15.1.1.1
This EIA Report has provided an assessment of the
potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation
of the KTE project, based on the preliminary engineering design information
available. The EIA has been conducted,
in accordance with the EIA Study Brief (No: ESB-188/2008) issued under the EIAO
for this Project.
15.1.1.2
The findings of this EIA study have determined the
likely nature and extent of environmental impacts
predicted to arise from the construction and
operation of the KTE project. During the EIA process,
environmental control measures were identified and
incorporated into the planning and design
of the KTE project, to achieve
compliance with environmental legislation and standards during both the
construction and operation phases. The Environmental
Mitigation Implementation Schedules are presented in Section 16 of this EIA report. Details of individual environmental aspects
are summarised below.
15.3
Landscape and Visual Impacts
15.3.1.1
Identified
impacts to landscape resources, landscape character, visual receivers and the
landscape planning framework have been considered. Significant Adverse residual
impacts to a number of landscape resources and visual receivers are anticipated
during Construction Phase which cannot be adequately mitigated.
15.3.1.2
During
Operation Phase residual landscape and visual impacts are able to be mitigated
adequately and no Significant Adverse impacts remain by Year 10 of Operation. A
number of beneficial impacts are also noted to landscape resources and visual
receivers by Year 10 of Operation.
15.3.1.3
Impacts
to landscape character are generally negligible during both construction and
operation phases however By Year 10 of Operation Slight Beneficial landscape
character impacts will be evidenced in the areas surrounding HMT Station.
15.3.1.4
Cumulative
impacts to identified landscape resources may occur from the Shatin to Central
Link, EPIW and Chung Hau Street PTF and will see further erosion to landscape
resources in the greater area. A number of VSRs are likely to have compounded
visual impacts resulting from construction of other concurrent and future
planned projects, particularly the development of the HK PolyU Student
Dormitory at Valley Road and the potential property development above HOM
Station, which may cause a slight increase in the adversity of visual impact
during the construction and operation stages respectively to nearby receivers.
15.3.1.5
The
Wylie Road Ancillary Building (WAB) is in conflict with the approved Yau Ma Tei
Outline Zoning Plan. S/K2/20. However this is deemed to be approved under S13A
of the TPO.
15.4.1.1
Potential air quality impacts from the construction
works for the KTE project would mainly be related to construction dust from
excavation, materials handling, spoil removal and wind erosion, as well as
operation of the rock crushing facilites and the barging point. With the implementation of mitigation
measures in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, proposed
dust suppression measures, and good site practices, With the implementation of
mitigation measures in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust)
Regulation, proposed dust suppression measures, and good site practices, no
1-hour and 24 hour residual impacts would occur. However, some marginal annual average TSP
exceedances would occur at locations around the HOM Station works sites and
Finger Pier works area. The exceedances are marginal, short-term and in
most cases transient and based upon worst case assumptions. Based upon these factors, the residual
impacts associated with the annual dust exceedances for the KTE project within
the study area would be considered minor and acceptable.
15.5.1.1
Construction noise assessment has been conducted. Results indicate that the noise impacts after
the implementation of all practical direct mitigation measures would still
exceed the stipulated noise criteria.
Residual impacts have been assessed and concluded to be temporary,
reversible and unlikely to induce public health concern and as such, are
considered to be minor and acceptable.
15.5.1.2
For the operational phase, it is anticipated that if
the Contractor complies with the specific allowable SWL from the respective
louvers, the operational noise impact would be within acceptable noise impact
criteria.
15.6
Ground-borne Noise Impact
15.6.1.1 Construction ground-borne noise assessment was conducted and the prediction results indicated that the PME induced ground-borne noise levels at NSRs comply with the EIAO-TM noise limit.
15.6.1.2 Operational ground-borne noise levels were predicted based on the maximum operation capacity of the railway system and the predicted results at all NSRs comply with the stipulated EIAO-TM noise criteria without mitigation measures.
15.6.1.3 Although no trackform upgrade is required to mitigate ground-borne noise levels, it is noted that the tunnel is of sufficient diameter to accommodate a number of low noise trackforms, including the high performance isolated slab track (IST) which would reduce noise levels by approximately 13–15dB on those predicted.
15.7.1.1 Potential water pollution sources have been identified as construction run-off, sewage from workforce, wastewater discharge from tunnelling and excavation, and groundwater contamination. Mitigation measures including covering of excavated construction materials, carrying out excavation during dry seasons as far as practicable, and provision of sedimentation tanks etc, are recommended to mitigate any adverse water quality impacts.
15.7.1.2 There will be no sea water-cooled chiller plant for the KTE. The track run-off and tunnel seepage during the operational phase of the project would not be expected to have any adverse water quality impacts, provided that the recommended mitigation measures have been incorporated in the design.
15.8
Waste Management
Implications
15.8.1.1 The quantity and timing for the generation of waste during the construction phase have been estimated. Measures, including the opportunity for on-site sorting, reusing excavated fill materials (on-site and off-site) etc., have been devised in the construction methodology to minimise the surplus materials to be disposed off-site via the barging facility. The annual disposal quantities for C&D materials and their disposal methods have also been assessed. Recommendations have been made for the Contractor for implementation of measures during the construction period to minimise the waste generation and any off-site disposal.
15.8.1.2 The types and quantities of waste that would be generated during the operational phase have been assessed. Recommendations have been made to ensure proper treatment and disposal of these wastes.
15.9.1.1
There were no exceedances of the RBRGs determined
for any of the soil and groundwater samples collected in the SI. In addition, as the operation of
15.10.1.1 A QRA has been carried out to
assess the hazard to life issues arising from the storage and transport of
explosives during construction of the KTE project.
15.10.1.2 The criterion of Annex 4 of the EIAO-TM for Individual Risk is met
with regards to the hazards to life posed by the storage and transport of explosives. The assessment results show that
the societal risk lies within the ALARP region when compared to the criteria stipulated
in the EIAO-TM. A detailed ALARP assessment has been undertaken considering a
wide range of mitigation measures and the results show compliance with the
ALARP principles provided that the recommendations as described in Section
12.12 are followed.
15.10.1.3 The location of all relevant
Potentially Hazardous Installations (PHIs) have been reviewed with regards to
the KTE alignment, temporary explosives magazine and other works areas for both
the construction phase and the operation phase of the project. As neither the overnight storage nor use of
explosives for rock blasting is in close vicinity to a PHI, and no PHI lies
within the “hazard zone” of the transport routes, no PHI requires assessment
under the conditions of the EIA Study Brief.