1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Project
Background
1.1.1 At present, the average daily and weekend patronage volumes that are required to be handled at Lo Wu, Boundary Crossing are 200,000 and 235,000 respectively. The Ching Ming Festival and the Easter holiday in 1999 saw a record high throughput of 317,262 passengers. The high patronage volumes are about to stretch the operation of Lo Wu to its limit.
1.1.2
Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Spur Line) was
originated by Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) East Rail to relieve
the envisaged congestion at the Lo Wu Boundary Crossing. Given the continued
surge of cross boundary traffic, the railway and immigration facilities will
reach their limits on a daily basis in the near future, to the extent only seen
on festival days at present. The overcrowding will cause serious safety
concerns and unsatisfactory service.
1.2.1
As described in the EIA Study Brief issued by the
Environmental Protection Department (EPD) for the Spur Line (ESB-026/1999), the
purpose of the EIA is to provide information on the nature and extent of
environmental impacts arising from the construction and operation of the
proposed designated project and related activities taking place concurrently.
This information will contribute to decisions by EPD on:
(i) the overall acceptability of any adverse environmental consequences that are likely to arise as a result of the proposed project;
(ii) the conditions and requirements for the detailed design, construction and operation of the proposed project to mitigate against adverse environmental consequences wherever practicable; and
(iii) the acceptability of residual impacts after the proposed mitigation measures are implemented.
1.2.2
Mitigation measures will be identified to enable the
EIA to demonstrate that the Spur Line Project is environmentally viable.
1.2.3
At the time of this Environmental Impact Assessment
Report (EIA), two planning studies are in progress, one for North-West New
Territories (NWNT), one for North-East New Territories (NENT). There will be a
close interface between the Spur Line and the NENT Planning and Development
Study. The proposed Kwu Tung Strategic Growth Area (SGA) has recently been
publicized under the NENT Planning Study, although the full details of the
proposals (such as sensitive receivers etc.) are not yet available.
1.2.4
The Spur Line is being designed to maximise noise
attenuation and therefore minimize constraints to developments along the
alignment. In the absence of full details of the Kwu Tung SGA, the present
assessment has indicated development which can be implemented within the
constraints of the Spur Line.
1.2.5 The EIA report will form the basis for a decision by EPD for approval of the scheme under the EIA Ordinance, to facilitate the public inspection process of the report and obtain the Environmental Permit for the construction and operation of the Spur Line.
1.2.6 The EIA report addresses all issues identified in the Study Brief as described in Table 1.1.
Environmental Issues
Addressed in this EIA Report
Environmental
Issue |
Description |
Noise |
Identifies
sensitive receivers during the construction phase of Spur Line, and presents
practical mitigation measures to minimize impacts. Identifies
the nearest sensitive receivers along the alignment and determines mitigated
noise levels. Where noise levels exceed ANLs, mitigation measures will be
developed and proposed. |
Ecology |
Collates
all ecological information within the Study Areas and evaluates the impacts
of the Spur Line on ecological resources. Mitigation measures developed to
minimize residual impacts. |
Visual
and Landscape |
Identifies
sensitive receivers and assesses the potential visual impacts on them and on
surrounding landscape. Appropriate mitigation measures are designed to
mitigate impacts. |
Water
quality |
Describes
construction activities which may impact water quality in receiving water
bodies, and mitigation measures to alleviate impacts. Quantifies
as far as possible, the potential impacts from stormwater and sewage from Lok
Ma Chau Station. Develops the mitigation required to meet Zero Discharge
Policy requirements. |
Air
quality |
Identifies
sensitive receivers which may be affected by dust impacts during construction
and air quality impacts during operation. Presents mitigation measures to
minimize impacts. |
Waste |
Describes
and quantifies types of waste generated during construction and operation of
the Spur Line and draws up a waste management plan for handling, transport
and disposal of wastes generated. |
Contaminated
land |
Identifies
areas of potentially contaminated land within the Spur Line Study Area,
likely contaminants present, and presents a sampling and analysis programme
and remediation measures for mitigation where necessary. |
Fisheries |
Identifies
and describes the potential impacts on fish farming activities in the Study
Area, and presents mitigation measures for alleviation of impacts. |
Cultural
Heritage |
Identifies
sites of cultural importance within the Study Area, including historical
buildings and archaeological remains. Where impacts occur, mitigation
measures are proposed. |
1.3
The Approach
1.3.1 The need for the Spur Line
was originally established in the Railway Development Study, which was
completed in 1993. The project was
further progressed as part of the West Rail project until the sudden increase
in patronage crossing the Lo Wu Boundary Crossing required the Spur Line to be
progressed as an independent East Rail extension. Subsequently a Preliminary Project Feasibility Study (PPFS)
was conducted in 1998 based on a balanced approach to the various competing
requirements. These include project requirements, engineering constraints,
environmental, planning and various other considerations necessary to determine
the feasible alignment. The resulting alignment has since then been subject to
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study.
1.3.2 This EIA report has been
prepared for the selected alignment in accordance with the technical
requirements of the EIA Study Brief for the Spur Line and the Technical
Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIA TM). Environmental
monitoring and audit requirements are presented in a separate section, for each
of the issues assessed in this report.
1.3.3
During the EIA process, there have been significant concerns from the
public and interest groups to identify and address alternative routes to avoid
the ecologically sensitive area of Long Valley. To address the public concerns and in accordance with the
Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIA TM), this
EIA report examines the alternative routes in greater detail following a
similar approach as described in Section 1.3.1.