1.1.1.1
The Project Proponent is the Electrical and Mechanical Services
Department (EMSD) and the Works Agent is the Architectural Services Department
(ArchSD). Meinhardt Infrastructure &
Environment Ltd (MIEL) was commissioned by the ArchSD as the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) Consultant to conduct the EIA study for this Project,
which will be carried out in parallel with the design work.
1.2.1.1
This Project is to construct and operate a temporary vehicle
workshop facility for around 5 years to replace the existing EMSD Hong Kong
Workshop in
1.2.1.2
The proposed EMSD
Hong Kong Workshop will be a single storey building comprising various facilities for vehicle repair and
maintenance operation as well as parking of vehicles when not in
operation. The facility will occupy
a site area of about 2,040 m2 and the vehicle repair and maintenance
areas will be covered by a steel shelter with a 5.2 m high clearance. The rest of site will, also, be covered
by hardstanding as part of the access road and parking bays. A detailed description of the project is
provided in Section 3.
1.2.1.3
This Project is
a designated project under Item A.6, Part I, Schedule 2 of the EIAO: “A
transport depot located less than 200 m from the nearest boundary of an
existing or planned (a) residential area; (b) place of worship; (c) educational
institution; or (d) health care institution” and requires an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) to be undertaken and an Environmental Permit (EP) to be
obtained prior to construction commencement. An application for the EIA Study Brief
under section 5(1) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) was
submitted by the EMSD on 13 June 2011 with a Project Profile (No. PP-442/2011). The EIA Study Brief No. ESB-231/2011 was
issued by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on 20 July 2011.
1.3 Purpose and Objectives of this EIA Study
1.3.1.1
The purpose of this EIA study is to provide information on
the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from construction and
operation of the Project and related activities taking place concurrently. This information will contribute to the decisions
by the EPD on:
·
Acceptability of any adverse environmental consequences that
are likely to arise as a result of the Project;
·
Conditions and requirements for the design, construction and
operation of the Project to mitigate against adverse environmental
consequences; and
·
Acceptability of residual impacts after the proposed
mitigation measures are implemented.
1.3.1.2
The specific objectives of the EIA Study are summarised as
follows:
·
To describe the Project and associated works together with
the requirements and environmental benefits for carrying out the Project;
·
To identify and describe the elements of the community and
environment likely to be affected by the Project and/or likely to cause adverse
impacts to the Project, including both the natural and man-made environment and
the associated environmental constraints;
·
To provide information on the consideration of alternative
design options of the Project including the scale, extent, layout,
configuration, design and type of design orientation and construction methods
with regard to avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impacts to
environmentally sensitive areas and sensitive uses; to compare the
environmental benefits and disbenefits of different options; to provide reasons
for selecting the preferred option(s) and to describe the part environmental
factors played in the selection of preferred option(s);
·
To identify and assess environmental impacts including:
noise impacts, air quality impacts, water quality impacts, waste management
implications and land contamination issues, and landscape and visual impacts;
and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential
affected uses;
·
To propose the provision of mitigation measures so as to
minimize pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction
and operation of the Project;
·
To investigate the feasibility, practicability,
effectiveness and implications of the proposed avoidance or mitigation
measures;
·
To identify, predict and evaluate the residual environmental
impacts (i.e. after practicable mitigation) due to the Project and the
cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation of
the Project 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 which are necessary to avoid or 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 the provision of any necessary modification; and
·
To design and specify the environmental monitoring and audit
requirements to ensure the effective implementation of the recommended
environmental protection and pollution control measures.
1.4.1
Baseline Conditions
1.4.1.1
The relevant aspects of the existing environment have been
identified and described to provide a baseline for the identification and
prediction of potential impacts which are likely to arise from implementing the
Project. Baseline environmental surveys were undertaken and relevant reports /
documents have been reviewed (and information incorporated where appropriate)
to determine the existing environmental conditions at the Project site and all
surrounding areas likely to be affected by the Project.
1.4.2
Impact Prediction
1.4.2.1
Individual aspect assessments have been undertaken in
accordance with the relevant guideline on assessment methodology from the
EIAO-TM. Computer models have been used to quantitatively predict environmental
impacts for air quality and noise during the construction and operation phases.
The modelling predictions have been based on approved / recognised local and
international methods as described in the relevant sections of this report.
1.4.2.2
The methodologies used in the assessments have previously
been applied in similar EIA studies in
1.4.3
Impact Evaluation
1.4.3.1
The predicted changes and effects resulting from the
proposed Project have been evaluated in accordance with the criteria given in
the EIAO-TM. Wherever practicable and appropriate, quantitative assessments
have been undertaken.
1.4.4
Impact Mitigation
1.4.4.1
Mitigation measures have been identified and evaluated to
avoid the impacts in the first instance. Thereafter the mitigation has sought
to control, reduce and minimise or remedy the impacts. The effectiveness of the
proposed mitigation has been assessed and any residual environmental impacts
have been identified and considered for their acceptability.
1.4.4.2
An implementation schedule for the mitigation measures has
been prepared, which for each mitigation measure, identifies when and where it
is required, the parties responsible for its implementation and where
necessary, for its maintenance.
1.5.1.1
The environmental issues covered in this EIA study and
assessment areas, as specified in the EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-231/2011), are
presented below:
·
Potential noise and air quality impacts from the
construction and operation of the Project to sensitive receivers near the
Project;
·
Potential water quality and sewerage impacts from the construction
and operation of the Project;
·
Potential waste management implications and land
contamination issues arising from the construction and operation of the
Project;
·
Potential landscape and visual impacts during the
construction and operation of the Project; and
·
Potential cumulative environmental impacts of the Project
and associated works, through interaction or in combination with other
existing, committed and planned projects in their vicinity, and that those
impacts may have a bearing on the environmental acceptability of the Project.
1.5.1.2
The Project has no construction and operation phase issues
of ecological, fisheries, cultural heritage or hazard to life impacts and
therefore these aspects have not been assessed in this EIA study. The reasons are summarised below:
·
Ecological issues: there are no ecological sensitive
receivers e.g. important habitats, species, etc, identified in the vicinity to
the Project site according to Annex 8 of the EIAO-TM.
·
Fisheries issues: there are no fisheries sensitive receivers
e.g. fish culture and aquaculture zones, nursery and spawning grounds,
fisheries areas, etc, identified in the vicinity to the Project site according
to Annex 9 of the EIAO-TM.
·
Cultural heritage issues: there are no sites of cultural
heritage identified in the vicinity to the Project site according to Annex 10
of the EIAO-TM.
·
Hazard to life issues: this Project will not involve the
operation of any potentially hazardous installations as defined under the EPD’s
PN 2/94. Also,
there will be no activities involving the use of non-fuel gas DGs, and no manufacture,
storage, use or transport of explosives, etc.
1.6.1.1
This EIA Report comprises 12 sections including this introductory
section. The other sections are outlined below:
·
Section 2 Alternative
Schemes
provides a description of the alternative schemes and factors considered in
selecting the preferred scheme and construction methods. It also summarises the Project’s
anticipated environmental benefits, its public consultation programme and
further design modifications to the preferred scheme;
·
Section 3 Project
Description provides a detailed description of the preferred Project Scheme which
is the subject of the environmental assessments detailed in this EIA Report;
·
Section 4 Noise Impact
Assessment
identifies potential construction and operational noise impacts arising from
the Project;
·
Section 5 Air Quality
Impact Assessment identifies and assesses the potential air quality impacts
arising during the construction and operation of the Project;
·
Section 6 Water Quality Impact
Assessment
identifies and assesses the potential water quality impacts arising during the
construction and operation of the Project;
·
Section 7 Waste
Management and Land Contamination identifies and assesses the potential impacts
associated with waste generation and land contamination issues during the
construction and operation of the Project;
·
Section 8 Landscape and
Visual Impact Assessment identifies and assesses the potential temporary and
permanent landscape and visual impacts arising during the construction and
operation of the Project;
·
Section 9 Summary of
Environmental Outcomes presents the summary of environmental outcomes arising from
this Project;
·
Section 10 Environmental
Management and Audit presents the EM&A requirements for the Project;
·
Section 11 Conclusion presents the overall
conclusion for this EIA Report; and
·
Section 12 Implementation
Schedule of Mitigation Measures provides information on the implementation of the
mitigation measures.
1.6.1.2
The recommended mitigation measures specified in this EIA
report have been summarized in the Environmental Mitigation and Enhancement
Measures Implementation Schedule provided in Section 12.