1                         INTRODUCTION

1.1                    Background

1.1.1.1        The Project Proponent is the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and the Works Agent is the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD).  Meinhardt Infrastructure & Environment Ltd (MIEL) was commissioned by the ArchSD as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Consultant to conduct the EIA study for this Project, which will be carried out in parallel with the design work. 

1.2                    The Assignment

1.2.1.1        This Project is to construct and operate a temporary vehicle workshop facility for around 5 years to replace the existing EMSD Hong Kong Workshop in Causeway Bay.  The site is located in a largely industrial area of Sheung On Street, Chai Wan but is in proximity to residential and institutional sensitive receivers.  The site location of this Project is shown in Figure 1.1.  The site constitutes an area of previously developed reclaimed land which is currently unoccupied and covered in hardstanding, with some trees. 

1.2.1.2        The proposed EMSD Hong Kong Workshop will be a single storey building comprising various facilities for vehicle repair and maintenance operation as well as parking of vehicles when not in operation.  The facility will occupy a site area of about 2,040 m2 and the vehicle repair and maintenance areas will be covered by a steel shelter with a 5.2 m high clearance.  The rest of site will, also, be covered by hardstanding as part of the access road and parking bays.  A detailed description of the project is provided in Section 3.

1.2.1.3        This Project is a designated project under Item A.6, Part I, Schedule 2 of the EIAO: “A transport depot located less than 200 m from the nearest boundary of an existing or planned (a) residential area; (b) place of worship; (c) educational institution; or (d) health care institution” and requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be undertaken and an Environmental Permit (EP) to be obtained prior to construction commencement.  An application for the EIA Study Brief under section 5(1) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) was submitted by the EMSD on 13 June 2011 with a Project Profile (No. PP-442/2011).  The EIA Study Brief No. ESB-231/2011 was issued by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on 20 July 2011. 

1.3                    Purpose and Objectives of this EIA Study

1.3.1.1        The purpose of this EIA study is to provide information on the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from construction and operation of the Project and related activities taking place concurrently.  This information will contribute to the decisions by the EPD on:

·               Acceptability of any adverse environmental consequences that are likely to arise as a result of the Project;

·               Conditions and requirements for the design, construction and operation of the Project to mitigate against adverse environmental consequences; and

·               Acceptability of residual impacts after the proposed mitigation measures are implemented.

1.3.1.2        The specific objectives of the EIA Study are summarised as follows:

·               To describe the Project and associated works together with the requirements and environmental benefits for carrying out the Project;

·               To identify and describe the elements of the community and environment likely to be affected by the Project and/or likely to cause adverse impacts to the Project, including both the natural and man-made environment and the associated environmental constraints;

·               To provide information on the consideration of alternative design options of the Project including the scale, extent, layout, configuration, design and type of design orientation and construction methods with regard to avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impacts to environmentally sensitive areas and sensitive uses; to compare the environmental benefits and disbenefits of different options; to provide reasons for selecting the preferred option(s) and to describe the part environmental factors played in the selection of preferred option(s);

·               To identify and assess environmental impacts including: noise impacts, air quality impacts, water quality impacts, waste management implications and land contamination issues, and landscape and visual impacts; and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

·               To propose the provision of mitigation measures so as to minimize pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction and operation of the Project;

·               To investigate the feasibility, practicability, effectiveness and implications of the proposed avoidance or mitigation measures;

·               To identify, predict and evaluate the residual environmental impacts (i.e. after practicable mitigation) due to the Project and the cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation of the Project in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

·               To identify, assess and specify methods, measures and standards, to be included in the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project which are necessary to avoid or mitigate these environmental impacts and cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable levels;

·               To investigate the extent of the secondary environmental impacts that may arise from the proposed mitigation measures and to identify constraints associated with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA study, as well as the provision of any necessary modification; and

·               To design and specify the environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure the effective implementation of the recommended environmental protection and pollution control measures.

1.4                    Approach to EIA Study

1.4.1              Baseline Conditions

1.4.1.1        The relevant aspects of the existing environment have been identified and described to provide a baseline for the identification and prediction of potential impacts which are likely to arise from implementing the Project. Baseline environmental surveys were undertaken and relevant reports / documents have been reviewed (and information incorporated where appropriate) to determine the existing environmental conditions at the Project site and all surrounding areas likely to be affected by the Project.

1.4.2              Impact Prediction

1.4.2.1        Individual aspect assessments have been undertaken in accordance with the relevant guideline on assessment methodology from the EIAO-TM. Computer models have been used to quantitatively predict environmental impacts for air quality and noise during the construction and operation phases. The modelling predictions have been based on approved / recognised local and international methods as described in the relevant sections of this report.

1.4.2.2        The methodologies used in the assessments have previously been applied in similar EIA studies in Hong Kong which have been accepted for use in assessing environmental impacts and for the comparison of predicted results with the EIAO-TM standards. While there are some limitations in the methodologies, for example the accuracy of the predictive base data for future conditions such as weather conditions, such uncertainties have been considered during the formulation of assessment conclusions. These have been addressed by the adoption of realistic but worst case assumptions to provide a conservative assessment of environmental impacts. Where worst case assumptions have been used, it has been stated in the assessment methodologies. 

1.4.3              Impact Evaluation

1.4.3.1        The predicted changes and effects resulting from the proposed Project have been evaluated in accordance with the criteria given in the EIAO-TM. Wherever practicable and appropriate, quantitative assessments have been undertaken.

1.4.4              Impact Mitigation

1.4.4.1        Mitigation measures have been identified and evaluated to avoid the impacts in the first instance. Thereafter the mitigation has sought to control, reduce and minimise or remedy the impacts. The effectiveness of the proposed mitigation has been assessed and any residual environmental impacts have been identified and considered for their acceptability.

1.4.4.2        An implementation schedule for the mitigation measures has been prepared, which for each mitigation measure, identifies when and where it is required, the parties responsible for its implementation and where necessary, for its maintenance.

1.5                    EIA Study Scope

1.5.1.1        The environmental issues covered in this EIA study and assessment areas, as specified in the EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-231/2011), are presented below:

·               Potential noise and air quality impacts from the construction and operation of the Project to sensitive receivers near the Project;

·               Potential water quality and sewerage impacts from the construction and operation of the Project;

·               Potential waste management implications and land contamination issues arising from the construction and operation of the Project;

·               Potential landscape and visual impacts during the construction and operation of the Project; and

·               Potential cumulative environmental impacts of the Project and associated works, through interaction or in combination with other existing, committed and planned projects in their vicinity, and that those impacts may have a bearing on the environmental acceptability of the Project.

1.5.1.2        The Project has no construction and operation phase issues of ecological, fisheries, cultural heritage or hazard to life impacts and therefore these aspects have not been assessed in this EIA study.  The reasons are summarised below:

·               Ecological issues: there are no ecological sensitive receivers e.g. important habitats, species, etc, identified in the vicinity to the Project site according to Annex 8 of the EIAO-TM. 

·               Fisheries issues: there are no fisheries sensitive receivers e.g. fish culture and aquaculture zones, nursery and spawning grounds, fisheries areas, etc, identified in the vicinity to the Project site according to Annex 9 of the EIAO-TM.

·               Cultural heritage issues: there are no sites of cultural heritage identified in the vicinity to the Project site according to Annex 10 of the EIAO-TM.

·               Hazard to life issues: this Project will not involve the operation of any potentially hazardous installations as defined under the EPD’s PN 2/94. Also, there will be no activities involving the use of non-fuel gas DGs, and no manufacture, storage, use or transport of explosives, etc. 

1.6                    Structure of this Report

1.6.1.1        This EIA Report comprises 12 sections including this introductory section. The other sections are outlined below:

·               Section 2 Alternative Schemes provides a description of the alternative schemes and factors considered in selecting the preferred scheme and construction methods.  It also summarises the Project’s anticipated environmental benefits, its public consultation programme and further design modifications to the preferred scheme;

·               Section 3 Project Description provides a detailed description of the preferred Project Scheme which is the subject of the environmental assessments detailed in this EIA Report;

·               Section 4 Noise Impact Assessment identifies potential construction and operational noise impacts arising from the Project;

·               Section 5 Air Quality Impact Assessment identifies and assesses the potential air quality impacts arising during the construction and operation of the Project;

·               Section 6 Water Quality Impact Assessment identifies and assesses the potential water quality impacts arising during the construction and operation of the Project;

·               Section 7 Waste Management and Land Contamination identifies and assesses the potential impacts associated with waste generation and land contamination issues during the construction and operation of the Project;

·               Section 8 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment identifies and assesses the potential temporary and permanent landscape and visual impacts arising during the construction and operation of the Project;

·               Section 9 Summary of Environmental Outcomes presents the summary of environmental outcomes arising from this Project;

·               Section 10 Environmental Management and Audit presents the EM&A requirements for the Project;

·               Section 11 Conclusion presents the overall conclusion for this EIA Report; and

·               Section 12 Implementation Schedule of Mitigation Measures provides information on the implementation of the mitigation measures.

1.6.1.2        The recommended mitigation measures specified in this EIA report have been summarized in the Environmental Mitigation and Enhancement Measures Implementation Schedule provided in Section 12.