1.2.1 The Project is classified as a DP under
item E.2 in Schedule 2 [Part I] of the EIAO. A detailed EIA for approval by the
Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) is therefore required. The Schedule
2 DP covered by this report is listed in Table
1.1 below.
Table 1.1 Schedule
2 Designated Project in this EIA Study
|
Designated Project |
EIAO Reference |
Remarks |
|
Water
Extraction and Water Supply |
E.2,
Part I, Schedule 2 |
Water
treatment works with a capacity of more than 100,000m3 per day |
1.2.2 A Project Profile was compiled and an
Application for an EIA Study Brief made on 25 January 2011 under the EIAO. The EIA Study Brief is registered as "In-situ
Reprovisioning of Sha Tin Water Treatment Works –
South Works – Design and Construction – EIA Study” (Reference No. ESB-220/2011)
and was issued on 9 March 2011.
1.3.1 The principal objective of this EIA Study
is to provide information on the nature and extent of environmental impacts
arising from demolition, construction and operation of the Project. All related activities taking place
concurrently should also be assessed to investigate the potential for
cumulative impacts. This information
will contribute to decisions by the DEP on whether or not:
(a)
the
acceptability of adverse environmental consequences that are likely to arise as
a result of the Project and associated works;
(b) the conditions and requirements for the design, demolition, construction
and operation of the Project and associated works, including taking into
account their interconnection, co-existence and development programmes, to
mitigate against adverse environmental consequences; and
(c) the acceptability
of residual impacts after the proposed mitigation measures are implemented.
1.3.2 This EIA study has been undertaken in
accordance with the requirements of the EIA study brief and the requirements
specified under the Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment
Process (EIAO-TM). Therefore this EIA
Report undertakes to:
·
describe
the Project and associated works together with the requirements, implementation
programme and any phasing programme for carrying out the Project;
·
identify
and describe elements of the community and environment likely to be affected by
the Project and associated works and/or likely to cause adverse impacts upon
the Project and associated works, including both the natural and man-made
environment and the associated environmental constraints;
·
provide
information on the consideration of alternatives (such as location/siting, scale,
size, layout, configuration, water treatment design options, sequence and
method of construction, and programme for the Project) with a view to avoiding
or minimizing the potential environmental impacts to (a) the environmentally
sensitive areas and other sensitive uses, in particular Hin Keng Estate, users
of proposed Shatin to Central Link, and (b) the Project itself, in particular,
the risk of life due to existence of the Potentially Hazardous Installations
(PHIs) within the Project site;
·
compare
the environmental benefits and disbenefits of each of the alternative options
and to provide reasons for selecting the preferred option(s) by means of
describing the part environmental factors played in the selection;
·
identify
and assess the potential risk to human life due to the construction works
impact on the operation of the existing PHI (Chlorination House), the 400kV
overhead power line and other notifiable gas installations (NGIs), e.g. Beacon
Hill North Offtake Station present or in the vicinity of Project site and to
propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
·
identify
and quantify emission sources, including noise emission, sewage and wastewater
emission, and waste generation, and to determine the significance of impacts on
sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;
·
identify
and quantify any potential loss or damage and other potential impacts to
ecological resources, flora, fauna and natural habitats and to propose measures
to mitigate these impacts;
·
identify
and quantify the potential risks due to the potential land contamination caused
by the existing facilities in the Project site and to propose measures to
mitigate these impacts;
·
identify
any potential landscape and visual impacts and to propose measures to mitigate
these impacts;
·
identify
any negative impacts on heritage resources and to propose measures to mitigate
these impacts;
·
propose
measures to avoid or the provision of infrastructure or mitigation measures to
minimize risk, pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during demolition,
construction and operation of the Project and associated works;
·
investigate
the feasibility, practicability, effectiveness and implications of the proposed
mitigation measures;
·
identify,
predict and evaluate the residual environmental impacts (i.e. after practicable
mitigation) and the cumulative effects expected to arise during the demolition,
construction and operation of the Project and associated works, taking into
account the relevant programmes on reprovisioning of the affected facilities,
in relation to the sensitive receivers and potentially affected uses;
·
identify,
assess and specify methods, measures and standards to be included in the
detailed design, demolition, construction and operation of the Project and
associated works which are necessary to mitigate these environmental impacts
and cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable levels;
·
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;
·
design
and specify environmental monitoring and audit requirements to check the
effective implementation of the recommended environmental protection and
pollution control measures; and
·
identify potential individual
project(s) and associated works of the Project that fall under Schedule 2 of
the EIAO; ascertain whether the findings of this EIA study have adequately
addressed the environmental impacts of the identified EIAO Schedule 2
designated projects; and where necessary, identify the outstanding issues that
need to be addressed in any further detailed EIA study.
1.4 Structure of the EIA Report
1.4.1 After this introductory section, the
remaining of this EIA Report is set out as follows:
·
Section 2 provides
information on the project background, objectives and need, benefits, location, the scope of development, the EIA study area and the works
programme.
·
Section 3 presents consideration
of alternatives including the “without the Project” scenario, the “with the
Project” scenario as well as consideration of project design alternatives
including related details of construction and operation of the project.
·
Sections 4 to 12,
inclusive, contain the assessments of potential impacts associated with the
construction and operation of the proposed project, and the likely effects on
air quality, noise, water quality, waste management implications, terrestrial
ecology, landscape and visual, and cultural heritage, as well as a
consideration of land contamination from previous/ existing land uses, and the
degree of hazards and risks presented by Sha Tin WTW designated as Potential Hazardous
Installations (PHIs). In each technical section, necessary mitigation measures
are recommended to ensure compliance with the established standards and other
criteria. The environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) requirements are
also presented with further details of the EM&A scope, approach and
requirements to be found in the accompanying stand-alone EM&A manual. The
findings of EIA are summarized and concluded at the end of each relevant
technical section.
·
Section
13 includes a comprehensive Implementation Schedule summarising the
environmental mitigation measures.
·
Section
14 presents the conclusion.
1.4.2 Various materials and background data are
contained in Appendices to the report.
~ End of
Section 1 ~