The
Project “Landslide Preventive Works at Po Shan, Mid-levels – Design and
Construction (Natural Terrain Risk Mitigation Works)” (hereafter called “the
Project”) includes the installation of about 700 numbers of soil nails and
about 60 numbers of raking drains on the natural terrain within the concerned
area.
China State – China Railway Joint Venture
(CCJV) was commissioned as the Contractor of the Project. ENSR Asia (HK) Ltd., which
was integrated into AECOM Asia Company Limited as of 1 May 2009, was employed
by CCJV as the Environmental Team to carry out the EM&A programme.
The
impact environmental monitoring and audit for the Project includes the air
quality, noise, ecology, landscape and visual monitoring. The construction of
the Project and the EM&A programme commenced on 1
April 2008.
This
report documented the findings of EM&A works conducted in the period from July 2009 to September
2009. As informed by the Contractor, construction activities carried out in the
reporting quarter were:
- Soil nailing works at Portion B2;
- Soil nail head construction at Portion B2;
- Rock slope stabilization works at Portion D; and
- Slope reinstatement works at Portion A1, A2, B1 and C.
Environmental Monitoring
Works
EM&A Programme
A summary of monitoring and audit activities conducted
in the reporting quarter is listed below:
|
24-hour TSP monitoring
|
16
|
sessions
|
|
1-hour TSP monitoring
|
48
|
sessions
|
|
Daytime Noise monitoring
|
13
|
sessions
|
|
Ecology monitoring
|
6
|
sessions
|
|
Landscape and Visual Audit
|
6
|
sessions
|
|
Environmental Site Inspection
|
12
|
sessions
|
|
|
|
|
Breaches of Action and Limit Levels
There
was no action / limit level exceedance recorded for
1-hour and 24-hour TSP monitoring.
In
the reporting quarter, all noise level recorded complied with the limit level.
Complaint, Notification of Summons
and Successful Prosecution
There
was no complaint, notification of summons and successful prosecution received
in the reporting quarter.
.
Scope
of Report
1.1
This is the sixth Quarterly Environmental
Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Summary Report under the Contract CE 28/2004
(GE) – Landslide Preventive Works at Po Shan Road, Mid-Levels – Design and
Construction (Natural Terrain Risk Mitigation Works). This report presented a
summary of the environmental monitoring and audit works, and list of activities
carried out by the ET for the Project for the period from July 2009 to September
2009.
Project Organization and Contacts of Key
Management
1.2
The project organization is shown in Appendix A.
The key personnel contact names and numbers are summarised in Table 1.1
Table
1.1 Contact Information of Key
Personnel
|
Party
|
Position
|
Name
|
Telephone
|
Fax
|
|
CEDD
|
Senior Engineer
|
H. W. Sun
|
2762 5375
|
2714 0247
|
|
ER (MGS)
|
Resident Engineer
|
Lawrence Shek
|
3188 0400
|
3188 0775
|
|
Assistant Resident Engineer
|
S. F. Chau
|
3188 0400
|
3188 0775
|
|
IEC (ENVIRON)
|
Independent
Environmental Checker
|
David Yeung
|
3743 0788
|
3548 6988
|
|
Contractor
(CCJV)
|
Project Manager
|
C Y Mak
|
3188 0538
|
3188 1710
|
|
Safety and
Environmental Officer
|
Brian Yam
|
3188 0538
|
3188 1710
|
|
ET (ENSR)
|
ET Leader
|
Edith Ng
|
3105 8525
|
2891 0305
|
Summary of Construction Works
1.3
The Contactor has carried out major activities
in the reporting quarter. Details of the works undertaken in this reporting
period are listed below:
- Soil nailing works at Portion B2;
- Soil nail head construction at Portion B2;
- Rock slope stabilization works at Portion D; and
- Slope reinstatement works at Portion A1, A2, B1 and C.
1.4
The general layout plan of the Project site
showing the contract area is shown in Figure 1.1.
1.5
The construction programme
is provided in Appendix B.
1.6
The mitigation measures implementation schedule
are presented in Appendix C.
Monitoring
Parameters
2.1
The
EM&A Manual designated two monitoring stations to monitor environmental
impacts on air quality and noise due to the Project. The monitoring locations are
depicted in Figure 2.1.
2.2
The
EM&A Manual also required ecology monitoring, bi-weekly landscape and
visual audits, and environmental site inspections for air quality, noise, water
quality, chemical, waste management, ecology and landscape and visual.
Environmental
Quality Performance Limits (Action/Limit Levels)
2.3
The
environmental quality performance limits (i.e. Action/Limit Levels) were
derived from the baseline air quality monitoring results of Access road to Po Shan Mansions (CA1) and Podium of Hamilton Court (CA2)
and / or as defined in the EM&A Manual (CN1 & CN2), and
are given in Appendix D.
Environmental
Mitigation Measures
2.4
Relevant environmental mitigation measures were stipulated in the Particular
Specification and EP (No.: EP-235/2005/B) for the Contractor to adopt. A list of mitigation measures and
their implementation statuses are given in Appendix C.
Air Quality
3.1
Air quality
monitoring, including 1-hr and 24-hr TSP, was conducted at least 3 times every
7 days and at least once every 7 days respectively at the 2 monitoring stations
(CA1 and CA2), in accordance with the EM&A Manual. Forty-eight 1-hr TSP and
sixteen 24-hr TSP monitoring events were carried out in this reporting quarter.
3.2
The weather was mostly sunny and
fine in the reporting quarter. The trend of air quality for the reporting
quarter are given in Appendix E. Major dust source of the construction works
area included soil
nailing works from the Project, construction activities of another project
under the same contract (concurrent project) carried out in the vicinity and
nearby traffic emissions.
3.3
There was no Action and Limit
Level exceedance recorded for both 1-hr and 24-hr TSP
in the reporting quarter.
3.4
Table 3.1 presents the number
of exceedances recorded in each month of the
reporting quarter. The number of monitoring events included regular monitoring
events and additional ones, if any.
Table
3.1 Summary of Number of Exceedances for 1-hr & 24-hr TSP Concentration
|
Monitoring
Parameter
|
Location
|
Level
of Exceedance
|
Month
|
|
Jul
09
|
Aug 09
|
Sep 09
|
|
1-hr
TSP
|
CA1
|
No.
of monitoring events
|
15
|
15
|
18
|
|
Action
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
CA2
|
No.
of monitoring events
|
15
|
15
|
18
|
|
Action
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
24-hr
TSP
|
CA1
|
No.
of monitoring events
|
5
|
6
|
5
|
|
Action
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
CA2
|
No.
of monitoring events
|
5
|
6
|
5
|
|
Action
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Construction Noise
3.5
Noise monitoring was conducted at
the 2 monitoring stations (CN1 and CN2) for at least once per week during 0700
– 1900 of the reporting quarter. Thirteen noise monitoring events were
conducted in the reporting quarter.
3.6
As no noise complaint was
received in the reporting quarter, no Action Level exceedance
was recorded. All measured noise levels were below the Limit Level and the
graphical plots of trends of the monitoring results are provided in Appendix F.
3.7
Table 3.2 presents the number
of exceedances recorded in each month of the
reporting quarter. The number of monitoring events included regular monitoring
events and additional ones, if any.
Table 3.2 Summary
of Number of Exceedances for Daytime Noise
|
Monitoring Parameter
|
Location
|
Level of Exceedance
|
Month
|
|
Jul 09
|
Aug 09
|
Sep 09
|
|
Daytime Noise
|
CN1
|
No. of monitoring events
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
|
Action
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
CN2
|
No. of monitoring events
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
|
Action
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limit
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Total
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3.8
Major noise sources during the noise monitoring included the
construction activities from the Project and another project under the same
contract (concurrent project) carried out in the vicinity and nearby traffic
noise.
Ecology
3.9
Ecological monitoring was
carried out twice a month by a suitably qualified local ecologist to check on
the health and condition of the plant species of conservation interest. Six
ecological monitoring were conducted in the reporting quarter.
3.10
During monitoring visit on 7
July 2009, the previously missing vegetation of conservation interest V 54 were located and tagged. However, another two individuals V086 and V088 were not properly fenced off.
3.11
A vegetation of conservation
V018 located during the May 2009 monitoring visit was still in very poor
condition.
3.12
Soil of natural terrain along
an access road (near Row AH) was not well covered.
3.13
General refuse was accumulated
within demarcated area with vegetation of conservation interest. The Contractor
was reminded to remove the general refuse.
3.14
Sandbags and stones were
observed piled against a few trees. The Contractor was requested to keep the
sandbags and stones away from the trees.
Landscape and Visual
3.15
Bi-weekly landscape and visual
audit was conducted by a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA) to monitor the
implementation of landscape and visual mitigation measures. Six landscape and
visual audits were conducted in the reporting quarter.
3.16
Protection to the existing tree
previously found with its trunk enclosed within the make-shift conveyor system
was outstanding. The Contractor was
requested to rectify the edge board to ensure that conveying of materials would
not damage the tree trunk.
3.17
It was noted that compensatory
planting proposal for the replacement of dead tree T611 was outstanding. The Contractor was recommended to seek
Engineer’s agreement on the replacement planting as soon as possible.
3.18
It was noted that the
Contractor’s clarification of the status of existing trees T516, T517, T666, and
T698 located immediately outside of the works boundary was outstanding. The Contractor was reminded to provide
necessary information as soon as possible.
3.19
It was found that a couple of
rubber air hoses had been rubbed against a tree trunk leaving black marks. The Contractor was requested to relocate the
hoses away from the tree.
3.20
It was observed a side branch
of tree T608 overhanging the footpath was structurally cracked. The Contractor was requested to prune and
remove the damaged tree branch for safety and healthy growth of the tree.
3.21
It was noted several trees were
broken by recent strong winds and Typhoon Molave. The Contractor was reminded to report
damaged trees to the Engineer for record.
3.22
It was observed sacks of
construction waste materials were piled against the base and trunk of existing
tree. The Contractor was requested to
clear the materials away from the tree.
3.23
Further rectification of the
tree ID numbers on site was carried, with only approximately 85%
completed. The Contractor was reminded
to finish the rectification of missing tree ID numbers works for the remaining
existing trees as soon as possible.
3.24
As the project is nearing
completion, as previously mentioned, for safety consideration when to area is
to be re-open for the general public use, it is recommend that the side branch
of existing tree T678 overhanging the footpath with its low headroom be pruned
back to prevent any possible accidents in future. Also, the dead tree T612 with half broken
branch along the footpath is also recommended to be removed.
Environmental Site
Inspection
3.25
There were 12 site inspections
conducted in the reporting quarter to monitor the implementation of proper
environmental pollution control and mitigation measures for the Project. The
major concerns for the Project are air quality, noise, water quality, waste
management, ecology and landscape and visual. Observations recorded are
described below.
Air
Quality
3.26
Some of the temporary exposed
slopes at Row R were not properly covered. The Contractor was reminded to properly
cover all exposed slopes.
Noise
3.27
No adverse observation was
identified in the reporting quarter.
Water
Quality
3.28
Loose sediment was observed
accumulated on the platform at Row X, Row AF and Row AH. The Contractor was
reminded to clear the sediment regularly and as soon as the soil nailing
operation finishes.
3.29
Sediment was observed
accumulated in the sand trap at Row C. The Contractor was advised to clear the
sediment more frequently especially during rainy seasons.
3.30
Sediment, leaves and general refuse were observed in the u-channel at Row A
and Row R. The Contractor was reminded to clear them regularly and properly
maintain the drainage system.
3.31
Stagnant water was observed
accumulated in a soil nail head at Row AA. The Contractor was reminded to clear
the stagnant water.
Chemical
and Waste Management
3.32
A chemical container was
observed placed on ground without drip tray at Row X. The Contractor was
reminded to provide drip tray to all chemical containers on site.
3.33
A drip tray of a soil nailing
controller at Row AA was observed accumulated with oily water. The Contractor
was reminded to remove the oily water frequently and treat it as chemical
waste.
Ecology
3.34
A plant species of conservation
interest (V018) was still in very poor condition.
3.35
Two individuals of vegetation
of conservation interest V086 and V088 were not fenced off.
3.36
An access road (near Row AH)
along natural terrain was not well covered.
3.37
A plant species of conservation
interest (V018) was still in very poor condition.
3.38
An access road (near Row AH)
along natural terrain was not well covered.
3.39
Sandbags and stones were
observed piled against a few trees. The Contractor was requested to keep the
sandbags and stones away from the trees.
3.40
General refuse was accumulated
within demarcated area with vegetation of conservation interest. The Contractor
was reminded to remove the general refuse.
Landscape and Visual
3.41
Protection to the existing tree
previously found with its trunk enclosed within the make-shift conveyor system
was outstanding. The Contractor was
requested to rectify the edge board to ensure that conveying of materials would
not damage the tree trunk.
3.42
It was noted that compensatory
planting proposal for the replacement of dead tree T611 was outstanding. The Contractor was recommended to seek
Engineer’s agreement on the replacement planting as soon as possible.
3.43
It was noted that the
Contractor’s clarification of the status of existing trees T516, T517, T666,
and T698 located immediately outside of the works boundary was
outstanding. The Contractor was reminded
to provide necessary information as soon as possible.
3.44
It was found that a couple of
rubber air hoses had been rubbed against a tree trunk leaving black marks. The Contractor was requested to relocate the
hoses away from the tree.
3.45
It was observed a side branch
of tree T608 overhanging the footpath was structurally cracked. The Contractor was requested to prune and
remove the damaged tree branch for safety and healthy growth of the tree.
3.46
It was noted several trees were
broken by recent strong winds and Typhoon Molave. The Contractor was reminded to report
damaged trees to the Engineer for record.
3.47
It was observed sacks of
construction waste materials were piled against the base and trunk of existing
tree. The Contractor was requested to
clear the materials away from the tree.
3.48
Further rectification of the
tree ID numbers on site was carried, with only approximately 85%
completed. The Contractor was reminded
to finish the rectification of missing tree ID numbers works for the remaining
existing trees as soon as possible.
3.49
As the project is nearing
completion, as previously mentioned, for safety consideration when to area is
to be re-open for the general public use, it is recommend that the side branch
of existing tree T678 overhanging the footpath with its low headroom be pruned
back to prevent any possible accidents in future. Also, the dead tree T612 with half broken
branch along the footpath is also recommended to be removed.
4. Advice on Solid and liquid Waste Mangement Status
4.1
The Contractor has registered
as a chemical waste producer for this Project. The Chemical Waste Storage Area
located at the Contractor’s site office area was properly maintained in the
reporting quarter.
4.2
As advised by the Contractor, 45.83 ton of inert
C&D waste was disposed offsite to Chai Wan and 26.47
ton of non-inert C&D waste was disposed offsite to SENT landfill in the
reporting period. C&D waste generated was reused on site as much as
possible.
Summary of Exceedances and Review of the
Reasons for non-compliance
5.1
There was no 1-hr TSP, 24-hr
TSP and noise exceedance recorded in the reporting
quarter.
6.1
No complaint, notification of
summons and prosecution was received in the reporting quarter. Table 6.1
summarized the complaint, summons and successful prosecution received in the
reporting period.
Table
6.1 Summary of Environmental Complaints
and Prosecutions
|
|
July 2009
|
August 2009
|
September 2009
|
Total
|
|
Complaint Logged
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Summons
Served
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Successful Prosecution
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Total
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7.
Comments, Recommendations
and Conclusions
Comments
on Mitigation Measures
7.1
According to the environmental
site inspections performed in the reporting quarter, the following recommendations
are provided:
Air
Quality
- Soil
nail workstations on site should be properly enclosed.
Noise
-
N/A
Water
Quality
- Sedimentation
tanks on site should be properly maintained;
- Site
effluent must be collected and treated prior to discharge to public drain;
- U-channels
should be kept clear of mud, debris, leaves, construction waste and materials;
and
- Soil
and exposed earth at all working platforms and slopes should be cleaned up.
Chemical
and Waste Management
- Drip
trays should be provided to all plants and chemical containers on site;
- Oils
and fuels should be stored in designated area;
- Empty
chemical containers should be disposed of as chemical waste;
- C&D
waste, debris and general refuse on-site should be collected, handled and
disposed of properly; and
- Waste
skips should be provided to collect general refuse and construction wastes.
Ecology
- The
Contractor was reminded to take all necessary actions to prevent grout leakage
and muddy run-off to the surrounding natural environment;
- All
identified vegetation of conservation interest should be preserved;
- All
site access should be clearly demarcated and no excessive removal of vegetation
in natural areas adjacent to the site access should be allowed;
- All
plant species of conservation interest should be fenced off and tagged properly
with clear sign, especially for those located near major access road and areas
likely to be impacted by construction activities;
-
The Contractor was recommended to take necessary
measures to prevent damage to all vegetation within the construction site; and
-
Dust and soil on vegetation should be washed away
in a timely manner.
Landscape and Visual
- The
Contractor was reminded to provide protection to the existing tree located
within the conveyor system to prevent damage to the tree trunk.
- The
Contractor was requested to remove the air hoses away from the tree trunk to
prevent abrasion.
- The
Contractor was again reminded to seek Engineer’s agreement on the replacement
planting for dead tree.
- The
Contractor was reminded to rectify all remaining ineligible tree ID numbers for
all remaining existing trees.
- The
Contractor was reminded to clarify the status of missing trees as soon as
possible.
- The
Contractor was recommended to clear all existing sacks of construction waste
materials away from the base and trunk of existing tree as soon as possible.
- The
Contractor was recommended to prune all unsafe tree branches and dead trees as
soon as possible.
Recommendations
on EM&A Programme
7.2
The impact air quality and noise
monitoring programme ensured that any environmental impact to the receivers
would be readily detected and timely actions could be taken to rectify any
non-compliance. Assessment and analysis
of monitoring results collected demonstrated the environmental acceptability of
the Project. The ecological monitoring, bi-weekly
landscape and visual audit and weekly site inspection ensured that all the
environmental mitigation measures recommended in the EIA report were
effectively implemented.
7.3
The EM&A programme
effectively monitored the environmental impacts from the construction
activities and no particular recommendation was advised for the improvement of
the programme.
Conclusions
7.4
Air quality and noise
monitoring, ecological monitoring, bi-weekly landscape and visual audit and
weekly site inspection were carried out from July 2009 to September 2009, in
accordance with the EM&A Manual.
7.5
No Action and Limit Level exceedance or non-compliance was recorded for the
monitoring works in the reporting quarter.
7.6
No environmental complaints, summons
or prosecution were made against the Project in the reporting quarter.
