). The ET shall be led and managed by the ET leader. The ET leader shall possess at least 10 years experience in EM&A.

 

1.17            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 IEC, 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.

 

Engineers or Engineer’s Representatives

1.18            The Engineers are responsible for overseeing the civil works (CEDD) or E&M works (DSD) and for ensuring that the works undertaken by the Contractors in accordance with the specification and contractual requirements. The duties and responsibilities of the Engineers with respect to EM&A may include:

·        supervise the Contractors’ activities and ensure that the requirements in the EM&A Manual are fully complied with;

·        inform the Contractors when action is required to reduce impacts in accordance with the Event and Action Plans;

·        employ an IEC to audit the results of the EM&A works carried out by the ET;

·        participate in joint site inspection undertaken by the ET; and

·        adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation.

Independent Environment Checker

1.19            The Independent Environment Checker (IEC) is employed by the Project Proponent and shall advise the Engineer’s Representative on environmental issues related to the project. The IEC shall possess at least 10 years experience in EM&A and shall have the same professional qualifications as stipulated above for the ET Leader.

 

1.20            The duties and responsibilities of the IEC 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.

1.21            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.