12.1.1 This EIA Report has
provided an assessment of the potential environmental impacts associated with
the construction and operation of the Project, based on the engineering design
information available at this stage. The assessment has been conducted, in
accordance with the EIA Study Brief (No. ESB –288/2015) under the EIAO for the
Project, covering the following environmental issues:
·
Air Quality Impact
·
Noise Impact
·
Hazard to Life
·
Water Quality Impact
·
Waste Management Implications
·
Ecological Impact
·
Landscape and Visual Impacts
12.1.2 The findings of this EIA
study have determined the likely nature and extent of environmental impacts
predicted to arise from the construction and operation of the Project. During
the EIA process, environmental control measures have been identified and
incorporated into the planning and design of the Project, to achieve compliance
with environmental legislation and standards during both the construction and
operation phases. The Implementation Schedule listing the recommended
mitigation measures is presented in Section 11. A summary of key assessment
assumptions and limitation of methodologies are presented in Appendix
12.1.
12.1.3 Overall, the EIA study for
the Lai Chi Yuen Cemetery extension works has predicted that the Project, with
the implementation of the mitigation measures, would be environmentally
acceptable with no unacceptable residual impacts on the population and environmentally
sensitive resources. The sections below summarise the environmental
outcomes/benefits that have accrued from the environmental considerations and
analysis during the EIA process and the implementation of environmental control
measures of the Project.
Estimated Populations
and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Protected from Various Environmental
Impacts
12.2.1 The Project is located
adjacent to the existing Lai Chi Yuen Cemetery in Mui Wo, inside Lantau South
Country Park. It is a rural area with scarce population. Environmentally
sensitive areas in the vicinity of the Project site include Lai Chi Yuen Tsuen,
scattered village houses at the northwest of the Project site, Ngau Koo Wan
Hill Court and Lantau South Country Park. These sensitive areas have been
protected through the avoidance or minimization of environmental impacts from
the construction and operation of the Project. Adverse air quality and noise
impacts on sensitive receivers within the assessment area would not be
anticipated. Risk associated with existing hazardous facilities in the vicinity
(i.e. Silvermine Bay Water Treatment Works) would be within As Low As
Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) Region for the societal risk
where within “Acceptable”
level for individual risk. Potential ecological, landscape and visual impacts
associated with the Project have been minimized with environmentally friendly
design (e.g. adoption of elevated platform, minimize the scale of the proposed
barrier-free site access).
Environmental Designs
Recommended, Environmental Friendly Option Considered and Incorporated in the
Preferred Option
12.2.2 Environmental
considerations were taken into account in the selection of preferred option,
design and construction method of the Project as detailed in Section 2.
12.2.3 Elevated platform design
within the existing Lai Chi Yuen Cemetery boundary is adopted to accommodate
the proposed niches and ancillary facilities in order to minimize the Project
footprint and hence disturbance to surrounding environment. Furthermore, the
scale of the proposed barrier-free site access, which is indispensable for the
development, has been minimized to 7.5m2. With this design, the
scale of the construction works would be limited and hence the environmental
impacts during the construction phase e.g. fugitive dust emissions, noise from
the use of powered mechanical equipment (PME), waste generation and disturbance
to wildlife, would be minimized.
12.2.4 During operational phase,
Best Available Technology (BAT) would be adopted for the proposed joss paper
burner to minimize potential air quality impact from joss paper burning
activities. The aboveground structures of the Project including proposed
elevated platform, structural columns, niches and ancillary facilities would be designed to blend
in the structures to the adjacent landscape and visual context. Amenity tree and shrub planting would be
provided at the edge of the platform to provide green transition between the
proposed extension and the existing natural terrain. Screen planting (with
climber) would be provided in front of the structural columns of the elevated
platform to minimize the potential visual impact.
Key Environmental
Problems Avoided and Compensation Area Included
12.2.5 With the consideration of
various alternative options in site selection and design, the Project has
avoided or minimized the following environmental problems:
·
Avoidance of waterbodies / water courses loss;
·
Avoidance of areas of archaeological interest;
·
Minimization of loss of ecological habitats;
·
Minimization of loss of trees;
·
Minimization of generation of excavated material; and
·
Minimize the number of environmental sensitive receivers to be
affected.
12.2.6 Owing to the limited site
area, 6 trees will be compensated at the proposed elevated platform and 24
trees will be compensated within the boundary of the existing cemetery.
Environmental Benefits of Environmental
Protection Measures Recommended
12.2.7 Environmental benefits of
environmental protection measures recommended in this EIA Report are summarised
below.
Air Quality
Construction Phase
12.2.8
Potential air quality impacts from the construction works would be
related to dust emission from site formation, erection of retaining walls and
construction of proposed new niches and the ancillary facilities including a
joss paper burner and planters. With the implementation of dust suppression
measures specified in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation
and good site practices, no adverse air quality impact would be anticipated
during construction phase.
Operational Phase
12.2.9
Potential air quality impact arising from the joss paper burning
activities has been assessed. With the incorporation of flue gas treatment
system and the implementation of the good operational practices and
administrative measures as well as good maintenance practices for the proposed
joss paper burner, no adverse air
quality impact would
be expected during
operation of the
Project.
Noise
Construction Phase
12.2.10 This assessment has
predicted the construction noise impacts of the Project during normal daytime
working. The predicted unmitigated noise levels at representative NSRs would
range from 58 to 75 dB(A), complying with the construction noise criteria of
75dB(A). No mitigation measure is therefore recommended.
Operational Phase
12.2.11
The fixed plant noise sources associated with the operation of the
Project include two water pumps and the proposed joss paper burner. The
assessment results indicated that the operational noise levels at the
representative NSRs would comply with the fixed plant noise criteria.
Therefore, no mitigation measure is recommended.
Hazard to
Life
Construction Phase
12.2.12 The risk increase due to
construction of the proposed Project is assessed. The societal risk level is in
the ALARP
Region. Risk mitigation measures and a number of good practices that can
effectively reduce the risk to construction workers are recommended.
Operation Phase
12.2.13 The risk increase due to
operation of the proposed Project is assessed. The societal risk level is in
the ALARP
Region. A Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) is
carried out and it is found out that there is no cost-effective risk mitigation
measure during operation phase. The Potential Loss of Life (PLL) contribution
by the proposed Project to the overall risk of Silvermine Bay Water Treatment
Works (SMBWTW) is minimal. The CBA
demonstrates that proposed Project is compliant with the ALARP principle.
Nonetheless, good practice for operator is recommended to minimize the impact
in case of chlorine accident.
Water
Quality
Construction Phase
12.2.14 The key issue from the
construction activities of the Project would be the potential for release of
wastewater from surface works areas and open cut excavation. Minimization of
water quality deterioration could be achieved through implementing adequate
mitigation measures, such as control of site run-off of different general
construction activities.
Operational Phase
12.2.15 The potential source of
water quality impact during operation of the new niches would be the sewage
generated from staff and visitors as well as runoff from the Project. It is
anticipated that the water quality impact associated with the operational phase
would be minimal and acceptable, provided that the recommended mitigation
measures and best management practices are properly implemented.
Waste
Management
12.2.16
Waste management implications associated with the
construction and operation of the Project have been identified and assessed. In
view of the nature and small scale of the Project, insignificant amount of
waste would be generated. With implementation of the recommended good waste
management practices, no unacceptable environmental impacts would be
anticipated during construction and operation of the Project.
Ecology
12.2.17 Direct loss of habitats due
to the construction of the Project would be minimized to approximately 0.0232ha
through the elevated platform design. An individual of Aquilaria sinensis with conservation interest located within the
project site would be affected by the construction work. With the adoption of the
recommended measures (e.g. transplantation), the potential impact would be
minimized.
12.2.18 Indirect impacts during the
construction phase would comprise human disturbance, construction dust and
noise, and construction site runoff. With proper implementation of good site
practices, no unacceptable ecological impact would be anticipated. The level of
disturbance during the operation phase would be comparable to the existing
condition. No unacceptable impact would therefore be expected.
Landscape
and Visual
12.2.19
With the proposed mitigation measures,
which include the preservation of existing trees, compensatory planting,
control of night-time lighting glare, erection of screen hoarding in visually
unobtrusive colour, management of construction activities and facilities,
reinstatement of temporarily disturbed landscape area, it was predicted that
there would be slight residual impact during construction.
12.2.20
During operation, with the implementation of
mitigation measures, which include aesthetically pleasing design of above
ground structures, amenity tree and shrub planting and screen planting to
soften the structural columns of the elevated platform, it was predicted that
the residual impact on the visitors to Lai Chi Yuen Cemetery would remain
slight in day 1 and year 10 of the operation.
12.3.1 A summary of environmental
impacts for the environmental issues assessed in this EIA is presented in Appendix
12.2.
12.4.1 Lai Chi Yuen Cemetery site
is one of the 12 batch one sites that were announced by the Government on 6
July 2010 when it launched the first public consultation on review of
columbarium policy. The Project is supported by Islands District Council, the
Lantau Area Committee and the Mui Wo Rural Committee. No major concerns from public was received
during the course of the EIA study.