Chapter    Title                                                                                                                           Page

8.1              Introduction________________________________________________________________ 8-1

8.2              Environmental Legislation, Standards and Guidelines_______________________________ 8-1

8.3              Description of the Environment/ Baseline Conditions________________________________ 8-1

8.4              Assessment Methodology_____________________________________________________ 8-4

8.5              Identification of Environmental Impact____________________________________________ 8-4

8.6              Prediction and Evaluation of Environmental Impact__________________________________ 8-6

8.7              Mitigation of Adverse Environmental Impact________________________________________ 8-8

8.8              Evaluation of Residual Impact__________________________________________________ 8-9

8.9              Environmental Monitoring and Audit______________________________________________ 8-9

8.10            Conclusion________________________________________________________________ 8-9

 

Tables

Table 8.1__ Historical land use in the area of Chuk Yuen Village_ 8-2

Table 8.2__ Historical land use along connecting road between Lin Ma Hang and Frontier Closed Area and between Ping Yeung and Wo Keng Shan_ 8-2

Table 8.3__ Historical land use along connecting road in Sha Tau Kok Road Section_ 8-3

Table 8.4__ Historical land use of the location of proposed ventilation building at Po Kai Tsai 8-3

Table 8.5__ Historical land use along the proposed BCP connecting road in Fanling_ 8-4

Table 8.6__ Potential Contamination for each section of Study Area_ 8-6

 

Appendices

Appendix 8.1     Updated Contamination Assessment Plan (CAP) submitted in July 2010

Appendix 8.2     Acceptance of CAP by EPD in October 2010

 

 



8.1               Introduction

The potential environmental issues associated with land contamination have been reviewed and are presented in this section. The implications of land contamination for the proposed land uses for the proposed construction and operation of the LT/HYW BCP and the associated works areas in the study areas including Fanling, Lau Shui Heung, Loi Tung, Ta Kwu Leng and Chuk Yuen, have been assessed in accordance with the clause 3.4.8 of the EIA Study Brief (ESB-199/2008).

In accordance with the requirement set out in clause 3.4.8.1(iv) of the EIA Study Brief, a Contamination Assessment Plan (CAP), which includes the representative aerial photos, detailed project layout and land requirement plan, was submitted based on the initial connecting road alignment in August 2009 and accepted by EPD in October 2009. However, due to the refining of connecting road alignment and scope of works during the design stage (refer to Section 2 for detail), a revised CAP was submitted on 31 May 2010 and accepted by EPD on 22 June 2010. Due to the latest refining of project alignment at Sha Tau Kok Road, an updated CAP was submitted on 14 July 2010 (Appendix 8.1) and accepted by EPD on 12 October 2010 (Appendix 8.2).   

8.2               Environmental Legislation, Standards and Guidelines

“Guidance Note for Contaminated Land Assessment and Remediation” and “Guidance Notes for Investigation and Remediation of Contaminated Sites of: Petrol filling Stations, Boatyards, and Car Repair/Dismantling Workshops” issued by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) provide guidance on land contamination assessment. The Guidance Note for Contaminated Land Assessment refers the Risk-based Remediation Goals (RBRGs) as the soil and groundwater contamination criteria. Besides, under the “Guidance Manual for use of Risk-based Remediation Goals for Contaminated Land Management”, it presents instructions for comparison of soil and groundwater data to the RBRGs levels developed for relevant future land-use scenarios.

8.3               Description of the Environment/ Baseline Conditions

The preferred layout of the proposed LT/HYW BCP and alignment of its connecting road established at the Feasibility Study stage is presented as part of the Project Profile (EIAO Register No. PP-372/2008). Taking into account the views of local villagers, the alignment of the BCP connecting road has been reviewed and refined.  Figure 1.1 shows the refined alignment of the proposed truck road that connects BCP with Fanling Highway adjacent to Wo Hop Shek, while Figure 1.1a-k show the layout of the refined BCP connecting road in more detail.

8.3.1           Proposed BCP at Chuk Yuen Village

The proposed LT/HYW BCP will be built in the area of Chuk Yuen Village, which is inside the Closed Area. A review of the aerial photos suggested that the area that will be occupied by the BCP was agricultural land since 1940’s until 1970’s. Abandoned agricultural land started to appear in 1970’s but the area was reduced in 1980’s. Woodland can be seen from the aerial photos taken in 1980’s and larger area of abandoned agricultural land was found since late 1990’s. The land use of the study area has not changed much since then.

 

Table 8.1 presents a summary of the historical land use identified at the area of Chuk Yuen Village.  Representative aerial photos reviewed are presented in Figure A1 of Appendix 8.1.

Table 8.1       Historical land use in the area of Chuk Yuen Village

Date

Ref. no.

Height (ft)

Land Use

6/11/1945

Y00963

20,000

Active agricultural land, village houses

17/11/1954

Y02912

29,200

Active agricultural land, village houses

20/12/1973

7827R

12,500

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses

23/11/1976

16345

12,500

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses

5/8/1986

A05594

4,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses, woodland

28/4/1992

A30725R

4,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses, woodland

9/12/1999

CN25141R

8,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses, woodland

21/11/2005

CW68388R

8,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses, woodland

8.3.2           Sections of BCP Connecting Road between Lin Ma Hang and Frontier Closed Area and between Ping Yeung and Wo Keng Shan

The proposed BCP connecting road around Ta Kwu Ling partly falls within the Closed Area Boundary, including part of the existing Lin Ma Hang Road. A review of the historical aerial photographs revealed that the Project area involves land that was primarily agricultural until the 1970’s. Village houses at Ping Yeung and Lin Ma Hang Road were mostly developed in the 1970’s. Aside from the progressive abandonment of agricultural land and slight expansion of village areas, the land use in the area has changed very little.

Table 8.2 presents a summary of the historical land use identified in the region.  Representative aerial photos reviewed are presented in Figure A1 and A2 of Appendix 8.1.

Table 8.2       Historical land use along connecting road between Lin Ma Hang and Frontier Closed Area and between Ping Yeung and Wo Keng Shan

Date

Ref. no.

Height (ft)

Land Use

6/11/1945

Y00963

20,000

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland

17/11/1954

Y02912

23,200

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland

16/5/1969

Y15864

3,000

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland

23/11/1976

16345

12,500

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland, village houses

3/8/1986

A05560, A05562, A05594

4,000

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland, village houses

7/11/1994

CN8665

4,000

Agricultural land, village houses, hillside grassland and shrubland, bareground

19/11/2004

CW61736, CW63140R

4,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses, hillside grassland and shrubland

21/11/2005

CW68388R

8,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, village houses, hillside shrubland

8.3.3           North Tunnel at Wo Keng Shan and Sha Tau Kok Road Section of the BCP Connecting Road

This portion of the BCP connecting road involves a roundabout at Loi Tung and connecting road emerges at the tunnel portals at Princess Hill and Cheung Shan. Review of historical aerial photographs suggests that the land use in the area has generally changed very little. Sha Tau Kok Road can be seen in the aerial photo taken in 1954.  In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the land in the region was mainly for agricultural use, except for the hillside areas which were not cultivated.  Some of the agricultural land was abandoned in the 1990’s. Part of the area within the land requirement limit turned into open area while other parts have been converted to horticulture.

Table 8.3 presents a summary of aerial photographs reviewed and the historical land use identified in the region.  Representative aerial photos reviewed are presented in Figure A3 of Appendix 8.1.

Table 8.3       Historical land use along connecting road in Sha Tau Kok Road Section

Date

Ref. no.

Height (ft)

Land Use

17/11/1954

Y02912

29,200

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland

1963

Y10132

-

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland, village houses

20/12/1973

7838

12,500

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland, village houses

3/8/1986

A05508

4,000

Agricultural land, hillside shrubland, village houses

7/11/1994

CN8700

4,000

Active and abandoned agricultural land, hillside shrubland and woodland, village houses, open area

29/3/2001

CW30301

3,500

Active and abandoned agricultural land, horticulture, hillside shrubland and woodland, village houses, open area

8.3.4           South Tunnel at Lau Shui Heung and Proposed Mid-tunnel Ventilation Building at Po Kat Tsai

The proposed South Tunnel at Lau Shui Heung runs through the hillside. Construction of the tunnel mid-ventilation building is proposed at Po Kat Tsai, near Lau Shui Heung, where the South Tunnel locates. The area was used as agricultural land in 1970’s, which was later abandoned and turned into bareground in 1980’s. The area has then been used as open storage and warehouse for construction materials until now.

The historical land use identified from a review of relevant aerial photos are summarised in Table 8.4.  Representative aerial photos at Lau Shui Heung and Po Kat Tsai reviewed are presented in Figure A4 and A5 of Appendix 8.1. 

Table 8.4       Historical land use of the location of proposed ventilation building at Po Kat Tsai

Date

Ref no.

Height (ft)

Land Use

22/2/1963

Y09973

3,900

Agricultural land, access road

23/11/1978

23416

4,000

Agricultural land, access road

13/1/1981

35589

10,000

Abandoned agricultural land, access road

7/3/1986

A04656

4,000

Bare ground, access road

18/10/1990

A23492

4,000

Open storage, access road

20/7/1995

CN10584

3,000

Open storage and warehouse, access road

24/9/2001

CW33835, CW33898

4,000

Open storage and warehouse, access road, agricultural land, hillside shrubland

8.3.5           Fanling Section of BCP Connecting Road

The proposed BCP connecting road will be constructed as a viaduct structure spanning over a new drainage channel at the village of Kiu Tau and the MTR East Rail and bore into Lung Shan near Fanling Highway.

Aerial photo taken in 1924 revealed that the railway already existed and the surrounding area was used as agricultural land. In the early 60’s, the area was mostly agricultural land with some scattered houses and low rise buildings. In the 80’s, part of the study area became bare ground and more houses and low rise buildings were built in the area. In the late 1990’s early 2000’s, some of the discrete area next to Fanling Highway was turned into construction sites, and a significant area of the land has been used in carrying works for drainage improvement. The land to the south of Kiu Tau village between Fanling Highway and the railway has been turned into plantation.

Table 8.5 presents a summary of relevant aerial photographs reviewed and the historical land use identified within or in the proximity of the Project alignment in Fanling. Representative aerial photos reviewed are presented in Figure A6 of Appendix 8.1.

Table 8.5       Historical land use along the proposed BCP connecting road in Fanling

Date

Ref. No.

Height (ft)

Land Use

1924

Y00190

12,500

Agricultural land, railway

17/2/1963

Y09766

3,900

Agricultural land, village, low rise buildings

7/3/1986

A04594

4,000

Agricultural land, bare ground, village, low rise buildings

4/6/1995

CN9781

3,000

Agricultural land, plantation, bare ground, village, construction sites, low rise buildings

24/9/2001

CW33687

4,000

Agricultural land, plantation, village, construction sites, low rise buildings

8.4               Assessment Methodology

In order to identify and evaluate the potential contamination impacts associated with the Study Area, the following tasks have been undertaken:

¡      Desktop study to review the current and historical land uses;

¡      Acquisition of information related to potential land contamination from Environmental Compliance Division of Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Fire Services Department (FSD); and

¡      Site reconnaissance to identify the existing land uses.

In addition, the following sources of information have been collated and reviewed:

¡      Aerial photos from Lands Department and Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO);

¡      Previous approved CAP of the Regulation of Shenzhen River Stage (IV) EIA Study;

¡      Ground Investigation (GI) reports from Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) Geotechnical Information library; and

¡      Records and photographs from site visits.

8.5               Identification of Environmental Impact

8.5.1           Proposed BCP at Chuk Yuen Village

Based on the desktop review and site inspection, it is unlikely that land contamination is an issue at this section since the region was used as agricultural land and village in the past without any indication of industrial activities. The reconnaissance site surveys revealed that the area is occupied by village houses and agricultural fields. No potentially contaminating facilities such as car repairing workshops or scrap yards have been observed on site.

8.5.2           Sections of BCP Connecting Road between Lin Ma Hang and Frontier Closed Area and between Ping Yeung and Wo Keng Shan

The works area of this section partly falls within the Closed Area Boundary and desktop review showed that the land use has not been changed significantly in the past decades. The area was used as agricultural land with village houses without any signs of industrial activities or operation that could possibly causing land contamination.

Site observations confirmed that an existing recycling compound in Ping Che is situated on the opposite side of Ng Chow Road at more than 50m from the proposed viaduct and the connecting road will pass over areas occupied by agricultural fields, woodlands, Ping Yuen River and scattered village houses. As the connecting road turns further north, it will span over a site that is occupied by an abandoned pigsty identified to the west of Nga Yiu Ha. No sign of possible land contamination was observed during the site visits. Hence, the possibility of land contamination in this section is anticipated as insignificant.

8.5.3           North Tunnel at Wo Keng Shan and Sha Tau Kok Road Section of the BCP Connecting Road

According to the finding from desktop review, the works area was hillside area with agricultural land and village houses. Site reconnaissance survey recorded horticultural land and natural hillside near Loi Tung.  Construction site office at the Wo Keng Shan Road and an open area at the Sha Tau Kok Road were identified within the land requirement limit. Only a few vehicles and old tyres were found within the open area. Open storage of construction materials and vehicle tyre fixing and replacement services were observed within the open area. Although no sign of land contamination was observed on the ground surface, further site visits are suggested to be conducted after land acquisition and access to the area is granted to assess the land contamination potential.

8.5.4           South Tunnel at Lau Shui Heung and Proposed Mid-tunnel Ventilation Building at Po Kat Tsai

As the proposed South Tunnel runs through the hillside, clearly there is no issue for the tunnel section in terms of land contamination.

The works area for the proposed ventilation building at Po Kat Tsai is used as open storage since 1990’s. No registered chemical waste producer record is present in the area according to EPD’s records. There is also no record of any accident that involved spillage/leakage of chemical waste within or in the proximity of the areas of interest. No records of Dangerous Goods (DG) store and incidents of spillage/leakage of DG were identified according to FSD’s records.

It was observed during the site visit that the area is currently used as storage of construction materials, with the land surface concrete-paved. Provided with no records of possible land contamination due to chemical spillage in the area, it is considered that the possible land contamination within the area is low.  Due to the inaccessibility of the area during the course of this assignment, it is considered further site visits are to be arranged after land acquisition to assess the land contamination potential.

8.5.5           Fanling Section of BCP Connecting Road

The area of the Fanling section of the proposed BCP connecting road was used as agricultural land with low rise building which later turned into roads, plantation and construction sites for drainage improvement. The works area of the portal at Lung Shan was used as agricultural land and later developed into village. During site visit, it was observed that the areas involved in the construction of the proposed BCP connecting road at the east and southwest sides Fanling Highway are currently occupied by construction sites, drainage channel and village houses. No sign of contamination was identified at these existing land uses.

While there are a number of registered chemical waste producers in the area according to EPD’s records, the Project alignment will not encroach into these existing facilities. There was also no record of any accident that involved spillage/leakage of chemical waste within or in the proximity of the areas of interest. There were neither records of dangerous goods store nor incidents of spillage/leakage of chemicals in the areas of interest according to the FSD’s records. It has been confirmed that there was no activity or industry identified as per the Guidance Manual and Guidance Notes (section 8.3.1 refers) within the proposed works area that could potentially result in land contamination.

A car workshop and a furniture workshop were identified near the Tai Wo Service Road East. It is observed that the land surfaces of both workshops are concrete-paved. The furniture workshop was actually found to be used as storage during site investigation and therefore the potential of land contamination is considered insignificant. Car maintenance service was observed in the car workshop indicating certain degree of land contamination potential. No record of chemical and dangerous goods spillage was reported by both EPD and FSD. Due to the inaccessibility of the area during the course of this assignment, the extent land contamination of the workshops is suggested to be further assessed by site visits after land acquisition.

8.6               Prediction and Evaluation of Environmental Impact

8.6.1           Construction Phase

Based on the findings from the desktop study and the site reconnaissance survey, the current land uses, including potentially contaminative uses, within or in the vicinity of the Project area have been identified and these are summarised in Table 8.6.

Table 8.6       Potential Contamination for each section of Study Area

Site

Desktop Studies

Potential for Land Contamination

Need for Further Site Investigation

Corresponding RBRGs Land Use Scenario

Site for BCP at Chuk Yuen Village

No industries identified in accordance with the GM* and GN*

Unlikely

NO – No SI was proposed.

N/A

Sections of BCP Connecting Road between Lin Ma Hang and Frontier Closed Area and between Ping Yeung and Wo Keng Shan

No industries identified in accordance with the GM* and GN*

Unlikely

NO – No SI was proposed.

N/A

Sha Tau Kok Road section of the BCP connecting road

No indication of contaminating industries/activities except for the existence of construction materials storage and tyre fixing and replacement facility in the open area near Loi Tung

Anticipated potential is low

YES – Further SI and laboratory chemical analysis after land acquisition was proposed. Assessments of potential contamination should be presented in a Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) and, if necessary, a Remediation Action Plan (RAP) and Remediation Report (RR), for approval by EPD.

Industrial

Site at Po Kat Tsai

No indication of contaminating industries/activities except for the existence of construction materials storage facility

Anticipated potential is low

YES – Further SI and laboratory chemical analysis after land acquisition was proposed. Assessments of potential contamination should be presented in a Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) and, if necessary, a Remediation Action Plan (RAP) and Remediation Report (RR), for approval by EPD.  

Industrial

Fanling section of BCP connecting road

No indication of contaminating industries/activities except for the existence of car and furniture workshops

Anticipated potential is low

YES – Further SI and laboratory chemical analysis after land acquisition was proposed. Assessments of potential contamination should be presented in a Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) and, if necessary, a Remediation Action Plan (RAP) and Remediation Report (RR), for approval by EPD.

Industrial

*GM refers to “Guidance Manual for use of Risk-based Remediation Goals for Contaminated Land Management” and GN refers to “Guidance Note for Contaminated Land Assessment refers the Risk-based Remediation Goals”.

As seen from the above table, the anticipated significance in terms of land contamination along the whole BCP connecting road alignment as well as the BCP site is minimal. Only the open area near Loi Tung, sites at Po Kat Tsai and workshops at Fanling were considered with low potential of land contamination, while all others were identified with no industrial activities in accordance with the principles of the EPD Guidance Manual and Guidance Notes. The open area at Sha Tau Kok Road near Loi Tung was originally agricultural land and hillside shrubland until 1990s. The site in Po Kat Tsai was formed from abandoned agricultural land in the 1990’s and was first used as open storage. It then turned into open storage and warehouse of construction materials. The site of the car and furniture workshops in Fanling was formed from 1980’s. As there were neither records of any accident that involved spillage/leakage of chemical waste nor DG storages and incidents of spillage/leakage of DG according to the records with EPD and FSD, it is anticipated that the land contamination implication is low. However, since accessibility to certain sites as summarized in Table 8.6 is currently impossible, confirmation of potential land contamination is suggested by site investigation after land acquisition.

According to the site appraisal based on the record of existing and historical land uses in the Study Area, adverse land contamination impacts due to the construction and operation of the Project are expected as insignificant. Further site investigations and laboratory chemical analysis after land acquisition are proposed.  The assessments of potential contamination will be presented in a Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) and, if necessary, a Remediation Action Plan (RAP), for approval by EPD.

8.6.2           Operation Phase

There will be no industrial activities taking place at the connecting road during operation phase. A sewage treatment plant, which could be a potential contaminative land use, is recommended for the proposed BCP during the design stage. However, provided with the implementation of good practices of works and concrete-paved land surface, no contaminated land issue is anticipated.  

8.7               Mitigation of Adverse Environmental Impact

While the potential of land contamination is either unlikely or low as reviewed above, mitigation measures are virtually not necessary. In any case if contaminated land is identified after the commencement of works, mitigation measures are proposed in order to minimize the potentially adverse effects on the health and safety of construction workers and impacts arising from the disposal of potentially contaminated materials.

The following measures are for contaminated material excavation and transportation:

¡      To minimize the chance for construction workers to come into contact with any contaminated materials, bulk earth-moving excavation equipment should be employed;

¡      Contact with contaminated materials can be minimised by wearing appropriate clothing and personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks (especially when interacting directly with contaminated material), provision of washing facilities and prohibition of smoking and eating on site;

¡      Stockpiling of contaminated excavated materials on site should be avoided as far as possible;

¡      The use of contaminated soil for landscaping purpose should be avoided unless pre-treatment was carried out;

¡      Vehicles containing any excavated materials should be suitably covered to reduce dust emissions and/or release of contaminated wastewater;

¡      Truck bodies and tailgates should be sealed to stop any discharge;

¡      Only licensed waste haulers should be used to collect and transport contaminated material to treatment/disposal site and should be equipped with tracking system to avoid fly tipping;

¡      Speed control for trucks carrying contaminated materials should be exercised;

¡      Observe all relevant regulations in relation to waste handling, such as Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap 354), Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation (Cap 354) and obtain all necessary permits where required; and

¡      Maintain records of waste generation and disposal quantities and disposal arrangements.

8.8               Evaluation of Residual Impact

Based on the desktop review and available site investigation results for land contamination assessment of the Project, no contaminated land issue has been revealed, although site investigation is suggested after land acquisition. Hence, no land remediation action is proposed at this stage.

As such, no residual impact in relation to land remediation is anticipated.

8.9               Environmental Monitoring and Audit

In view of the desktop review results and the site reconnaissance findings, bulk excavation of soil for land remediation is not expected at this stage. As such, any environmental monitoring in relation to land remediation is not required.

However, during construction phase, environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) is to be carried out in the form of regular site inspection. All related procedures and facilities for handling or storage of chemicals and chemical wastes will be audited regularly to make sure they are in order and intact and reported in the EM&A reports as such.

8.10          Conclusion

The land contamination assessment has been conducted by reviewing historical/current land uses, desktop review and site inspection. Other relevant information was also collected from the related Government Departments.

Based on the findings of the site appraisal on the existing and historical land uses in the Study Area, adverse land contamination impacts associated with the construction and operation of the proposed LT/HYW BCP, connecting roads and ventilation buildings are not expected, except the open area at Sha Tau Kok Road near Loi Tung, works sites of ventilation building in Po Kat Tsai and workshops in Fanling. The potential of land contamination is anticipated to be low at these sites, while at the remaining areas as insignificant. Site investigations and laboratory chemical analysis are therefore proposed to be conducted upon land acquisition and site access is granted. Contamination Assessment Report (CAR), Remedial Action Plan (RAP) and Remediation Report (RR) would be followed (where necessary) after subsequent site investigations.

Mitigation measures for handling of contaminated materials, in case it is discovered after the commencement of works, and regular site audits are recommended to minimize the potential adverse impacts on workers’ health and safety and disposal of potentially contaminated materials.