To improve the EIA process, project proponents are encouraged to have dialogues with Environmental Protection Department, relevant authorities and stakeholders at the early planning stage to exchange views on preparation of EIA reports.

Proponents can make use of the Environment Study Management Group(ESMG) as early as possible even before the formal EIA process begins.

In a very broad term, an ESMG is a liaison forum that brings proponent, consultants, and relevant government authorities together upon a project proponent's request.

Who attends an ESMG?

What are commonly discussed at the ESMG?

• EIA study brief
• Relevant provisions of the Technical Memorandum
• Assumptions, methodology, models, baseline collection in EIA
• EIA Report findings, recommendations and Implementation
• Schedule of Mitigation Measures
• Specific topics raised by ESMG members

For more details, please click here for the EIAO Guidance Note No.2/2002 about the role and operation of ESMG.

How to Conduct an EIA with Focus and Prepare an EIA Report Efficiently?

For effective EIA report preparation, a project proponent might find a series of EIAO Guidance Notes useful. Please click here to view the guidance notes.

Also, there are some useful tips:

Hot Tip No.1 - Understand the Study Brief and Environmental Concerns

• Get a thorough understanding of the study brief;
• Critically examine requirements for alternative considerations, if any; and any specific environmental concerns as listed down in the Study Brief; and
• Critically review any public comments received, particularly during the public exhibition of project profile.

Hot Tip No.2 - Gather and Understand the Public Concerns

• Start early dialogues, get views from key stakeholders and green groups as early as possible;
• Take proper account of public comments and opinions on environmental implications of the project;
• Think from the perspective of the general public and those to be affected; and
• Present issues in layman terms.

Hot Tip No.3 - Understand project history, project justification and alternatives

• Critically review the need and justification for a project, collect background information from strategic, planning or feasibility studies;
• Proactively look for environmentally-friendly alternatives;
• Remember the application of EIA principle: "Avoidance - Minimization - Mitigation"; and
• Clearly document the considerations being made on alternatives.

Hot Tip No.4 - Understand assumptions made in an EIA, scenarios development and input parameters in impact prediction

• Know assumptions in EIA, especially basic information (e.g. traffic forecast & composition, pollution load, loss rate in dredging and operation hours of facility etc.)
• Know assumptions in identifying sensitive receivers (e.g.planned land uses, changing development programs and concurrent projects in the vicinity); and
• Know assumptions in construction methods and sequence together with plant schedule, and critically review whether the construction programme is engineering realistic (e.g. whether a 24 hour operation is required for the works; adequacy of works areas especially for spoil storage; location of temporary haul road, concrete batching plant, rock crushing plant, jetty, mug-out portals, conveyor belts and different assumptions of working into restricted hours etc.).

Hot Tip No.5 - Review EIA Recommendations Review practicality and programming of EIA recommendations and proposal of mitigation measures;

• Review the Implementation Schedule of Mitigation Measures and the EM&A Program;
• Review permanent structure/fixtures that are essential in operation phase such as location of ventilation shafts, passenger connections, overflow bypasses. Clarify roles of maintenance and implementation; and
• Find out concurrent projects for cumulative impacts.

Notwithstanding the statutory provision, a project proponent is encouraged to proactively get public comments or involvement during the project life cycle. Not only will this improve transparency and acceptance of a project, it can also gauge and gather public concerns for a project proponent to address in an EIA report.

Early dialogue with the locals and seeking comments from different stakeholders helps:

• Promote good public relationship
• Avoid 'surprises' and find out concerns in the early stages of a project
• Gain public acceptance of a project

What to Expect during Public Consultation of an EIA Report?

In preparation of the public consultation, a proponent should get conversant with his EIA report, especially its recommendation and implementation schedule of mitigation measures. Some of the common questions raised might be:

Click to view the common questions raised:

The concept of Continuous Public Involvement (CPI)

Proponent must appreciate the importance of making use of every opportunity for early consultation with different stakeholders either formally or informally. This forms a process termed CPI as promoted by the Environmental Protection Department.

Emphases are placed upon the importance of early consultation for large scale projects where matters such as alignment, choice of site or orientation may be significant in terms of environmental impacts.

Changes or variations to the project are common in a project life cycle.

Being a planning tool, the EIA process indeed can flexibly handle or cater for changes to the project. Some tips over their applications are:

1. At Project Profile Stage

Alternative alignments, route corridors and different development scenarios can be used in project profile. An example is the project profile for the North Island Line where alternative alignments were proposed. Click here to view the project profile.

2. At EIA Stage

An alternative development scenario approach can be used in an EIA to assess the environmental impacts under different situation. Description of mitigation measures under "if-then" scenario is often a handy tool to build in flexibility in an EIA.

For example:

1. if operating with a 9-car train, the noise mitigation measure type A will be provided for; or
2. if operating with a 12-car train, the noise mitigation measure type B will be provided for; or...

3. Implementation Stage

Design audit through Environmental Team and Independent Environmental Checker is a useful tool to handle minor environmental changes during implementation. In case where variation to an environmental permit is needed, an applicant can apply for variation of environmental permit under the EIAO.