An application (No ESB-183/2008) for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study Brief under Section 5(1) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) was submitted by Highways Department (the Project Proponent) on 12 March 2008 with a Project Profile (No. PP-346/2008) for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (the Project). EPD issued an EIA Study Brief (No: ESB-183/2008) on April 2008 to the Project Proponent to carry out an EIA study.

Amongst the Works to be carried out under the Project (HKBCF), the reclamation works, dredging operation, extension of Automated People Mover, and road bridges are designated projects under Schedule 2 of the EIA Ordinance (Cap. 499). Hence Environment Permits (EPs) are required for their construction and operation.

Figure below illustrates the proposed location and extent of the HKBCF.

Need for the Project

The proposed HZMB will straddle the waters of Lingdingyang of the Pearl River Estuary. It is not only a large sea-crossing linking the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region, but also an essential transport construction project included in “National High Speed Road Network Planning” ( 國家高速公路網規劃 ). Its scope includes the HZMB Main Bridge , Hong Kong BCF, Zhuhai BCF, Macao BCF, and the link roads connection between the HZMB Main Bridge and the respective BCFs, in accordance with the agreement made by the three governments on the concept of “separate locations of BCF mode”.

In connection with the above, the HKSAR Government is required to set up the Hong Kong boundary crossing facilities (HKBCF) within the Hong Kong territory, which is proposed to be located at the northeast waters off the Airport Island .

Besides, a link road (HKLR) is required so as to provide the necessary linkage between the HZMB Main Bridge and the HKBCF for the completion of the HZMB project.

Implementation Programme

The HZMB is targeted to be commissioned by 2015. To meet this target:

(a) Construction of the HKLR will start in 2011, for completion in 2015, with a construction period of 4 years;

(b) Construction of the HKBCF will start in the 3rd quarter of 2010, for first phase completion by End 2015, and second (final) phase completion by End 2016. The first phase will be designed to satisfy the requirements for the initial years of operation of HZMB.