1 INTRODUCTION.. 1
1.1 Project Background. 1
1.2 WDII Review.. 2
1.3 Harbour-Front Enhancement Review.. 2
1.4 Environmental Impact Assessment 2
1.5 Objectives and Scope
of the EIA Study. 2
1.6 Designated Projects
under the EIAO.. 2
1.7 Relevant Approved
EIA Reports. 2
1.8 Structure of this
EIA Report 2
List
of Tables
Table 1.1 Schedule 2 Designated
Projects under this Project 8
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Project Background
1.1.1
Wan
Chai Development Phase II (WDII) is the conclusion of a number of planning
studies commissioned by Government, covering transport infrastructure and
development along the shoreline of Central and Wan Chai, that date back to the
early 1980s. The WDII project is
undergoing a process of statutory town planning procedures and public
consultation, in which there has been thorough public discussion on matters
including the scale of reclamation and the usage of the land to be made
available by the project.
1.1.2
The
need for the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation was first identified in the
strategic study on “Harbour Reclamations and Urban Growth” undertaken between
March 1982 and October 1983. The
need was further confirmed in various planning studies, including the
Territorial Development Strategy of 1984, the Port and Airport Development
Strategy 1989, Metroplan 1991, and the Territorial Development Strategy Review
of 1996. The whole Central and Wan
Chai Reclamation project forms land for the construction of, among other
things, strategic transport links, associated surface road networks, the
Airport Railway and its Hong Kong Station and the Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) Extension. The Central Reclamation Phases I, II and
the Wan Chai Reclamation Phase I were completed in 1997 to 1998. Central Reclamation Phase III (CRIII) is
currently under construction. WDII
is the final phase, and an integral part, of the Central and Wan Chai
Reclamation.
1.1.3
The
Wan Chai Development Phase II Comprehensive Feasibility Study (the WDIICFS) was
commissioned by the then Territory Development Department in June 1999. The main purpose of that assignment was
to make provision for key transport infrastructure and facilities along the
north shore
of Hong Kong Island,
in Wan Chai and Causeway
Bay. Under the WDIICFS, a Trunk Road layout
was derived, comprising the Central-Wan Chai Bypass (CWB) running along the Wan
Chai shoreline in tunnel, and the Island Eastern Corridor Link (IECL) running
behind the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter (CBTS) on elevated roadway, connecting to the
existing elevated Island Eastern Corridor (IEC). New land was proposed along the Wan Chai
and Causeway Bay shoreline, primarily for the
construction of the Trunk Road and other key infrastructure, and also to
provide an attractive waterfront with a new public promenade. A total reclamation area of some 28.5 ha along the existing Wan Chai and
Causeway Bay shorelines was envisaged under the WDIICFS, from the interface
with the CRIII project on the west side of the HKCEC Extension, to the east of
the CBTS.
1.1.4
The
Trunk Road and the associated land use proposals for the WDII project were
incorporated in a draft Wan Chai North Outline Zoning Plan No. S/H25/1 (the
draft OZP) which was gazetted under the Town Planning Ordinance on 19 April
2002. At the same time, the road works and reclamation proposed under the
WDII project were gazetted under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation)
Ordinance and Foreshore and Sea-bed (Reclamations) Ordinance respectively.
1.1.5
Objections to the draft OZP were received and
considered by the Town Planning Board, which decided to propose amendments to
the draft OZP to meet or partially meet some of the objections after giving
preliminary consideration and further consideration to the objections on 6
September 2002, and 29 November 2002 and 6 December 2002, respectively; and
after giving consideration to further objections on 14 February 2003.
1.1.6
In February 2003, the Society for the
Protection of the Harbour Limited sought a judicial review of the decisions of
the Town Planning Board made on 6 December 2002 and 14 February 2003 in connection with the draft Wan
Chai North OZP and its compliance with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance
(PHO). The High Court handed down its judgment on 8 July
2003, whereby the decisions of the Town Planning Board made
on 6 December 2002 and 14 February 2003
in respect of the draft OZP were quashed. The
Court also ordered the Town Planning Board to reconsider the draft OZP and the
objections thereto. As this
interpretation of the PHO would apply to all future planning of harbour-front
areas which included reclamation, and due to the great general and public
importance of the case, the Town Planning Board appealed directly to the Court
of Final Appeal (CFA).
1.1.7
Objections were also received for the WDII road
works and reclamation schemes gazetted under the Roads (Works, Use and
Compensation) Ordinance and Foreshore and Sea-bed (Reclamations) Ordinance
respectively. In the light of the
on-going legal proceedings, it was considered not appropriate to submit the
road works and reclamation schemes to the Chief Executive in Council for
consideration. The above gazettals
lapsed on 18 and 19 September 2003 respectively. The WDII project has been re-gazetted
under the relevant ordinances in July 2007.
1.1.8
In October 2003, the Town Planning Board considered the findings of a preliminary planning
assessment on the draft OZP conducted by Planning Department
according to the High Court’s
judgment on the judicial review and requested
Government to conduct a comprehensive review of
the planning and engineering proposals of the WDII project and draw up a
minimum reclamation option for Wan Chai North that would comply with the
law. The Town Planning Board is reconsidering
the draft OZP and the objections according to the provisions of the Town
Planning Ordinance.
1.1.9
On 9 January 2004, the CFA handed down
its judgment on the judicial review.
The CFA ruled that the presumption against reclamation in the PHO can only
be rebutted by establishing an overriding public need for reclamation (the
“Overriding Public Need Test”), and that there must be cogent and convincing
materials available to enable the decision-maker to be satisfied that the test
is fulfilled for rebutting the presumption against reclamation.
1.1.10 Following
the Town Planning Board request for a review of the WDII proposals and in the
light of the CFA judgment, Government has undertaken to conduct a
planning and engineering review of the development and reclamation proposals
for the WDII project (the WDII Review).
The WDII Review
commenced in March 2004.
1.2
WDII Review
1.2.1
The
main purpose of the WDII project is to provide
land for the construction
of the Trunk
Road (comprising the CWB which runs from Central Interchange in Central
Reclamation Phase I through the CRIII and WDII project areas, and the IECL
which provides connection from the eastern portal of the CWB to the IEC), and other key transport
infrastructure including the necessary ground level roads for connection to the
Trunk Road and to cater for through traffic from Central to Wan Chai and
Causeway Bay.
1.2.2
Rail infrastructure that would be accommodated by
the WDII project includes the Hong Kong Island section of the Shatin
to Central Link (SCL) and the future Mass Transit Railway (MTR) North Hong Kong
Island Line (NIL).
1.2.3
The land formed for the above transport
infrastructure will provide opportunities for the development of an
attractive waterfront promenade
for the enjoyment of the public.
1.2.4
The WDII Review seeks to assess individually the purpose and extent of each proposed reclamation by
reference to the Overriding Public Need Test and, if needed, to make
recommendations on the revised alignment for the Trunk Road and at-grade roads,
extent of reclamation and/or
the land uses for the review
area covered by the Assignment.
1.3
Harbour-Front
Enhancement Review
1.3.1
The
Harbour-front Enhancement Committee (HEC) was established in May 2004 to advise
Government, through the then Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, on the
planning, land uses and developments along the existing and new harbour-front
of Victoria Harbour. As guidance for the planning,
development and management of the Victoria
Harbour and the
harbour-front areas, the HEC has established harbour planning principles which
should be followed when examining transport infrastructure, including the Trunk
Road, and harbour-front enhancement schemes. These are:
·
preserving
Victoria Harbour
·
stakeholder
engagement
·
sustainable
development
·
integrated
planning
·
proactive
harbour enhancement
·
vibrant
harbour
·
accessible
harbour
·
public
enjoyment.
1.3.2
The
HEC has set up a Sub-committee, namely the Sub-committee on WDII Review, to
advise on the WDII Review.
Government has accepted the recommendation by the Sub-committee on WDII
Review that enhanced participation should be a key element of the Review. To achieve this, a public engagement
exercise, namely the “Harbour-front Enhancement Review – Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Adjoining Areas”
(HER), has been carried out under the steer of the Sub-committee on WDII
Review. Results of the HER project
provide inputs to the WDII Review.
1.3.3
In
order to achieve a better understanding of the opportunities for waterfront enhancement
and to ensure a high degree of community support for the future draft OZPs and
the draft Recommended Outline Development Plan (RODP), a 3-stage public
engagement strategy has been formulated so as to enable a more structured
approach to be adopted to the HER public engagement activities:
(i)
“Envisioning Stage” Public
to provide their visions, wishes and concepts, as well as to compile
Sustainability Principles and Indicators as a basis for the development of the
Concept Plan
(ii)
“Realization Stage” Public
to evaluate the Concept Plan to arrive at consensus
(iii)
“Detailed Planning Stage” Ensure
draft OZPs and draft RODP reflect the consensus.
1.3.4
The
Envisioning Stage was formally launched on 22 May 2005, with a wide range of
public engagement activities taking place over a two-month public engagement
period. The envisioning exercise
was to engage the public in identifying the key issues and establishing
principles in terms of improving the waterfront. The concept of sustainable development
underpins the whole HER project. A
list of sustainability principles and indicators was prepared and agreed
through the public consultation process; these agreed sustainability principles
and indicators have been used to evaluate the Concept Plan that was developed
in the Realization Stage.
1.3.5
As
part of the public engagement activities, the HEC Sub-committee on WDII Review
convened an “Expert Panel Forum on Sustainable Transport Planning and
Central-Wan Chai Bypass”, to explore sustainable transport along the northern
shore of Hong Kong Island and to deliberate on whether the Central-Wan Chai
Bypass (ie the Trunk Road) is needed – one of the key issues of the project.
1.3.6
The
various issues that were raised by participants during the public engagement process,
particularly in respect of Trunk Road alignments and harbour-front enhancement
ideas, were extensively considered and addressed by the Sub-committee on WDII
Review as part of the process of consolidating harbour-front and Trunk Road
ideas. The outcomes of this process
then formed the basis of the preparation of the Concept Plan.
1.3.7
In the
Realization Stage, a Concept Plan, for the development and enhancement of the
harbour-front under the ambit of the WDII Review, was prepared for evaluation
and consensus building by the public, using the HEC’s harbour planning
principles and the sustainability principles and indicators developed during
the Envisioning Stage. At a Consensus Building Town Hall
meeting on 16 December 2006, there was general agreement with the proposals put
forward by the Concept Plan, in respect of the Trunk Road proposal and the
envisaged land uses, although there was some discussion on various detailed
aspects of the harbour-front enhancement schemes.
1.3.8
On the
basis of consensus on the Concept Plan, detailed planning, engineering and
environmental assessments have been carried out for the derivation of the draft
OZPs and RODP, which reflect the consensus on the Concept Plan.
1.4
Environmental
Impact Assessment
1.4.1
A
detailed scheme for the WDII project and the Trunk Road (hereafter referred to
as “the Project”) has been developed from the Concept Plan, with minimum
reclamation necessary to meet the overriding public need, in conformance with
the PHO. Figure 1.1 shows the layout plan of the Project. This scheme has been subject to detailed
environmental impact assessment (EIA) under the WDII Review.
1.4.2
Two
previous EIA studies provide background to this current EIA:
(i)
An EIA
was carried out on the development proposals under the WDIICFS. An EIA Report on these proposals was
approved under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) in 2001
(Application No. EIA-058/2001).
(ii)
In
parallel with the WDIICFS, Government also commissioned a Project Review Study
of the Trunk Road (CWB & IECL), which was completed in July 2001. An EIA Report on the proposed works was approved under the
EIAO in 2001 (Application No. EIA-057/2001).
1.4.3
An
application for an EIA Study Brief for the Project was made to Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) and has been registered under the EIAO (EIA Study
Brief No. ESB-153/2006). The EIA
Study for the Project has been undertaken in accordance with the EIA Study
Brief and the Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process
(EIAO-TM).
1.5
Objectives and Scope of the EIA Study
1.5.1
According
to the EIA Study Brief, the purpose of this EIA Study is to provide information
on the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from the construction
and operation of the developments proposed under the Project and related works
that take place concurrently. This
information will contribute to decision on:
(i)
The
overall acceptability of any adverse environmental consequences that are likely
to arise as a result of the Project and associated works, and any related
phased implementation.
(ii)
The
conditions and requirements for the detailed design, construction and operation
of the Project to mitigate against adverse environmental consequences wherever
practicable.
(iii)
The
acceptability of residual impacts after the staged as well as the full
implementation of the Project, the associated works and the related proposed
mitigation measures.
1.5.2
The
EIA Study Brief, in accordance with the EIAO-TM, states the objectives for this
EIA Study as follows:
·
to
describe the Project and associated works together with the requirements and
environmental benefits for carrying out the Project and associated works; and
to identify, within the scope of the EIA study as defined in section 3.2 of the
EIA Study Brief, any individual project(s) that fall under Schedule 2 of the
EIAO
·
to
identify and describe the elements of the community and environment likely to
be affected by the Project and associated works and/or likely to cause adverse
impacts to the Project, including both the natural and man-made environment and
associated environmental constraints
·
to
provide information on the consideration of alternatives/options for different
development schemes and construction methods
·
to
identify and assess air quality impact, noise impact, water quality impact,
sewerage impact, waste management implications, land contamination, landscape
and visual impact, marine ecological impact, cultural heritage impact and
determine the significance of the impacts on sensitive receivers and potential
affected uses
·
to
propose measures to avoid or minimize pollution, environmental disturbance,
nuisance and adverse impacts during construction and operation of the Project
·
to
investigate the feasibility, practicability, effectiveness and implications of
the proposed impact avoidance or mitigation measures
·
to
identify, predict and evaluate the residual environmental impacts (i.e. after
practicable avoidance or mitigation measures) and the cumulative effects
expected to arise during the construction and operation of the Project and
associated works in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential affected
uses
·
to
identify, assess and specify methods, measures and standards, to be included in
the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project and associated
works which are necessary to mitigate these environmental impacts and
cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable levels
·
to
investigate the extent of the secondary environmental impacts that may arise
from the proposed mitigation measures and to identify constraints associated
with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA study, as well as provision
of any necessary modification
·
to ascertain
whether the EIA study has adequately addressed the environmental impacts of
those Schedule 2 designated projects identified; and, where necessary, to
identify the outstanding issues that need to be addressed in any further
detailed EIA study
·
to design
and specify environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure effective
implementation of the recommended environmental protection and pollution
control measures.
1.5.3
As per
the requirements of the EIA Study Brief, the environmental issues, including
air quality impact, noise impact, water quality impact, waste management
implication, landscape and visual impact, ecological impact, land contamination
impact, sewerage impact and sewage treatment implications and cultural heritage
impact, have been addressed in this EIA Report. In view of the nature, scope and
location of the Project, impacts on climate, soils, and agriculture and
fisheries activities would not be of concern and hence these issues have not
been addressed in this EIA Report.
The environmental impacts on land use, and people and communities have
been addressed in the relevant assessment chapters of the EIA Report.
1.6
Designated Projects under the EIAO
1.6.1
The
proposed Project is an engineering feasibility study of an urban develop ment project
with a study area covering approximately 90 ha
(i.e. more than 20 ha). Under the EIAO, this Project is
classified as a Schedule 3 Designated Project (DP) under item 1 of the Schedule
3 “Major Designated Projects Requiring Environmental Impact Assessment
Reports”. A detailed environmental
assessment for approval by the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) is
required.
1.6.2
The
Project also contains various Schedule 2 DPs that, under the EIAO, require
Environmental Permits (EPs) to be granted by the DEP before they may be either
constructed or operated. Table 1.1 summarises the six individual
DPs under this Project. Figure
1.2
shows the locations of these Schedule 2 DPs.
Table 1.1 Schedule
2 Designated Projects under this Project
Item
|
Designated
Project
|
EIAO
Reference
|
Reason
for inclusion
|
DP1
|
Central-Wanchai Bypass (CWB) including its road
tunnel and slip roads
|
Schedule 2,
Part I, A.1
and A.7
|
Trunk Road and
road tunnel more than 800
m in length
|
DP2
|
Road P2 and other roads which are classified as
primary/district distributor roads
|
Schedule 2, Part I, A.1
|
Primary /
district distributor roads
|
DP3
|
Reclamation works including associated dredging works
|
Schedule 2, Part I, C.1 and C.12
|
Reclamation
more than 5
ha in size and a dredging operation less
than 100 m from
a seawater intake point
|
DP4
|
Temporary typhoon shelter
|
Schedule 2,
Part I, C.5
|
A typhoon
shelter designed to provide moorings for not less than 30 vessels
|
DP5
|
Wan Chai East Sewage Outfall
|
Schedule 2, Part I, F.5 and
F.6
|
Submarine
sewage pipelines with a total diameter more than 1,200
mm
and include submarine sewage
outfall
|
DP6
|
Dredging for the Cross-harbour Water Mains from Wan
Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui
|
Schedule 2, Part I, C.12
|
A dredging
operation less than 100
m from a seawater intake point
|
1.6.3
Description
of the six DPs are given below:
·
DP1
- Central-Wanchai Bypass including its road tunnel and slip roads
The Trunk Road is a dual-3 carriageway
defined from the connection with the existing Rumsey Street Flyover in Central,
through to a connection with the existing IEC to the east of the CBTS. At the Rumsey Street Flyover connection,
a Central Interchange will provide connections into the Central area, and then
the Trunk Road will drop down into tunnel and run along the Central shoreline,
through CRIII, to the WDII project area.
In WDII area, the Trunk Road will continue in tunnel until it needs to
rise onto elevated structure to connect with the elevated IEC. Total Trunk Road length is around 4.5
km
and the total tunnel length is around 3.5
km. The section of
Trunk Road within the study area is around 3 km
and the tunnel length is around 2.5
km. As
shown in Figure 1.3, this EIA study covers the section of CWB
within the study area.
In the Wan Chai North and Causeway Bay
area, the Trunk Road will be connected to the local road system by slip roads.
As the CWB is a trunk road and its tunnel
within the study area is longer than 800m,
it is classified as DP under Schedule 2 Part I, A1 & A7. The location of this DP1 is shown in Figure
1.2a.
·
DP2
- Road P2 and other roads which are classified as primary/district distributor
roads
The major element of the future ground
level road system is Road P2, which runs east-west from Central to connections
with the existing road network in Wan Chai North. Road P2 is a dual 2-lane primary
distributor that serves both local east-west movements and the distribution of
north-south traffic movements.
The Road P2 alignment has been planned to
run over the top of the Trunk Road tunnel through CRIII and the HKCEC water
channel, to the connection with Fleming Road,
in order to minimise
the overall road “footprint” and area of land sterilised by highway infrastructure. New
junctions are formed along Road P2 with the north-south roads.
Along the Wan Chai shoreline, the existing
Hung Hing Road in front of the Wan Chai North Public Transport Interchange (PTI) is realigned to connect with the new Road
P2 / Fleming Road junction, but the current Hung Hing Road alignment further east in front of the Wan
Chai Sports Ground is retained. The
length of the new Road P2 through WDII is approximately 0.6 km.
The new at-grade road network also provides connections to slip roads of
the Trunk Road in
Wan Chai North. The total length of
other new primary and district distributor road connecting to slip road of the
Trunk Road is around 0.7 km.
Since these are primary / district
distributor roads, they are classified as a DP under Schedule 2, Part I,
A1. The location of DP2 is shown in
Figure 1.2b.
·
DP3
- Reclamation works including associated dredging works
The project is driven by the need for the
implementation of the Trunk Road, which will form an east-west strategic route
through Central and Wan Chai to existing IEC. Construction of this Trunk Road will,
though, require permanent reclamation in the areas to the west of HKCEC,
through the HKCEC water channel, along the Wan Chai shoreline and along the
North Point shoreline. Permanent
reclamation is not required in the ex-Public Cargo working Area
(PCWA)
basin or in the CBTS.
During the Trunk Road construction,
temporary reclamation will be required in the ex-PCWA basin and the CBTS to
facilitate cut-and-cover tunnel construction of the Trunk Road. After construction of the Trunk Road,
the temporary reclamation will be removed and the ex-PCWA basin and the CBTS will
be reinstated.
The total volume of sediments to be dredged
and disposed is estimated to be approximately 1.15 Mm3.
The minimum area of permanent reclamation
required is summarised
as follows:
(i) HKCEC
West: 3.7 ha
(ii) HKCEC
Water Channel: 1.6 ha
(iii) Wan
Chai Shoreline: 4.1 ha
(iv) North
Point Shoreline: 3.3 ha
The total reclamation area is 12.7 ha. Since the reclamation is more than 5 ha in size, it is classified as a DP under
Schedule 2, Part I, C1.
For the mitigation of odour, dredging to
remove the polluted sediments
at the south-west corner of the CBTS will be carried out during the implementation of harbour-front
enhancement and forms part of DP3.
Further, as
dredging will be carried out less than 100m from a seawater intake, it would also be classified as a DP under Schedule 2, Part I, C.12.
The location of DP3 is shown in Figure
1.2c.
·
DP4
– Temporary typhoon shelter
The construction of the Trunk Road tunnel
beneath the CBTS will temporarily affect the existing moorings. To maintain the operation of the CBTS
during the construction period, it is necessary to reprovision a temporary
typhoon shelter in the vicinity of the existing one. The Project therefore includes a temporary
typhoon shelter with around 4 ha
temporary mooring area for not less than 30 vessels at the north of the
existing typhoon shelter. It
involves the construction of a 400m
long rubble mound breakwater some 180m
offshore and parallel to the existing CBTS breakwater, together with 120m and 130m lengths of piled wave walls at the eastern and
western ends of the sheltered mooring area respectively. As such, it is classified as DP under
Schedule 2 Part I, C.5. The
location of this DP4 is shown in Figure
1.2d.
·
DP5
– Wan Chai East Sewage Outfall
The Wan Chai West Sewage Screening Plant
will be decommissioned once flows have been diverted to the Wan Chai East
Sewage Screening Plant. The Wan Chai
East Sewage Screening Plant will have adequate capacity to handle these
flows. However, in the longer term,
the existing sewage outfall will need to be upgraded to handle the future
design flows. A new sewage outfall
will be constructed under the project to replace and upgrade the existing Wan
Chai East sewage outfall. The
configuration of the new sewage outfall will comprise a landfall section of 2,250mm
diameter pipe with approximate length of 180m,
and a marine section of twin 1,600mm
diameter submarine pipelines of about 550m
length. As the twin submarine
sewage pipelines
comprise a total diameter more than 1,200mm
and include submarine sewage outfall, it is classified as DP under Schedule 2
Part I, F.5 and F.6. The location of this DP5 is shown in Figure
1.2e.
·
DP6
– Dredging for the Cross-harbour Water Mains from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui
An existing cross harbour fresh water mains
of about 1.1
km length and comprising twin 1,000 mm diameter steel submarine
pipelines runs from Tsim Sha Tsui, along the west of the MTR Tsuen Wan Line to
a landfall at the seafrontage north of the Wan Chai West Sewage Screening
Plant, near Lung King Street. The reclamation works could potentially
damage the watermains and diversion
of these mains will be necessary.
The total dredged volume for the construction of the cross-harbour
watermain is estimated to be approximately 0.06Mm3. As dredging for the installation of the
new cross harbour watermains will be carried out less than 100m from a seawater intake, it is
classified as DP under Schedule 2, Part I, C.12. The location of this DP6 is shown in Figure
1.2f.
1.6.4
Apart
from DP4 (temporary typhoon shelter), the original schemes of the Schedule 2
DPs in Table 1.1 have been previously assessed in the approved EIA
Reports for the WDII and/or CWB & IEC.
As the
original schemes for the DP5 (Wan Chai East Sewage Outfall) and DP6 (Dredging
for the Cross-harbour Water Mains from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui) have not
changed materially,
the related EIA
assessments of the approved EIA Report for these works remain valid. This EIA study therefore focuses mainly on those elements of the Project, including the Schedule 2 DP’s 1, 2, 3 and 4,
that have changed significantly from the schemes as presented in the approved
EIA Reports. For DP5 and DP6, this EIA Study has
still included the cumulative impact assessment, updated the assessment
assumptions and the corresponding mitigation measures.
1.7
Relevant Approved EIA Reports
1.7.1
For
the purpose of this EIA study, relevant findings of the following approved EIA
Reports have been
reviewed and taken into account wherever appropriate:
·
Wan Chai
Development Phase II Comprehensive Feasibility Study (EIAO Register No.
AEIAR-042/2001)
·
Central
– Wan Chai Bypass and Island
Eastern Corridor Link (EIAO Register No. AEIAR-041/2001)
·
Central
Reclamation Phase III – Studies, Site Investigation, Design and Construction
(EIAO Register No. AEIAR-040/2001)
·
Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Centre Atrium Link Extension (EIAO Register No.
AEIAR-100/2001).
1.8
Structure of this EIA Report
1.8.1
The EIA Report is divided into six volumes with
standalone sections on the Schedule 3 DP and each of the individual Schedule 2
DPs as described above. The six
volumes include:
1.8.2
Section
1 of this Volume 1 describes
the background of the overall Project, the objectives of the EIA study and the overview of the designated
projects. A description of the Project (and the Schedule 3 DP) is
then provided in Section 2.
Sections 3 to 11 detail the results of the environmental impact
assessment, covering relevant legislation, environmental conditions, assessment
criteria and methods, and assessment findings. An outline of the requirements for the
environmental monitoring and audit
(EM&A) programme is presented in Section 12. The EM&A programme is also presented in detail in a separate EM&A
Manual. A detailed implementation
schedule of the recommended mitigation measures is provided in Section 13. The EIA findings and recommendations are
provided in Section 14. A
conclusion of the assessment is given in Section 15. In summary, Sections 1 to 15 include:
·
Section
1 – Introduction
·
Section
2 – Project Description
·
Section
3 – Air Quality
·
Section
4 – Noise
·
Section
5 – Hydrodynamics and Water Quality
·
Section
6 – Waste Management
·
Section
7 – Land Contamination
·
Section
8 – Sewerage Impact and Sewage Treatment Implications
·
Section
9 – Marine Ecology
·
Section
10 – Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
·
Section
11 – Cultural Heritage
·
Section
12 – Environmental Monitoring & Audit
·
Section
13 – Implementation Schedule of Proposed Mitigation Measures
·
Section
14 – EIA Findings and Recommendations
·
Section
15 - Conclusion