Content


Chapter    Title                                                                                                                           Page

2.1              Scope of the Project___________________________________________________________ 2

2.2              Need for the Project___________________________________________________________ 3

2.3              Consideration of Alternatives____________________________________________________ 3

2.4              Implementation Programme_____________________________________________________ 4

3.1              Air Quality___________________________________________________________________ 5

3.2              Noise______________________________________________________________________ 6

3.3              Water Quality_________________________________________________________________ 7

3.4              Sewerage and Sewage Treatment Implications______________________________________ 8

3.5              Waste Management Implications_________________________________________________ 8

3.6              Land Contamination___________________________________________________________ 9

3.7              Ecology_____________________________________________________________________ 9

3.8              Fisheries__________________________________________________________________ 11

3.9              Landscape, Visual and Glare___________________________________________________ 11

3.10            Cultural Heritage_____________________________________________________________ 12

 



At the second meeting of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Task Force on Boundary District Development on 18 September 2008, the Hong Kong Government and the Shenzhen Government endorsed the major findings of a joint study that confirmed the need for a new Boundary Control Point (BCP) at Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai (LT/HYW). The two Governments jointly announced after the meeting to implement the LT/HYW BCP.

The LT/HYW BCP (hereafter referred to as “the Project”) is comprised of a Boundary Control Point near Heung Yuen Wai, with an 11 km connecting road alignment from the BCP to Fanling Highway. The overall plan of the Project is shown in Figure 1.1.

This Executive Summary presents the key findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Project as required under the EIA Ordinance (EIAO).

 

 


2.1               Scope of the Project

The current scope of the Project comprises:

(i)               site formation for the construction of a BCP building in the area of Chuk Yuen Village;

(ii)              drainage facilities discharging into the Shenzhen River associated with the BCP;

(iii)            cargo processing facilities including processing kiosks for clearance of goods vehicles, vehicle holding areas, customs inspection platforms, cargo examination buildings, X-ray building, weigh stations etc.;

(iv)             passenger related facilities including processing kiosks and examination facilities for private cars and coaches, passenger clearance building and halls, etc.;

(v)              accommodation for and facilities of the Government departments providing services in connection with the BCP;

(vi)             provision of transport related facilities inside the BCP including public transport interchange, and transport drop-off and pick-up areas;

(vii)           other peripheral structures and supporting facilities such as bridges across Shenzhen River, border road and fences, water supply system, utilities, culvert, drainage and sewerage etc.;

(viii)          construction of a dual two-lane trunk road with traffic control and surveillance system connecting the BCP with Fanling Highway adjacent to Wo Hop Shek - which comprises approximately 5.3 km of viaduct and/or at grade sections, and two tunnel sections totalling 5.7 km in length, tunnel administration building and tunnel ventilation system;

(ix)            associated diversion / modification works at Lin Ma Hang Road to cope with the BCP development;

(x)             associated environmental mitigation measures, landscaping works, drainage/ sewerage, waterworks, utilities and traffic engineering works; and

(xi)            collection, treatment and disposal of sewage generated from the BCP via provision of an on-site sewage treatment facility to a tertiary level with proposed Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) treatment and effluent reuse.

The Project is classified as Designated Projects (DPs) based on items A.1 and F.4 in Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the EIA Ordinance:

¡      A dual two-lane trunk road connecting the BCP with Tolo/Fanling Highway – about 5.3km on viaduct or at grade and 5.7km in tunnels (item A.1); and

¡      Reuse of treated sewage effluent from a tertiary treatment plant for irrigation at the BCP (item F.4.).

 

2.2               Need for the Project

The proposed establishment of a new BCP is of strategic importance to support the long-term economic growth of Hong Kong by enhancing movements between Hong Kong and the eastern part of Guangdong. Currently, cross-boundary vehicular access on the eastern side of the New Territories is limited to two existing BCPs at Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok which have already reached their capacity limits, and due to physical constraints, the potential for expansion is limited. Given that the Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2007 released in 2008 has revealed that average daily cross-boundary passenger trips and vehicle trips are experiencing an annual growth rate of about 6.4% and 3.5% respectively, and the anticipated closer tourism cooperation between Hong Kong and Guangdong as a result of the signing of the Supplement V to the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement in 2008; the existing BCPs will hardly meet the anticipated future demand in terms of capacity, convenience and level of comfort.

Given the above considerations and in the absence of the Project, it is anticipated that traffic congestion at the two existing crossing points on the eastern side would increase, with associated increased local air and noise pollution from idling vehicles and longer journey times.  Due to such an increase in waiting and commuting time, some commuters may resort to detouring to the crossing points on the western side, which would cause knock-on effects on the western crossing points and create unnecessary increases in vehicular emissions and energy wastage.  The development potential of the North East New Territories (NENT) region and the proposed Ping Che/Ta Kwu Ling New Development Area (NDA) would also be restricted in the absence of the high speed and efficient Connecting Road of the Project.

With the establishment of the proposed new BCP at LT/HYW, the handling capacity of the BCPs in the east will be improved and a direct linkage to the Guangdong highway network via the Eastern Corridor in Shenzhen will be provided, resulting in much shorter journey times and greater connection to major cities in both Guangdong and adjacent provinces such as Jiangxi and Fujian. The proposed Connecting Road will link up the new BCP with Tolo Highway via Fanling Highway and also provide convenient access to the proposed NDA, thus enhancing future development and improving the overall transport network in NENT.

In view of the above justifications, it is clear that the Project is essential for strategic reasons and for achieving the long term development prospect for NENT.

2.3               Consideration of Alternatives

As part of the extensive public consultations conducted throughout the preliminary design stage of the Project, a number of alternative options for routing the connecting road alignment has been considered and evaluated, particularly at the Sha Tau Kok Road section, where an interchange with Sha Tau Kok Road is proposed. Key environmental concerns for the alignment include direct and indirect impacts to villagers and village zones (including air, noise and visual impacts); Pat Sin Leng Country Park; Fung Shui woodlands; Tan Shan River; listed cultural features; and permitted burial grounds.

A total of 10 refined alignment options were assessed according to the aforementioned environmental criteria, and the two best performing alignments were selected to undergo further assessment relating to other technical issues such as traffic implications, impact on surrounding land uses, engineering construction and operation and maintenance issues among others. The resulting best performing alignment was subsequently put forward during public consultations, and the feedback received from the stakeholder groups led to further refinements including the change to a mainly tunnel based alignment south of Sha Tau Kok Road and re-positioning of the proposed Sha Tau Kok Road interchange to be as far away from major sensitive receivers as practicable.

As a result of the public consultations and alignment assessments, the current alignment of the proposed Connecting Road represents the best balance amongst design, engineering, environmental and social requirements.

2.4               Implementation Programme

The construction of the BCP and connecting alignment is targeted for commencement in mid 2013 with an anticipated completion in mid 2018.

 

 


3.1               Air Quality

3.1.1           Construction Phase

The main construction activities that would contribute to construction dust impacts include excavation/earth works, road works, slope works, site formation and construction of superstructures such as the buildings within the BCP and the tunnel ventilation buildings. A total of 46 air sensitive receivers (ASRs) were identified for the construction phase assessment. The hourly and daily total suspended particulates (TSP) were modelled using a tiered approach, with a hypothetical Tier 1 screening that assumes 100% active area of construction site with dust mitigation measures in place, followed by a Tier 2 assessment for those ASRs showing non-compliance during the Tier 1 stage. The Tier 2 assessment conservatively assumes 30% active areas would be located closest to the ASRs. Annual TSP concentrations were assessed using 10% active work area with dust mitigation measures in place. The TSP background level of 66.6µg/m³ and the dust emissions from concurrent projects within the assessment area were factored into the prediction of hourly, daily and annual TSP concentrations at the ASRs.

For the hourly TSP assessment, the Tier 1 screening results identified 20 ASRs that would potentially be subject to exceedance of the 1-hour TSP criterion (500 μg/m3).  These ASRs were then selected to undergo the Tier 2 assessment, and the results of the Tier 2 assessment shows that all ASRs would comply with the 1-hour TSP criterion. For the daily TSP assessment, the Tier 1 screening results identified 4 ASRs that would potentially be subject to exceedance of the daily TSP criterion (260 μg/m3). The subsequent Tier 2 assessment showed that these ASRs would comply with the daily TSP criterion. The predicted annual TSP concentrations at all ASRs would comply with the corresponding AQO (80 μg/m3).

To ensure compliance with the TSP criteria during the construction phase, recommended mitigation measures include water spraying of up to 8 times a day for active construction areas, covering 80% of the stockpiling area with impervious sheeting, limiting the speed of construction vehicles manoeuvring within the site to about 10 km/hour, and paving all haul roads within the site. In addition, the relevant requirements stipulated in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation and good practices for dust control should be implemented to reduce the dust impact. With the implementation of these mitigation measures, no adverse residual impacts are predicted during the construction phase.

3.1.2           Operation Phase

During the operational phase, there would be potential cumulative air quality impacts upon the ASRs due to the vehicular emissions from the open roads, ventilation shafts, mid-ventilation building in Hong Kong as well as kiosks, loading and unloading areas and public transport interchange (PTI) of the BCPs on both Hong Kong side and Shenzhen side.  The key air pollutants of concern from vehicle emissions are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and respirable suspended particulates (RSP). The proposed location of the on-site sewage treatment works at the BCP may also generate potential odour impact on nearby ASRs.

The results of the operational phase air quality assessment showed that the predicted hourly, daily and annual NO2 levels as well as the daily and annual RSP concentrations at all 49 ASRs were in compliance with the corresponding AQOs (which are respectively 300 μg/m3, 150 μg/m3 and 80 μg/m3 for NO2 and 180 μg/m3 and 55 μg/m3 for RSP). The predicted maximum hourly, daily and annual NO2 levels as well as the maximum daily and annual RSP concentrations are respectively 229 μg/m3, 120 μg/m3 and 72 μg/m3 for NO2, and 64 μg/m3 and 55 μg/m3 for RSP.  Hence no adverse operational phase air quality impacts from road traffic is anticipated.

For the on-site sewage treatment works at the BCP, odour containment and control measures including negative pressure ventilation, total containment of sewage channels and provision of deodorisation facilities will be implemented. Given the aforementioned control measures and that the nearest ASRs are at least 490m away from the sewage treatment works, it is anticipated that there would not be significant odour impact on the nearby ASRs.

3.2               Noise

3.2.1           Construction Phase

The main construction activities that would contribute to construction airborne noise impacts are site formation at the BCP, and road construction from the BCP to Fanling Highway. A total of 52 noise sensitive receivers (NSRs) were identified for the construction phase assessment. The type and quantity of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME) likely to be used for construction of the BCP and associated road works were assessed, and without mitigation measures, the majority of NSRs would experience noise levels in exceedance of the day-time noise criterion of 75 dB(A). Mitigation measures are therefore required in order to alleviate the noise impacts generated during the construction phase. Recommended mitigation measures include good site practice, selecting quieter plant, and use of noise barriers, enclosures, acoustic sheds and insulating fabrics. With the application of these mitigation measures, the assessment results indicated that the mitigated noise impact associated with the construction of the Project and the relevant concurrent projects would comply with the daytime construction noise criterion at all the NSRs.

Potential ground-borne noise impact during the construction phase could be caused by drill and blast activities and mechanical excavation for tunnelling works. Detailed assessments have been conducted for three construction equipment (hydraulic breaker, hand-held breaker and drilling rig), and the results of the assessment shows that the predicted ground-borne noise levels from the tunnelling work will not exceed the daytime ground-borne noise criterion of 65 dB(A) and hence no mitigation measures are required.

3.2.2           Operation Phase

During the operational phase, the LT/HYW BCP connecting road may pose traffic noise impact on the nearby NSRs. In 2018 when operation of the Project will commence (Scenario 1), the road traffic noise assessment of “with” and “without” the Project has predicted that 10 NSRs would receive noise levels in exceedance of the noise criterion of 70 dB(A) and would receive ‘significant’ noise contribution from the Project (i.e., the predicted noise level with the Project would be greater than that without the Project by 1.0 dB(A) or more).  In 2033 when the predicted traffic flow will reach the maximum levels within the 15-year operation period (Scenario 2), it has been assessed that the potential unmitigated road traffic noise impacts at 17 NSRs would exceed the noise criterion, with significant contribution from the proposed roads of the Project. To mitigate these impacts, it is recommended to adopt low noise road surfacing for the proposed link roads and slip roads, and to install noise barriers of up to 5m in height for affected sections of the proposed roads. With the application of these mitigation measures, the noise criterion will be met at all the representative NSRs with traffic noise impact dominated by the proposed Project roads.

During the operational phase, fixed plants such as noisy facilities within the BCP, the administration building at Loi Tung and the ventilation shafts/building for tunnels may also cause noise impact. In the absence of any detailed information and noise specifications for the proposed fixed plants, the maximum permissible sound power levels of all such facilities have been determined for incorporation into their future detailed designs. The assessed maximum permissible sound power levels range from 81 dB(A) for a building within the BCP to 115 dB(A) for a ventilation shaft at one of the tunnel portals. With the fixed plants properly designed to meet these maximum sound power levels, the noise criteria at night-time, evening time and daytime (ranging from 36 to 65 dB(A)) will be met at all NSRs.  Nevertheless, noise reduction measures, including choosing quieter plants; housing noisy plants in walled plant rooms, basement or specially designed enclosures; locating fixed plant louvers away from any NSRs; and regular maintenance of fixed plants, should also be considered as far as practicable.

3.3               Water Quality

3.3.1           Construction Phase

Potential sources of water quality impact associated with the construction works proposed for the Project include construction site runoff and drainage; drainage diversion; general construction activities; sewage effluent from construction workforce; and potential tunnel water inflow and groundwater drawdown. Discharge during construction phase would be collected by a temporary drainage system and treated or desilted on-site before discharge to nearby drains or watercourses. Provided adequate construction site drainage and sediment removal facilities is implemented and site practices outlined in ProPECC Note PN 1/94 are followed as far as practicable, no unacceptable water quality impact is anticipated.

Temporary drainage channel diversion would be conducted properly prior to the commencement of works to ensure that the flow of drainage channels is not affected. Good construction and site management practices should be observed to ensure that litter, fuels and solvents do not enter the public drainage system and existing streams and rivers. Domestic sewage generated by the workforce will be handled by portable chemical toilets provided within the construction site. Potential drawdown of groundwater level due to inflow of water during the tunnelling works would be carefully controlled by pre-injection grouting, supplemented by post-injection grouting where necessary to enhance the groundwater inflow control.  Any groundwater ingress pumped out from the tunnels with high suspended solid content would be treated on-site to prior to off-site discharge. With the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, no residual water quality impact is anticipated.

3.3.2           Operation Phase

Potential operation phase water quality impacts of the proposed BCP and associated facilities include surface and stormwater runoff and sewage effluents and sewerage impact. While the additional runoff generated at the BCP will be discharged into Shenzhen River via an internal drainage system, the estimated additional peak discharge generated from the proposed development is approximately 2.2% of the peak flow of the existing Shenzhen River near River Ganges. Since the increase in the surface runoff is insignificant, no adverse impact is anticipated. The existing Kong Yiu Channel would also be maintained. With proper drainage systems provided for collection and treatment of surface and stormwater runoff prior to discharge, no unacceptable impact due to surface and stormwater runoff on water quality is anticipated.

Where the proposed alignment will cross existing rivers as viaducts (at the upstream branches of River Ganges near Nga Yiu Ha and at Ma Wat Channel at Kau Lung Hang), no piers will be erected within the existing drainage channel/stream courses hence no adverse impacts are anticipated. Where the alignment will cross existing rivers as at-grade/depressed roads (at upstream branches of River Ganges near Wo Keng Shan and at upstream branches of River Indus near Loi Tung), a drainage system including channels, pipeline and cross road drains where applicable would be proposed to maintain the flow path. Thus, no adverse impacts are anticipated.

Sewage and wastewater effluents generated from the staff, food and beverage outlets at the proposed BCP as well as from the Resite of Chuk Yuen Village would be connected to the foul sewerage system of the on-site sewage treatment facility at the BCP. With the proposed sewerage and sewage treatment facilities as well as partial reuse of treated effluent, no adverse water quality impact is anticipated from sewage and wastewater effluents generated during operation phase.

3.4               Sewerage and Sewage Treatment Impact

The Project will generate sewage flow of 327.56 m3/day from the proposed BCP site and Chuk Yuen Village Resite during the operational phase, which cannot be handled by the Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works (SWHSTW) or the new sewage treatment plant for NDAs at North District due to mismatch of the programmes.  In order to meet the no net increase in pollutant loading requirement, it is recommended to construct and operate an on-site sewage treatment works with package plant such as membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment process at the proposed BCP to treat the sewage from the BCP and Chuk Yuen Village Resite.  The design treatment capacity of the treatment facilities is 387.56 m3/day. In addition, to further reduce the discharge of sewage and pollutant loadings, it is also recommended to reuse a portion of the treated effluent (not more than 111.25 m3/day) for irrigation of the landscaping areas at the BCP. With the recommended sewage treatment and reuse systems together with provision of the aforementioned odour containment and control measures as well as proper disposal of dewatered sewage sludge (about 1.2 m3/day) to landfill, it can be concluded that there will be no adverse sewage impacts due to the Project.

Apart from the sewage to be generated by the proposed BCP and Chuk Yuen Village Resite, a small amount of sewage (12.56 m3/day) will also be generated by the Administration Building to be located at the Sha Tau Kok section of the alignment. This small amount of sewage is proposed to discharge into the local sewerage system connecting to the SWHSTW.

3.5               Waste Management Implications

3.5.1           Construction Phase

Tunnelling works and earth works for the BCP and the connecting road construction are anticipated to generate approximately 3,414,239 m3 of Construction and Demolition (C&D) materials, of which about 27.1% or 924,992 m3 would be reused on site as earthworks for site formation and fill embankments. The surplus rock and other inert C&D material would be disposed of at the Government’s Public Fill Reception Facilities (PFRFs) at Tuen Man Area 38 for beneficial use by other projects in the Hong Kong as the last resort.  In addition, approximately 68,727m3 of C&D waste, which are non-inert materials consisting mainly of a mixture of topsoil and vegetative materials, will be generated from the proposed road works and site formation works. These would be reused as far as practicable with the remaining disposed of at a licensed landfill or an authorised waste transfer facility.

Other types of waste generated during construction include general refuse from the construction workforce, which is estimated to be approximately 585 kg per day, and chemical waste such as cleaning fluids, solvents, lubrication oil and fuel, which is anticipated to be in the order of a few cubic metres per month.

Adverse impacts related to waste management such as potential hazard, air, odour, noise, wastewater discharge and public transport are not expected to arise, provided that good site practices for proper handling and storage of construction waste are strictly followed. Good management and control measures including on-site sorting, segregation and storage of different waste materials to facilitate waste reuse/recycling are also recommended to reduce the amount of waste requiring disposal. General refuse should be appropriately stored and a reputable waste collector employed to remove general refuse, and similarly, a licensed Chemical Waste collector should be employed to transport and dispose of chemical wastes to a licensed Chemical Waste Treatment Centre, or other licensed facilities, in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation.  A Waste Management Plan should be accordingly prepared and implemented in accordance with the ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005 Environmental Management on Construction Site.

3.5.2           Operation Phase

The main types of waste that would be generated during operation phase are general refuse and chemical waste. Effective collection of general wastes would be required to prevent waste materials from creating an odour nuisance or pest and vermin problem. Chemical wastes should be disposed of in an appropriate manner as stipulated in the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulations, with special handling and storage arrangements in accordance with the relevant regulations before removal for appropriate treatment at a licensed Chemical Waste Treatment Facility.

With the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures for the handling, transportation and disposal of the identified waste arising, residual impacts are not expected for both construction and operation phases.

3.6               Land Contamination

A desktop study and a site reconnaissance survey have been conducted to determine the current land uses, including potentially contaminative uses, within or in the vicinity of the Project area. Based on the findings, 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 at Sha Tau Kok Road near Loi Tung, the work sites at Po Kat Tsai and the workshops at Fanling were considered to have low potential of land contamination. Further site investigations and laboratory chemical analysis after land acquisition are proposed for these sites.  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. Mitigation measures to limit the potential for construction workers to come into contact with contaminated material if found to be present, have also been recommended.

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

3.7               Ecology

An ecological impact assessment for the proposed project was conducted in accordance with Annexes 8 and 16 of the EIAO-TM. Baseline information on ecological resource was derived from literature review and suitably designed field survey. Ecological field survey was carried out between May 2009 and September 2010, covering both the wet and dry seasons.

A total of 12 habitat types were identified within the Assessment Area, including woodland, shrubland, plantation, freshwater wetland, active agricultural land, abandoned agricultural land, hillside grassland, pond, drainage channel, watercourse, open field and developed area. Literature records revealed a few ecological hotspots within the Assessment Area including a diverse ecological resource in Pat Sin Leng CP, an identified dragonfly hotspot in Tan Shan River, non-flying mammal species of conservation interest in Frontier Closed Area, Ecologically Important Streams and fung shui woods. 

Six fung shui woods namely Heung Yuen Wai, Tsung Yuen Ha, Kan Tau Wai, Man Uk Pin, Loi Tung and Tan Chuk Hang Lo Wai and three Ecologically Important Streams namely Man Uk Pin, Tan Shan River and Kau Lung Hang were identified within Assessment Area. Direct impact on these ecologically sensitive habitats has been avoided in the refined alignment option.   

The identified potential impacts comprise mainly direct loss of habitat and direct/indirect impact on flora and fauna species of conservation concern. Permanent loss of some area (6.2 ha) of secondary woodland would be resulted from the construction of the tunnel portals and sections of the connecting roads but it will be fully mitigated by the provision of 18.6 ha woodland compensation area. For the permanent loss of a total area of 1.4 ha freshwater wetland originated from abandoned agricultural land, it will be compensated with a wetland area of at least 1.4 ha. Details of the above mitigation measures would be formulated and further provided in “Woodland Compensation Plan” and “Habitat Creation and Management Plan” respectively under the project during the detailed design stage. 

Four floral species of conservation interest were recorded within the Works Area: Aquilaria sinensis, Cibotium barometz, Euonymus kwangtungensis and Pavetta hongkongensis. Potential impact on Aquilaria sinensis and Euonymus kwangtungensis is anticipated to be of ecological significance and mitigation measures are considered necessary. Healthy and young individuals as well as seedlings of the tree species Aquilaria sinensis should be considered for transplanting.  Including the species into the planting schedule for woodland compensation is recommended to mitigate the impact on those individuals unable to be transplanted. The affected shrub species of Euonymus kwangtungensis will be transplanted to undisturbed habitats for preservation. A pre-construction vegetation survey is recommended to be conducted prior to the commencement of construction works to confirm the updated status of these affected plant species of conservation interest in the site and to identify appropriate reception site.

A total of 122 fauna species of conservation interest were identified within the Assessment Area of which only 14 of them were recorded within the Works Area. Given that the area affected under the project are not identified as optimal habitats for the above fauna species and that extensive similar habitat is available in the close vicinity of the project site, potential adverse impacts on fauna species of conservation interest is evaluated as minor under the project. In respect of the major mammal community found in the Frontier Closed Area which is mostly located to the east of the proposed BCP location, the habitat loss impact and fragmentation effect have been minimized through adopting the currently proposed BCP location. Impact on breeding ardeid is minor because the closet egretry in Ping Che is far away from the Works Area and their main flight path will not be obstructed by the proposed Project. Indirect impact on the aquatic community in watercourse is minimal because no channelization and watercourse training works are required, hence no significant hydrological disruption will be resulted.

Habitat fragmentation impact would be minimized with the proposed viaduct design of the Connecting Road and the proposed landscaping measures which allow wildlife crossing. Potential direct impact on the site of conservation importance and any watercourses are avoided in the alignment selection process. With the implementation of proposed mitigation measures, potential indirect impact including vibration, noise, water quality and hydrological disruption and cumulative impacts are evaluated as environmentally acceptable. No residual impacts are anticipated under the project.

3.8               Fisheries

In the northeast New Territories area where the Project locates, there is no indication of the presence of any pond fish culture activities. Investigation by ground truthing has revealed only very few ponds within the Study Area. Some are abandoned irrigation ponds formerly used for cultivation. Others are currently used as fung shui ponds at villages for keeping ornamental fish species (e.g. koi), for example, the pond at Loi Tung village. No active or abandoned fishpond has been identified within the Study Area, and hence there will be no direct fisheries impact from the Project.

With proper implementation of the control measures for site drainage, surface runoff and sewage discharge during construction and operational phases of the Project, it is unlikely that there would be any indirect impact on fish ponds that exist outside of the Study Area (e.g, in the Northwest New Territories Deep Bay area) due to such effluent discharge into the Shenzhen River. As such, fisheries impact arising from the construction or operation of the Project is not anticipated.

3.9               Landscape, Visual and Glare

3.9.1           Landscape and Visual Impacts

A baseline study was conducted and 24 landscape resources (LRs), eleven landscape character areas (LCA), and 39 visual sensitive receivers (VSRs) representing seven VSR categories were identified and their sensitivity assessed. In the absence of mitigation measures, significant landscape impacts are predicted for two LRs and two LCAs at different sections of the Project during construction: woodland on hillside and woodland on lowland around the Sha Tau Kok interchange and woodland on hillside in the Fanling intersection area as well as the agricultural lowland landscape and natural vegetated hillside landscape towards the north of the Project Study Area. During operation, without mitigation measures, significant impacts are still predicted to remain the same for these LRs for the agricultural lowland landscape towards the north of the Project Study Area, but the impact on the natural vegetated hillside landscape in this area is predicted to reduce to moderate. In the absence of mitigation measures, significant visual impacts are predicted for 13 VSRs during construction and 8 VSRs during operation of the Project.

To mitigate the potential landscape and visual impacts, recommended construction phase mitigation measures include tree protection, preservation and transplantation; decorative screen hoarding; topsoil reuse; watercourse impact mitigation; and night time lighting control at the construction sites. Operation phase mitigation measures include minimising landscape footprint and visibility of structures through detailed design considerations; adopting an aesthetically pleasing design; compensatory planting; buffer tree planting; aesthetic improvement planting on and under Viaduct Structures; landscaped slopes; green roofing; vertical greening; roadside amenity planting; reinstatement, reprovisioning and revegetation of disturbed areas; specific reprovisioning of the LCSD garden at Wo Keng Shan and night time lighting control on future roads and structures during operation.

With implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, no significant or moderate residual landscape impacts are anticipated by Year 10 of operation. The village of Chuk Yuen will be re-sited to make way for the BCP facility but this is a separate project which has now been agreed in principle and is being carried out prior to commencement of the current Project. All landscape impacts will be reduced to slight – insignificant by Day 1 of operation, with the exception of moderate residual impacts on the woodland on hillside and woodland on lowland around the Sha Tau Kok interchange and woodland on hillside in the Fanling intersection area, as well as the agricultural lowland landscape and natural vegetated hillside landscape towards the north of the Project Study Area. By Year 10 operation phase all impacts have been reduced to sight-insignificant and the impact on the developed rural landscape around the mid-tunnel ventilation is considered to have become slightly beneficial. Visual impacts will be reduced to moderate – insignificant upon mitigation measures during construction phase, with all impacts being moderate – insignificant by Year 10 operation phase.

3.9.2           Glare Impact

A glare impact assessment was also carried out on representative residential and villager VSRs. The potential sources of glare would be from the BCP perimeter lighting and those from the connecting road alignment. The predicted glare ratings for each of the representative VSRs were assessed and in the absence of mitigation, one VSR (Kaw Liu Village) is predicted to receive a glare rating that exceeds the glare rating limit of 50. In order to minimise the glare impact to VSRs, mitigation measures including selection of luminaries that minimise the direct view of the light source; using lamp posts of lower height and less interval spacing; lowering the luminous flux; and tree planting between the VSR and light source are recommended, which would reduce the glare impact to an acceptable level.

3.10          Cultural Heritage

3.10.1       Archaeology

The Project is located near two sites of archaeological interest, namely Ping Che and Queen’s Hill. Due to the limited information on the archaeological potential of the Study Area, an archaeological survey was conducted on accessible land to collect sufficient archaeological data. A total of 37 auger holes and 16 test pits were conducted, while the remaining 25 auger holes and 24 test pits could not be conducted due to site access constraints and will need to be carried out after land resumption and before the commencement of construction works.

In the alignment section between Lin Ma Hang and Frontier Closed Area Boundary, although artefacts were not found, the test pits results indicated the presence of a layer with human activities.  It is therefore recommended that additional test pits and auger holes are conducted in the concerned area to confirm the archaeological potential.

In the section between Ping Yeung and Wo Keng Shan, in-situ late Qing Dynasty cultural layers have been identified in one of the test pits, namely, TP0505.  As this area will be directly impacted by the construction works, a survey-cum-rescue excavation is recommended to be conducted after land resumption and before the commencement of the construction works to further investigate the archaeological remains and to preserve the archaeological remains, if any, confirmed by the survey.

In the remaining alignment sections, due to site access constraint, some areas have not yet been surveyed during the EIA Study of the Project.  A further archaeological survey should be conducted after land resumption and before commencement of construction works to complete the outstanding survey proposed for the EIA Study to obtain data to verify the EIA findings. Subject to the findings of the archaeological survey to be conducted after land resumption, additional mitigation measures, if required, would be designed and implemented before the commencement of construction works to mitigate the adverse impact. 

3.10.2       Built Heritage

Literature review supplemented by built heritage survey identified 1 Declared Monument, 6 grade 3 historic buildings, 5 nil grade historic buildings, 1 proposed grade 3 historic building, 70 built structures, 20 graves and 8 cultural/historical landscape features within the Study Area. Among the identified built heritage features, 13 grave sites, 2 built structures and a cultural/historical landscape feature (a well within the BCP site) have been identified to be located within the works area of the Project, and thus direct impact on these built heritage sites is anticipated.

While preservation in-situ has been assessed for these built heritage features, it is considered impractical to retain these features, hence relocation/removal of the affected grave sites as well as removal of the affected built structures and cultural/historical landscape feature prior to commencement of the construction work are considered necessary as a last resort.    However, it is recommended to conduct photographic and cartographic records for these features before the removal in order to preserve them by record. Moreover, the access to one grave (GR03) will be temporary affected during construction works of the Project.  The affected access will be temporarily diverted to maintain access to the grave during construction phase. After completion of the construction works, the affected access route will be re-provided.

No construction or operation vibration impacts have been identified due to the Project.  However, during the detailed design stage of the Project, in case any potential vibration impact on any nearby built heritage features are identified due to any changes or refinement of design of the development, it is recommended that prior to commencement of the construction works, a baseline condition survey and baseline vibration impact assessment should be conducted to define the vibration limit and to evaluate if construction vibration monitoring and structural strengthening measures are required during the construction phase.

 

 


An environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) programme to check the effectiveness of the recommended mitigation measures and compliance with relevant statutory requirements should be implemented.   Details of the EM&A works are given in the separately prepared EM&A Manual for the Project, with the specific EM&A requirements highlighted as follows:

Air

¡      dust monitoring during construction phase;

Noise

¡      noise level monitoring during construction phase;

¡      commissioning (noise level) test on major fixed plant during operation phase;

¡      road traffic noise monitoring during the first year of road opening;

Water and Sewage

¡      water quality monitoring of construction works near Kong Yiu Channel, River Ganges, River Indus, Ma Wat Channel and streams at Kau Lung Hang;

¡      groundwater level monitoring for the tunnel construction;

¡      monitoring of the quality of treated effluent discharged from the proposed sewage treatment works during operation phase;

Waste

¡      regular site inspections to determine if wastes are being managed in accordance with the Waste Management Plan;

Ecology

¡      checking the implementation of transplanting of floral species of conservation interest and provision of wetland compensation area;

¡      ecological monitoring of woodland compensation in accordance with the Woodland Management Plan;

Landscape and Visual

¡      checking implementation of the landscape mitigation measures during and after the construction works;

Cultural Heritage

¡      additional archaeological survey and survey-cum-rescue excavation to be conducted by a professional archaeologist after land resumption and prior to commencement of the construction works;

¡      archaeological survey at the test pits and auger holes that were not accessible during the EIA stage would be conducted after land resumption and prior to commencement of the construction works; and

¡      baseline condition survey and baseline vibration impact assessment on built heritage to be conducted by a specialist in case any potential vibration impacts on any nearby built heritage features are identified as a result of any changes or refinement during the detailed design stage.

 

 


Throughout the feasibility and preliminary design stages of the Project, environmental considerations have been a key component for assessment of different options with a view to arriving at a more environmentally friend alternative for the Project that will be able to meet the relevant planning, transport and engineering requirements.  As a result, the proposed location of BCP; the proposed alignment of Connecting Roads and the proposed construction methods of the Project have been determined to, as far as practicable, avoid environmentally sensitive areas such as the Pat Sin Leng Country Park, Kong Yiu Channel, Tan Chuk Hang River, fung shui woodlands, permitted burial grounds, densely populated areas, sites of archaeological interest, declared monuments or graded cultural heritage sites, etc.

This EIA study has identified and assessed the potential environmental impacts that may arise from construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the guidelines of the EIAO-TM and the EIA study brief. Based on the results of the assessments, the EIA study concludes that the Project would be environmentally acceptable and in compliance with the environmental legislation and standards. With the implementation of the recommended environmental mitigation measures, no significant adverse residual impacts from the Project are anticipated. A comprehensive environmental monitoring and audit programme should be implemented to check the implementation of mitigation measures and environmental compliance.