11. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND AUDIT
REQUIREMENTS
11.1.1
This section provides a summary of the requirements of Environmental Monitoring
and Audit (EM&A) for the construction and operation phases of the Project
based on the assessment results of the various environmental issues in the
preceding sections. Details of the EM&A requirements are provided in a
stand-alone EM&A Manual.
11.2.1
A stand-alone EM&A Manual has been prepared for this Project as part
of the EIA study. The EM&A Manual defines
the mechanisms for implementing the EM&A requirements specific to each
phase of the work. The EM&A
Manual provides a description of the organisational arrangements and resources
required for the EM&A programme based on the conclusions and recommendations
of this EIA. It stipulates details
of the construction monitoring required and actions that shall be taken in the
event of exceedances of the environmental criteria. In effect, the EM&A Manual forms a
handbook for the on-going environmental management during construction.
11.2.2
The EM&A Manual comprises descriptions of the key elements of the
EM&A programme including:
·
Appropriate background information on the construction of the Project
with reference to relevant technical reports;
·
Organisational arrangements, hierarchy and responsibilities with regard
to the management of environmental performance during the construction
phase. The EM&A team, the
Engineering team, the Contractor(s) team and the project proponent’s
representatives are included;
·
A broad construction programme indicating those activities for which
specific mitigation is required and providing a schedule for their timely
implementation;
·
Descriptions of the parameters to be monitored and criteria through
which performance will be assessed including: monitoring frequency and
methodology, monitoring locations (typically, the location of sensitive
receivers as listed in the EIA), monitoring equipment lists, event contingency
plans for exceedances of established criteria and schedule of mitigation and
best practice methods for reduced adverse environmental impacts;
·
Procedures for undertaking on-site environmental performance audits as a
means of ensuring compliance with environmental criteria; and
·
Reporting procedures.
11.2.3
The EM&A Manual will be a dynamic document which will undergo a
series of revisions, as needed, to accommodate the progression of the
construction programme.
11.2.4
The objectives of carrying out EM&A for the Project include:
·
Providing baseline information against which any short- or long-term
environmental impacts of the Project can be determined;
·
Providing an early indication should any of the environmental control
measures or practices fail to achieve the acceptable standards;
·
Monitoring the performance of the Project and the effectiveness of
mitigation measures;
·
Verifying the environmental impacts identified in the EIA;
·
Determining Project compliance with regulatory requirements, standards
and government policies;
·
Taking remedial action if unexpected results or unacceptable impacts
arise; and
·
Providing data to enable an environmental audit to be undertaken at
regular intervals.
11.2.5
The following sections summarise the recommended EM&A requirements
and further details are provided in the EM&A Manual.
11.3.1
Regular site audits at the frequency of once a week should be conducted
during the construction phase to ensure that the recommended mitigation
measures are properly implemented to reduce the air quality impacts from the
Project.
11.4.1
Noise monitoring is recommended during the construction phase to ensure
compliance with the noise criterion at the noise sensitive receivers (NSRs). Baseline monitoring should be undertaken
for a period of 2 weeks before commencement of any construction works. Weekly
noise monitoring will be undertaken between 0700-1900 hours during working days
at the representative NSRs. The
noise monitoring locations are presented in the EM&A Manual.
11.4.2
Weekly site audits will be conducted to ensure that the recommended
mitigation measures are properly implemented during the construction
stage.
11.4.3
Details of the EM&A programme for
noise are presented in the EM&A Manual.
11.5.1
A water quality monitoring programme is proposed during the
construction of the Project.
Construction Phase
11.5.2
Baseline monitoring should be undertaken three times per week
for a period of four weeks before commencement of the construction works to
establish baseline water quality conditions of the area. Impact monitoring should be undertaken
three times per week during the construction period to obtain water quality
data of the area throughout the construction period for comparison with the
baseline water quality data and hence determine any water quality impacts from
the construction activities. Post
Project monitoring should also be undertaken three times per week for four
weeks after the completion of construction works.
11.5.3
Weekly site inspections and audits will be conducted to
ensure that the recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented during
the construction stage.
Operation
Phase
11.5.4
Unacceptable water quality impacts are not expected during
the operation of the Project.
Therefore, environmental monitoring and audit for water quality is not
recommended for the operation phase of the Project.
11.5.5
Details of the EM&A programme for
water quality are presented in the EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
11.6.1 To facilitate monitoring and control over the contractors’ performance on waste management, regular waste audit will be implemented throughout the construction phase and a Waste Management Plan (WMP) will be prepared and implemented by the contractor in accordance with ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005. The aims of the waste audit are:
·
To review the WMP, which
will form part of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) in accordance with ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005, including the
quantities and types of construction and demolition (C&D) materials
generated, reused and disposed of off-site; the amount of fill materials
exported from/imported to the site and the quantity of timber used in temporary
works construction for each process/activity;
·
To monitor the
implementation and achievement of the WMP on site to assess its effectiveness;
and
·
To monitor the follow-up
actions on deficiencies identified.
11.6.2 Site inspections will be undertaken every week. Particular attention will be given to the contractor’s provision of sufficient spaces, adequacy of resources and facilities for on-site sorting and temporary storage of C&D materials. The C&D materials to be disposed of from the site will be visually inspected to ensure the absence of non-inert materials (e.g. general refuse, timber, etc). The waste to be disposed of at landfills will as practicable contains no observable inert or reusable/recyclable C&D materials (e.g. soil, broken rock, metal, and paper/cardboard packaging, etc). Any irregularities observed during the site inspections will be raised promptly to the contractor for rectification.
Operation Phase
11.6.3 No monitoring and audit is required during operation of the Project.
Construction
Phase
Ecological Monitoring of Birds
11.7.1 Monthly ecological monitoring, focusing on avifauna species of conservation importance and overwintering waterbirds utilising wetland habitats along Shan Pui River and Kam Tin River within 500m from the Project boundary should be conducted during construction phase. The result of the ecological field surveys conducted for the EIA study should be adopted as the baseline for the evaluation of utilization of the wetland habitats by birds. A review on the applicability of the results of baseline surveys during the EIA should be conducted and verification surveys should be undertaken as necessary.
Ardeids Night Roost Monitoring
11.7.2 The area within 100m from the Project boundary should be monitored monthly during the construction phase to check the location and status of any active ardeid night roost. A pre-construction survey should be conducted before commencement of construction.
11.7.3 Site audits should be undertaken on weekly basis to check the proper implementation and maintenance of recommended mitigation measures during construction phase of the Project.
Operation Phase
11.7.4 As the potential impacts to ecology during operational phase are all considered minor or insignificant, operational phase monitoring and audit are not required. Monitoring of the effectiveness of the revitalisation will be formulated during the Detailed Design Stage.
11.7.5 Details of the EM&A programme for ecology are presented in the EM&A Manual.
11.8.1 As no unacceptable adverse fisheries impacts are anticipated during construction or operational phases, no specific monitoring programme for fisheries is required. Regular audits should be undertaken to ensure the effectiveness of the mitigation measures and good site practices recommended during construction phase for further controlling the water quality impacts, as these measures also serve to protect fisheries resources. Details of the EM&A programme are presented in the EM&A Manual.
11.9.1 Measures have been recommended for the protection, and secure and safe public access during the construction phase of four, indirectly affected by the works, built heritage sites. The recommended vibration monitoring, relevant buffer zone requirements and access conditions should be audited during the construction phase at least once a month. Details of the EM&A programme are presented in the EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
Monitoring
of Design, Construction and Establishment Works
11.10.1 The design, implementation and maintenance of landscape and visual mitigation measures should be checked to ensure that they are fully realised and that any potential conflicts between the proposed landscape measures and any other Project works and operational requirements are resolved at the earliest possible date and without compromise to the intention of the mitigation measures.
Design of
Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures
11.10.2 The detailed design of the landscape and visual mitigation measures should be undertaken so as to ensure compliance with the proposed measures in EIA report.
Site
Supervision of Landscape Works
11.10.3 The implementation of the landscape works during the construction phase and establishment works should be inspected through the site audit program.
Operation Phase
Monitoring
of Landscape Establishment
11.10.4 All landscape and visual mitigation measures should be monitored during the landscape establishment period to check that intended mitigation effects are realized.
11.10.5 Details of the EM&A programme for landscape and visual are presented in the EM&A Manual.
11.11.1 An Implementation Schedule of the environmental mitigation measures recommended in the EIA study has been prepared in form of a checklist. The Implementation Schedule is presented in Appendix 11.1 and also attached to the EM&A Manual.