1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction

ERM-Hong Kong, Ltd (ERM) has been commissioned by the Drainage Services Department (DSD) to conduct the Yuen Long and Kam Tin Sewerage and Sewage Disposal Stage 1 Sewers, Rising Mains and Ancillary Pumping Stations (the Project) - Environmental Impact Assessment and Traffic Impact Assessment Studies (the Assignment).

The Assignment requires the undertaking of an Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the Designated Elements and Potentially Designated Elements of the Project (EIA(DE) Study). Works items classified as Designated Elements of the Project (under Schedule 2, Part I of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO)) and works items considered to be Potentially Designated Elements are described in Section 2.1.

This document is the EIA (DE) Report which address the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Designated Elements and Potentially Designated Elements of the Project.

1.2 Objectives of the Assignment

The objectives of the EIA (DE) Study, as stated in the Study Brief, are as follows:

i to describe the proposed Project and associated works together with the requirements for carrying out the proposed Project;

ii to identify and describe the elements of the community and environment likely to be affected by the proposed Project and/or likely to cause adverse impacts to the proposed Project, including both the natural and man-made environment;

iii to identify and quantify emission sources and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

iv to identify any potential impacts from point and non-point pollution sources on the identified water systems and sensitive receivers during the construction and operation stages;

v to identify and quantify any potential losses and damage to flora, fauna and wildlife habitats;

vi to identify any negative impacts on sites of cultural heritage and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;

vii to identify, quantify and assess any potential landscape and visual impacts;

viii to propose the provision of infrastructure or mitigation measures so as to minimize pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction and operation of the Project;

ix to identify, predict and evaluate the residual (i.e. after practicable mitigation) environmental impacts and the cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation phases of the Project in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

x to identify, assess and specify methods, measures and standards, to be included in the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project which are necessary to mitigate these environmental impacts and reducing them to acceptable levels;

xi to investigate the extent of side-effects of proposed mitigation measures that may lead to other forms of impacts;

xii to identify constraints associated with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA (DE) Study;

xiii to design and specify the environmental monitoring and audit requirements, if required, to ensure the implementation and the effectiveness of the environmental protection and pollution control measures adopted.

1.3 Structure of This Report

The remainder of this report is presented as follows:

Section 2 provides as description of the Project. Sections 3 to 11 describe and assess the key issues with regard to each of the main technical assessment areas. Section 12 summarises the environmental monitoring and auditing requirements. A summary of the findings and the environmental outcomes are presented in Section 13.

The report is accompanied by a series of annexes, which provide further details of the assessments and supplementary information and data.