The assessments presented in the preceding sections
have predicted that the implementation of the Project is not expected to give
rise to any adverse environmental impacts.
A focused EM&A programme is considered appropriate, however, to
ensure that the proposed mitigation measures are effectively implemented and
the quality of the surrounding environment is not prejudiced. This section presents the scope of the
EM&A requirements.
An EM&A programme will only be required for the
construction and post-construction phases of this Project. Unacceptable environmental impacts are
not predicted to occur during the operation of the Project, thus specific
operation phase EM&A measures are not considered necessary. A summary of the requirements for each
of the environmental parameters is detailed in Table 13.1.
Table 13.1 Summary
of EM&A Requirements
|
Parameter |
Phases |
||
|
Construction Phase |
Post – Construction Phase |
Operation Phase |
|
|
Air Quality |
M
(a) + SI |
- |
- |
|
Noise |
M
(a) + SI |
- |
- |
|
Water Quality |
M
(a) + SI (b) |
- |
- |
|
Waste |
SI
(b) |
- |
- |
|
Terrestrial Ecology |
SI
(b) |
- |
M |
|
Fisheries |
- |
-
|
- |
|
Landscape and Visual |
SI
(b) |
SI
(b) |
- |
|
Land Contamination |
- |
- |
- |
|
Cultural Heritage |
(c)
|
- |
- |
|
Notes: (a)
M – Environmental monitoring for River Modification and
Associated Works (b)
SI - Site
inspection for both River Modification and Associated Works and Advanced
Works (c)
The project proponent should inform AMO immediately in
case of discovery of antiquities or supposed antiquities in the course of excavation
works. No monitoring or site inspection is required for archaeology &
built heritage. |
|||
13.2
EM&A Manual
and Implementation Schedule
A detailed EM&A Manual has been prepared for this
Project as part of the EIA study. The
following sections provide a summary of the need for monitoring and auditing of
the individual environmental aspects.
In accordance with the requirements of the EIA Study
Brief, an Implementation Schedule of the environmental mitigation measures
recommended in the EIA study has been prepared in form of a checklist. The Implementation Schedule is presented
in Annex H and also
attached to the EM&A Manual.
Dust monitoring is recommended during the River
Modification Works to ensure compliance with the Total Suspended Particulate
(TSP) criterion at the representative Air Sensitive Receivers (ASRs). Dust monitoring should be undertaken at
the air monitoring station at Ta Kwu Ling Village
(AM1) and Tsung Yuen Ha (AM2) during construction in works areas III
are IV and works areas I are II, respectively (see Figure 13.1).
Regular site audits at the frequency of once a month should be conducted
for both the Advanced Works and River Modification contracts to ensure that the
recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented during the
construction stage.
Noise monitoring is recommended during the River
Modification Works to ensure compliance with the noise criterion at the
representative Noise Sensitive Receivers (NSRs). Weekly noise monitoring should be
undertaken at the noise monitoring station at Ta Kwu
Ling Village (NM1) and Kaw Liu Tsuen (NM2) (see Figure
13.1) during construction in works areas III and IV. Regular site audits at the frequency of
once a month should be conducted for both the Advanced Works and River
Modification contracts to ensure that the recommended mitigation measures are
properly implemented during the construction stage.
With proper
implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, sediment dispersion is
not expected to cause adverse water quality impacts at the identified water
sensitive receivers. However, a monitoring programme is
recommended to verify the predictions of the EIA and ensure compliance with the
assessment criteria.
Based on the construction methodology, the sediment
will be excavated in dry within cofferdam.
Water quality monitoring is thus recommended during the foundation pit
drainage and cofferdam demolition activities where there is a potential for the
release of suspended solids (SS) at the following locations:
During foundation
pit drainage and cofferdam demolition at Work Area I and Work Area II
·
500 m
upstream of Work Area I; and
·
1,000
m downstream of Work Area II.
During foundation
pit drainage and cofferdam demolition at Work Area III and Work Area IV
·
500 m
upstream of Work Area III; and
·
1,000
m downstream of Work Area IV.
There will be one monitoring station at each location
(ie a total of four monitoring stations). Monitoring will be conducted for three
times per week during the construction period. The interval between two sampling
surveys will not be less than 36 hours.
During each sampling survey, water samples for laboratory analysis and in situ measurements will be taken at
all monitoring stations for the following water quality parameters:
·
Dissolved
Oxygen (mg L-1) (in situ);
·
pH (in situ);
·
Turbidity
(NTU) (in situ); and
·
Suspended
Solids (mg L-1) (laboratory analysis).
Monthly site inspections and audits will be conducted
to ensure that the recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented
during the construction stage.
13.5.2
Operation Phase
Adverse
water quality impact is not expected during operation phase and hence
monitoring is not considered necessary.
In fact the water quality will be monitored through the existing
monitoring programme along
No ecological mitigation measures apart from the adoption
of good construction practise are required as part of the environmental
monitoring and audit procedures during the construction phase. The list of good construction practice
is provided in Annex H.
The implementation of the landscape works adopting
ecological design at
Although no adverse residual impacts are envisaged
based on the results of impact assessment, wetland dependent bird monitoring
for one year is recommended after the establishment of the landscape plantings
of the Project. The purpose of the
operation monitoring is to review the performance of the reprovisioned/reinstated
habitats. Particular focus will be
made on bird species of conservation interest (especially ardeid
species including Chinese Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Grey Heron,
Great Egret, Intermediate Egret and Little Egret, and two wetland dependant
species Common Teal and White-breasted Waterhen).
Standard, quantitative point count surveys will be
undertaken at designated sampling locations at once per month after the
establishment of the landscape plantings of the Project. The necessity for further ecological
monitoring would be reviewed after the first year ecological monitoring
programme. Locations of sampling
transects shall include reprovisioned/reinstated
habitats including riverbank landscape areas, floodplains and watercourse, and
other reference locations within
No impacts to pond fish culture are expected as a
result of the construction and operation of the Project. Therefore, no fisheries-specific
mitigation measures are required.
The development and implementation of a monitoring and audit programme designed to assess the effects of the activities
on pond culture fish resources is also not deemed necessary.
Based
on the findings of a desktop review and the site investigation for the Project,
no further investigation is
warranted and no
mitigation measures are required during the construction and operation of the
Project.
As no potential risks to receptors anticipated, no
environmental monitoring and audit programme is deemed necessary.
A Waste Management Plan (WMP), which will form part
of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) in accordance with ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005, incorporates
mitigation measures that have been proposed in the EIA Report to avoid or
reduce potential adverse environmental impacts associated with handling,
collection and disposal of waste arising from the construction and operation of
this Project. The WMP shall be
prepared and implemented in accordance with ETWB
TC(W) No. 19/2005. Proposed
measures are recommended based on good management, control and practices of a
construction site.
In order to confirm that the contractor has
implemented the recommendations of the EIA Report, monthly site inspections and
audits will be conducted of the waste streams, to determine if wastes are being
managed in accordance with the approved procedures and the site Waste
Management Plan during the construction phase. The inspections/audits will look at all
aspects of waste management including waste generation, storage, recycling,
transport and disposal.
The archaeological survey
identified only the secondary archaeological deposits at Chuk
Yuen and Pak Fu Shan sections (i.e. Sections 2 and 4) of the Project. The chance of finding in situ archaeological deposits is very
low. Thus no impact on significant
archaeological resources is anticipated and no archaeological monitoring is required. Other sections (i.e. Sections 1, 3 and
5) have been identified with no archaeological potential where no impact is
anticipated. Thus no archaeological
monitoring is required. Pursuant to
the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance, the project proponent should inform
the AMO immediately in case of discovery of antiquities or supposed antiquities
in the course of soil excavation works in construction stage.
However, it should be noted that the archaeological
impact assessment covered only the works area assigned as at the date of this
report. If the works boundary
changes in later stage to cover additional area not covered in the EIA, the
need for further archaeological survey and subsequent impact assessment should
be reviewed and AMO should be consulted.
As no direct or indirect
impacts on the identified built heritage sites are anticipated due to their
large separation distance from the Project Site, no mitigation measures are
considered necessary. As such, no built
heritage monitoring and audit is required.
The Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment of the EIA
recommended a series of mitigation measures to mitigate the landscape and
visual impacts of the Project.
Implementation of the mitigation measures for landscape and visual resources
recommended by the EIA will be monitored through the site inspection and audit
programme.
The completed landscape works adopting ecological
design on the