16.1
This section further elaborates the requirements of
environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) for the construction and
operation of the Project, based on the assessment results of various
issues. The following sections summarize
the recommended EM&A requirements.
Details of the EM&A programme are presented in a stand-alone
EM&A Manual issued separately.
Terrestrial Ecology
16.3
The implementation of the ecological mitigation measures
described in Table 18.1 should be
checked as part of the EM&A procedures during the construction period to
confirm the recommended measures are properly in place.
Ecological Impact
Monitoring
16.4
Mitigation measures
have been proposed under this Project to control any potential indirect impact
to the avifauna utilizing areas of conservation interest which are sensitive to
disturbance. Impact monitoring should
therefore be conducted during construction phase to monitor the effectiveness
of proposed mitigation measures and detect any unpredicted indirect ecological
impacts arising from the proposed Project.
Remedial actions can then be recommended, where appropriate, based on
the impact monitoring results.
16.5
Ecological impact
monitoring focusing on habitats and species of conservation interest should be
conducted during the construction phase at the MPV, TPP, SSS / ERS, PHV, and
TUW sites where a number of avifauna of conservation interest (e.g.
overwintering bird, Greater Painted-snipe) and areas of conservation interest
(e.g. country parks, conservation areas, and wetlands) were recorded.
16.6
Avifaunal communities should be surveyed quantitatively
along transects. Birds heard or seen along
the transects should be identified to species and counted. The nature of construction works within works
area conducting during each impact monitoring visit should also be recorded. The quantitative monitoring results should be
compared to pre-construction condition.
The impact monitoring results should be undertaken by qualified
ecologist(s) with relevant working experience.
Should any unpredicted indirect ecological impacts arising from the
proposed Project be detected, remedial measures should be developed and
implemented by the Contractor. The
implementation details of the impact monitoring programme should be described
in ecological monitoring plan for EPD approval before commencement of
construction activities. The location, frequency and duration of impact monitoring are provided in the EM&A Manual.
Monitoring of Mitigation
Stream Habitats
16.7
Mitigation stream habitats will be provided within the scheme boundary
of the SSS / ERS site in the operational phase.
It is anticipated that the mitigation stream habitats would provide
habitats of similar ecological value and function to the wildlife utilising the
existing watercourse habitats. Prior to
commencement of channel works, the ecological habitat management plan should be
prepared to outline the operational phase ecological monitoring requirements
for the mitigation stream habitats.
Monitoring of Impact from
Groundwater Drawdown
16.8
Groundwater levels will be monitored along the whole Project alignment
in pre-construction and construction stages as part of the comprehensive
groundwater monitoring strategy (details refer to EIA Report Appendix 11.8B Hydrogeological Impact Assessment). A monitoring and emergency response plan (to
be prepared by the Contractor), in relation to potential impacts due to
groundwater drawdown, will form part of the EM&A requirement in the
EM&A Manual subject to approval by EPD and AFCD before commencement of the
tunnelling and MPV construction in
Monitoring of Impact from
Noise and Vibration
16.9
A monitoring and
emergency response plan (to be prepared by the Contractor), in relation to
potential impacts on fishponds in
Marine Ecology
16.10
The implementation of
the ecological mitigation measures described in Table 18.1 should be checked as
part of the EM&A procedures during the construction period to confirm the
recommended measures are properly in place.
16.11
Monitoring
programme should be implemented to monitor impacts from groundwater drawdown,
construction noise, and vibration.
Details of monitoring programme refer to Section 16.8 to 16.9.
Airborne Noise Impact
Construction Phase
16.12
Construction noise impacts from this Project would be
expected at NSRs identified in this EIA.
Appropriate mitigation measures would be required in order to alleviate
the impacts to meet the EIAO-TM criteria.
Noise monitoring during construction phase needs to be carried out to
ensure that such mitigation measures would be implemented properly.
16.13
Noise monitoring should be carried out at the designated
monitoring stations, and measurement should be undertaken at a minimum logging
interval of 30 minutes. Prior to the
commencement of the Project, baseline monitoring should be measured for a
continuous period of at least 14 consecutive days at a minimum logging interval
of 30 minutes for daytime. During impact
monitoring, noise measurement should be conducted at the designated monitoring
locations once a week. Ad hoc noise
monitoring should also be carried out if necessary. Details of the
EM&A programme are provided in a stand-alone EM&A
Manual.
Operation Phase
16.14
Prior to the operation phase of
the Project, a noise commissioning test should be conducted by the Contractor
to check compliance of the operational airborne railway and fixed plant noise levels
with the stipulated noise criteria. The
testing results should be checked and verified by the Environmental Team and
Independent Environmental Checker respectively.
Ground-borne Noise Impact
Construction Phase
16.16
Prior to the final design of the trackform and the extent of
each type of trackform, and after the proposed train in operation outside Hong
Kong, tests of the FDL of the train will be carried out to update the
ground-borne noise prediction and the recommendation on mitigation measures as
necessary.
16.17
The vibration borehole testing will be carried out at two
carefully selected locations along the proposed tunnel alignment prior to the
commencement of construction works to determine the LSR values under certain
geological conditions. This will also
allow updating of the ground-borne noise predictions and the recommendation on
mitigation measures as necessary.
16.18
An EM&A programme is recommended to be developed with
details of the EM&A requirements are provided in a stand-alone EM&A
Manual.
Operation Phase
16.19
Prior to the operation phase of the Project, a noise
commissioning test should be conducted to check the compliance of the
operational ground-borne noise levels with the EIAO-TM noise criteria. Details of the test requirements are provided
in a stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
16.20
The landscape and visual mitigation measures should be
incorporated in the detailed design, so as to ensure the effectiveness of the
mitigation measures described in Table
18.1. Any
changes to the mitigation measures that may be recommended to match the
baseline review result or to match the ongoing EM&A
should also be incorporated in the detailed design.
16.21
The design, implementation and maintenance of mitigation
measures should be checked regularly to ensure that they are fully realised and
compliance with the intended aims of the measures. Any potential conflicts among the proposed
mitigation measures, the project works, and operational requirements should
also be identified and resolved early.
16.22
Landscape proposals and details of architectural design,
chromatic treatment and visual and landscape mitigation measures for all above
ground structures, including station entrances and ventilation buildings, to
demonstrate that they would be sensibly designed in a manner that responds to
the existing urban context.
16.23
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 leading to
any damages to existing trees should be reported to the IEC, ET and ER.
16.24
The ET should also audit the operational measures
recommended in the EIA study to ensure that they are fully implemented by the
Contractor in accordance with the Project design during the construction phase.
Operation Phase
16.25
As the operation landscape and visual mitigation measures
would be provided during the construction phase, and therefore no specific
EM&A requirement is required during operation phase.
Cultural
Heritage Impact
Construction Phase
Terrestrial Archaeology
16.26
A further archaeological
investigation is recommended to be undertaken within inaccessible areas in SSS
and TPP. The
purpose of this investigation is to ascertain archaeological potential in these
inaccessible areas. Should significance
archaeological features be discovered, a rescue excavation should be
considered. The further archaeological investigation process entails the
supervision of the archaeological excavation works within the identified area
by qualified archaeologists to identify any archaeological material or
features.
16.27
Rescue excavation is also recommended at the southern
portion of SSS, in which the archaeological remains discovered would be
preserved by detailed record.
16.28
An Archaeological Action Plan (AAP) should be prepared to
present the details of proposed further archaeological investigation, rescue
excavation and watching brief. This AAP
should be submitted to AMO and relevant authority for approval.
16.29
Lung Kwu Sheung Tan Barging Point and its associated access
road is located within a known archaeological site, and therefore regular site
audit should be conducted during the construction of barging point to check
that no excavation works is carried out at the archaeological deposit
area. Restriction on the extension of TPP is also recommended to
avoid any potential impact to relic discovered area in Tai Kong Po.
Marine Archeology
16.30
No specific EM&A programme is required for marine archeological resources, with no archaeological resources recorded within the proposed dredging area in Lung
Kwu Sheung Tan.
Built Heritage
16.31
Sensibly designed screen hoardings should be used to reduce
potential visual impact on built heritage resources.
16.32
Vibration levels from the proposed blasting and excavation
activities should be controlled within a peak particle velocity (ppv) limit of
25mm/s to prevent potential vibration impact to all identified built heritage
resources.
16.33
Vibration
monitoring should be installed at the identified built heritage structures in
16.34
Further
condition survey and consolidation works at LCKH (i.e. Blocks P, Q, W and the
inaccessible area), if required, should be conducted before commencement of
construction.
16.35
If consent is given by the house owner of Cheung Yuen (LET-06),
a condition survey and vibration monitoring will be conducted at Cheung Yuen
prior to the commencement of works in SSS and during excavation works being
conducted within
16.36
The affected earth shrines located within the works boundary
(NHL-04, LET-07 and TKP-02) should be relocated before commencement of
construction. The relocation of earth shrines will be conducted by local
villagers.
16.37
No adverse impact on cultural heritage resources is anticipated,
and therefore Mitigation measures recommended in relation to visual impacts
would generally ameliorate potential impacts to the surrounding environment
including built heritage.
16.38
Land remediation works should be carried out in accordance
with the approved Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) and Remediation Action
Plan (RAP) prior to the commencement of construction works at the contaminated
areas.
16.39
Remediation Report (RR) for identified contaminated site(s)
upon completion of remediation should be prepared by the Land Contamination
Specialist to report the remediation process and demonstrate that contaminated
soils are all removed, properly handled, decontaminated and re-instated.
16.40
With implementation of recommendations given in approved
RAP, specific EM&A requirement is not required.
16.41
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 Table 18.1 should form the basis of the
site Waste Management Plan to be developed by the Contractor during the
construction stage.
16.42
It is recommended that the waste arisings generated during
the construction activities should be audited regularly by ET to determine if
wastes are being managed in accordance with approved procedures and the site
Waste Management Plan. The audit should
look at all aspects of on-site waste management practices including waste
generation, storage, recycling, transport and disposal. Apart from site inspection, documents
including licences, permits, disposal and recycling records should be reviewed
and audited for compliance with the legislation and Contract requirements. In addition, the routine site inspections
should check the implementation of the recommended good site practices and other
waste management mitigation measures.
Land-based
Activities
16.43
The key issue from the land-based construction activities
would be the potential for release of sediment-laden water from surface works
areas, open cut excavation and tunnelling works. The water quality assessment concluded that
minimisation of water quality deterioration from land-based construction
activities could be achieved through implementing adequate mitigation
measures. It is recommended that
regular site inspections should be undertaken to inspect the construction
activities and works areas in order to ensure the recommended mitigation
measures are properly implemented.
Hydrogeological
Impact
16.44
Groundwater monitoring is recommended during the
construction phase as one of the precautionary measures to minimize any
unacceptable groundwater drawdown. Piezometers will be installed all along the
alignment and at locations associated with particular sensitive receptors (e.g.
near Mai Po area) that have been identified. A baseline of data will therefore
be available prior to the commencement of construction. This instrumentation will form the basis of
the construction monitoring programme, but will be supplemented as necessary
prior to the start of construction. Monitoring of the groundwater table will be
undertaken during the progress of the tunneling works to confirm that the
groundwater levels do not deviate significantly from the observed or recorded
historical seasonal fluctuations. A detailed groundwater monitoring programme
should be developed in detailed design stage to monitor both the proposed works
and the impact of those works on the adjacent area.
Dredging
of Marine Sediment
16.45 The water quality impact generated from the proposed dredging works has been assessed to be localized and minor. No marine water quality monitoring is considered necessary.
Operation Phase
16.46
No adverse water quality impact was identified during the
operational phase with proper implementation of the recommended mitigation
measures. Operation phase water quality
monitoring is therefore considered not necessary.
16.47
With the implementation of the dust suppression measures
stipulated in the Air Pollution Control
(Construction Dust) Regulation, good site practices and proposed mitigation
measures, no adverse dust impact would be expected at the ASRs in the vicinity
of the construction sites. Dust
monitoring requirements are recommended in the EM&A Manual to ensure the
efficacy of the control measures.
Details of the EM&A programme are provided in a stand-alone EM&A
Manual.
16.48
No adverse air
quality or implication from the operation of Project and diesel locomotives at
SSS. Environmental monitoring is
considered unnecessary.
16.49
Blasting activities regarding storage and transport of
explosives should be supervised and audited by competent site staff to ensure
strict compl
16.50
As the potential landfill
gas risk posed by the GDBL and SLSL to the Barging Point and the Nursery Site
will be very low, no monitoring will be required at the Barging Point and the
Nursery Site during the construction of the Project tunnels. It should be noted that the Barging Point and
Nursery Site will not be required during the operation of the Project.
Construction Phase
16.51
During the construction of the Project tunnels within the
Consultation Zone of the NTML, monitoring of methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen
should be carried out using appropriately calibrated portable gas detection
equipment. The exact frequency
of monitoring should be determined prior to the commencement of works, but
should be at least once per day, and be carried out by a suitably qualified or
trained person before starting the work of the day. Measurements should be recorded and kept as a
record of safe working conditions with copies of the site diary and submitted
to the Engineer for approval. All
measurements taken are to include at a minimum the areas where personnel are
operating as well as the highest and lowest elevations within the tunnels. Measurements are to be carried out with the
sensor located not greater than
16.52
A tunnel walkover
survey to test for presence of flammable gas at all joints and cracks, if
identified, shall be conducted upon completion of the tunnel work within the
NTML Consultation Zone. Rectifications,
such as sealing of cracks and inspection of tunnel seals, shall be carried out
for any signs of the presence of flammable gas.
The survey should be conducted under non-ventilated condition and before
starting the work of the day.
16.53
Weekly monitoring of
methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen in the form of a walkover survey at 20m
intervals for section of tunnels under NTML and 50m interval within the NTML
Consultation Zone should be conducted after completion of the tunnel
construction works and not less than 3 months before commencement of
operation. The survey shall be conducted
under non-ventilated condition and before starting the work of the day. Should methane concentration be higher than
10% LEL, mechanical ventilation is required to be switched on 30 minutes before
the starting the work of the day and throughout the working day. In addition, the monitoring frequency should
be increased to daily. If the situation
persists in three consecutive occasions, inspection of tunnel seals should be
carried out to identify the location of potential gas ingress. Rectifications, such as sealing of cracks,
shall be carried out. The daily monitoring
requirement can be resumed to weekly if the concentration of methane is
consistently below 10% LEL in 7 consecutive days and the ventilation
requirement can be resumed to normal.
16.54
A summary of the
monitoring results shall be submitted to EPD for record before the commencement
of operational phase. The results shall
be reviewed and agreed with EPD before the commencement of operation to
determine the monitoring requirements during the operational phase.
Operation Phase
16.55
The monitoring
requirement during the operational phase shall be discussed with EPD before the
commencement of operation. Weekly
monitoring of methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen in the form of a walkover
survey at 20m intervals for section of tunnels under NTML and 50m interval
within the NTML Consultation Zone is tentatively proposed ([1]). The survey should be conducted under
non-ventilated condition and before the first train operates and start-up of
ventilation, if applicable. Should
methane concentration be higher than 10% LEL, mechanical ventilation is
required to be switched on at least 30 minutes before the first train operates
to sufficiently dilute the concentration of methane to well below the lower
explosive limit to ensure that no explosion will occur when the trains pass
through the tunnel until the end of the daily operation. The monitoring frequency should be increased
to daily. If the situation persists in
three consecutive occasions, inspection of tunnel seals should be carried out
to identify the location of potential gas ingress. Rectifications, such as sealing of cracks, shall
be carried out. The daily monitoring
requirement can be resumed to weekly if the concentration of methane is
consistently below 10% LEL in 7 consecutive days and the mechanical ventilation
requirement can be resumed back to normal condition.
16.56
A summary of the
monitoring results should be submitted to EPD for record at the end of the
monitoring period.
16.57
It is recommended
that an annual walkover survey in the tunnels within the Consultation Zone of
the NTML should be conducted to test for the presence of flammable gas at
joints and cracks, if identified. Rectifications, such as sealing
of cracks and inspection of tunnel seals, shall be carried out for any signs of
presence of flammable gas.
The
survey should be conducted under non-ventilated condition and before the first
train operates and start-up of ventilation, if applicable.
Impact on Restored Ngau
Tam Mei Landfill
16.58
The assessment shows that the construction and operation of
the Project will not cause adverse impact on the restored NTML and the restored
NTML will not have adverse impact on the construction and operation of the
Project. Hence, monitoring is not
required.