1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Project Background
1.1.1 The overall Kai Tak
Development (KTD) was a designated project under Schedule 3 of the
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO). The Schedule 3 EIA Report for the overall Kai
Tak Development (EIAO Register No. AEIAR-130/2009) was carried out under the
Kai Tak Development Engineering Study (KTDES, Agreement No. CE35/2006(CE)) and
was approved by Environmental Protection Department under the EIAO on 4 March
2009. As a part of the strategic road network within the KTD, Route 6 forms an
east west express link between West Kowloon
and Tseung Kwan O. Route 6 comprises the
Central Kowloon Route (CKR), Trunk Road T2 and Tseung Kwan O – Lam Tin Tunnel
(TKO-LTT).
1.1.2 The Trunk Road T2 project (the
Project) is a designated project under Schedule 2 of the EIAO and previously
broadly assessed in the KTD Schedule 3 EIA. The Civil Engineering and
Development Department (CEDD) (Project Proponent) submitted the Project Profile
(No. PP-379/2009) for application for an EIA study brief for the Trunk Road T2
Project under the EIAO on 24 March 2009.
Accordingly, an EIA Study Brief (ESB-203/2009) for the Trunk Road T2
Project was issued on 30 April 2009.
1.1.3 The main element of the Trunk Road T2
works comprise the construction of a trunk road connecting with the CKR at the
South Apron area and the TKO-LTT at the Cha Kwo Ling (CKL) area. Figure 1.1 shows the demarcation
between the Trunk Road T2, CKR and TKO-LTT, which will form the basis of
respective environmental impact assessments (EIAs). This Executive Summary
highlights the key findings of the EIA for the Trunk Road T2 project to comply
with the EIA Ordinance (EIAO).
1.2
Alignment Options and Construction Method
1.2.1 A number of alignment options were identified and considered based upon project constrains. Also, construction methods including the
immersed tube (IMT) method and the tunnel boring machine (TBM) method were
considered for the major part of T2 i.e. the subsea tunnel. It is concluded that the selected
option in Figure 1.1, which is based on the TBM method, is
preferred from overall environmental and engineering considerations.
1.2.2 Compared with the
subsea tunnel from the IMT method in the KTDES, the subsea tunnel’s horizontal alignment of the selected option generally follows the horizontal alignment in the KTDES except that the overall width of two tunnel tubes, plus
the separation in-between, is wider than that of the IMT method of the subsea
tunnel in the KTDES. The subsea tunnel’s vertical alignment
of the selection option is generally deeper than the vertical alignment
of the subsea tunnel in the KTDES because the TBM method requires a deeper
vertical alignment than the IMT method due to technical reasons.
1.2.3 For the land
section at the South Apron, the selected option’s tunnel alignment, after entering the seawall at South Apron, rises at a gradient of up to about 5%. The westbound carriageway of the tunnel,
under this gradient, has added
a climbing lane to ensure smooth traffic flows.
The carriageway rises up through a depressed road and becomes at-grade
at the location of Jordan Valley Box Culvert.
1.2.4 For the land
section at the Cha Kwo Ling, the selected option’s tunnel alignment connects
with the TKO-LTT near the waterfront at about the same location in the
KTDES. The vertical alignment at this
short section of tunnel is considerably deeper than that in the KTDES due to
the adjustment in level of the TKO-LTT compared with its vertical alignment at
that time.
2
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
2.1
Project Scope
2.1.1 Further to the recommendations of the
option assessment and subsequent alignment developments, the preferred Trunk
Road T2 is shown in Figure
1.1 and will comprise:
l
a dual two-lane trunk road of approximately 3.0km long with about 2.7km
of the trunk road in the form of a tunnel;
l
ventilation and administration buildings and a traffic control and
surveillance system; and
l
associated civil, electrical, mechanical, landscaping and environmental
protection and mitigation works.
2.2
Project Programme
2.2.1 The Trunk Road T2 project construction works are anticipated to commence at the end of 2015 with completion of
the project by end 2020.
2.3
Need of the Project
2.3.1 The Trunk Road T2,
together with the proposed CKR and TKO-LTT, will form the Route 6 alignment, a
strategic road network. Route 6 will
provide an east-west express link between West Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O (TKO)
and provide the necessary relief to the existing heavily utilised road network
in the central and eastern Kowloon
areas, thereby reducing the associated environmental impacts in these areas.
2.3.2 The CKR is planned
to be completed in 2020 to avoid serious traffic congestion in major east-west
road links, such as Gascoigne Road Flyover and Chatham Road North. The TKO-LTT
is also planned to be completed in 2020 to meet the anticipated traffic demand
generated from further development of Tseung Kwan O (TKO). The Trunk Road T2, being the middle section
of Route 6 connecting the CKR and TKO-LTT, is, therefore, also, targeted to be
completed in 2020 to tie in with the completion of the remaining sections of
Route 6.
2.3.3 On an
independently-operated basis, that is without Trunk Road T2, CKR
functions primarily as a link between West Kowloon and Kowloon Bay. The TKO-LTT, also, under an independently-operated basis, functions primarily as a link between Tseung Kwan O and Kwun
Tong. Traffic from West Kowloon to TKO or vice versa in these cases would primarily rely on the district and strategic roads including
Kwun Tong Bypass, Kwun Tong Road, Kai Fuk Road, etc and would increase the usage of these roads with the traffic
growth and incur capacity issues.
Thus, the Trunk Road T2, being the middle part of Route 6, has to be in place in order to provide a direct
link between CKR and TKO-LTT. Without Trunk Road
T2, existing roads would become more congested leading
to potentially more noise and pollution impacts when CKR
and TKO-LTT are completed.
3
KEY FINDINGS OF THE Environmental Impact
Assessment
3.1
Overall Approach
3.1.1 The
EIA Study has been conducted in accordance with the EIAO Study Brief No.
ESB-203/2009, following the guidelines on assessment methodologies in the
Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAO-TM).
3.1.2 The Trunk Road T2 is middle
part of Route 6 connecting CKR and TKO-LTT.
In this regard, relevant environmental impacts of
the Trunk Road T2 have been assessed as part of the
cumulative impacts in the CKR and TKO-LTT EIA Reports, both of which have
already been submitted under the EIAO and have been approved for consultation
by the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP).
3.2
Environmentally Friendly
Design
3.2.1 As
noted above, a thorough option assessment has been undertaken into to define
and select the best environment scheme both from a construction and operational
perspective.
3.2.2 The
vertical alignment has been selected on the basis that it will avoid impacts to
large areas of existing and future sensitive receivers in the Kai Tak Runway
and Kowloon Bay area. While the Trunk
Road T2 will pass through the future Kai Tak Development on the South Apron,
the Trunk road T2 project is largely in tunnel and the planned developments
that would be sensitive to air and noise impacts are being suitably planned
with measures including setbacks and centralised air conditioning.
3.2.3 While
the number and locations of the ventilation buildings are driven by functional requirements, both have been reviewed to minimise and avoid
environmental impacts. Two ventilation
buildings at either end of the alignment are preferred on environmental grounds
having air, noise and landscape and visual benefits over a much larger single
building or more buildings. The location of the western ventilation building on
the South Apron is highly constrained but has been located as far as practical
from the future developments in the Kai Tak development. At the Cha Kwo Ling (CLK) end, it is proposed
to locate the eastern ventilation building within the Lam Tine Interchange. This arrangement reduces visual impact on the
CKL seafront, is further away from the CKL village and, is, also, on land that
is already developed or will be disturbed for the TKO-LTT project and as such,
would not affect any natural resources.
3.2.4 In
respect of the horizontal alignment, the adoption of a deep tunnel to be
constructed by Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) has notable environmental advantages
over the other feasible construction methods, particularly compared to a cut
and cover and immersed tube tunnel method of construction. The use of TBM has resulted in the following
environmental and marine benefits:
·
involves no dredging
operations;
·
no impacts to marine ecology
and fisheries resources;
·
due to the deeper depth of
boring, the excavated material will be mainly alluvial or rock suitable for recycle/
re-use (on site or offsite) as public fill;
·
minimises above ground works
and, hence, noise, air quality and landscape and visual impacts;
·
minimises operational noise and
air emissions from traffic;
·
avoid the reconstruction of the existing sewage
submarine outfall and breakwaters and disturbance to
the marine operations in the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter (KTTS); and
·
avoid permanent and temporary
reclamations and disturbance to the harbour area.
3.2.5 The
Works Areas for the Trunk Road T2 construction have been selected carefully
with a view reducing the impact of transporting materials to and from the site
and reducing the impacts on the natural environment. Based upon this, the current locations are all
located on already disturbed or developed land and are not vegetated and are
located as close to the construction works as possible to reduce transportation
and its associated visual, air and noise impacts.
3.2.6 In
terms of transportation of materials for the Trunk Road T2 project, marine transport
for removal of the spoil materials generated has been selected to minimise
environmental impacts, minimise disruption to current projects on the KTD and
minimise impacts on the Kwun Tong area, in particular the local road network. A barging point with conveyor system is
planned to be located close to the TBM launching shaft to minimise the distance
for the transport of spoil. The barging
point location has recently been used as a cargo handling point and, thus,
would have no impact on existing vegetated areas. There would, also, be no marine impacts as
works below the water to prepare the barging point for use would not be
required.
3.2.7 In
summary, the preferred alignment for the Trunk Road T2 as it is
seen to provide:
·
A technically feasible alignment;
·
The best environmental option resulting in
significantly less environmental impacts, including reduced quantities of
excavated material, no dredging of potentially contaminated of marine deposits,
reduced impacts on fisheries, water quality and marine ecology and operational
noise and air quality benefits and avoidance of vegetated areas;
·
Significantly less impact on the users of
the KTTS;
·
Minimised impacts to KTD;
·
Avoidance of impacts on the existing
sewage submarine outfall and breakwater; and
·
Avoidance of temporary reclamation in the Victoria Harbour.
3.2.8 Based
on above and the adopted tunnel alignment for the Truck Road T2, notable
environmental impacts would be avoided or minimised.
3.2.9 The
major findings of the EIA study are summarised below.
3.3
Air Quality
3.3.1
Construction Phase
3.3.1.1
The major sources of dust of
the Trunk Road T2 project will be from construction activities such as site
preparation, excavation, road works, foundation works, construction of road and superstructures, the
barging point and conveyor system, TBM launching and receiving shafts, mucking
out point for TBM process and wind erosion from open works site/areas and
stockpiling areas.
3.3.1.2
With the implementation of
specific mitigation, including watering 12 times per day, the predicted dust impacts at the Air Sensitive Receivers (ASRs) would comply with the
dust criteria stipulated by the EIAO Technical Memorandum.
3.3.1.3
With these proposed mitigation
measures, no
irreversible adverse residual impacts on air quality will be anticipated during
the construction phase.
3.3.2
Operational Phase
3.3.2.1
Potential air quality impact
during the operational phase of Trunk Road T2 and other major existing road
networks would be dominated by vehicle gaseous emissions, mainly NO2
and RSP, either from open roads, or via the proposed tunnel portals and
ventilation buildings. The
Trunk Road T2 air assessment has adopted a conservative approach, utilising the
long term average ( last five years) of the most recent air quality monitoring
data obtained from the EPD’s Kwun Tong Air Quality Monitoring Station. This approach may be replaced by a
modelling approach using the PATH (Pollutants in the Atmosphere and their
Transport over Hong Kong) model but the
background air quality estimated by PATH will be less conservative than the
above approach.
3.3.2.2
Because of the above reason, the overall predicted cumulative levels in this EIA report
appear higher than some other EIAs based on the PATH method.
However, it should be noted that the contribution of Trunk
Road T2 project is low and in the region of only 0% to 8.8% for NO2, with
the majority of the contributions being below 0.5%, and 0 to 1.5% for RSP.
3.3.2.3
Notwithstanding the
conservative approach adopted, the operational air quality modelling results
did not predict any exceedance of the hourly, 24 hourly and annual NO2
or the 24 hourly and annual RSP AQOs are predicted. Therefore, no mitigation
measures are required. No adverse residual impacts are expected to occur during
the operation phase.
3.4
Noise
3.4.1
Construction Phase
3.4.1.1
Noise Sensitive Receivers
(NSRs) identified within proximity of the Trunk Road T2 project include a
future hospital development and residential development at the South Apron in
Kai Tak, and village houses at Cha
Kwo Ling
Village.
3.4.1.2
Assessments for construction
airborne noise and ground-borne noise from the use of the Tunnel Boring Machine
(TBM) have been completed at the identified NSRs. The assessment results for air borne noise
show that the Trunk Road T2 project would not cause significant impacts to the
nearby NSRs with proper implementation of mitigation measures, including quiet
equipment and temporary noise barriers, and adverse residual impacts would not
be expected. No impacts are predicted
for the daytime ground-borne noise and no mitigation measures are required.
3.4.2
Operational Phase
3.4.2.1
Potential NSRs identified
within proximity of the projects included four future hospital developments and
a residential development at the South Apron, and village houses at Cha Kwo
Ling Village and two future residential developments at ex-Cha Kwo Ling Kaolin
Mine Site and Yau Tong Bay.
3.4.2.2
Assessments for operation
traffic noise and operation fixed plant noise have been completed at the
identified NSRs. The proposed fixed
plant on the proposed ventilation buildings at the South Apron and Cha Kwo Ling
(TKO-LTT Interchange) are not predicted to cause adverse noise impacts during
the operational stage at the nearby NSRs.
For traffic noise impact, the future NSRs identified at the South Apron
have been confirmed as being noise insulated and will, therefore, not rely on
openable windows for ventilation and hence, no direct mitigation measures are
required. There will be no traffic noise
contribution at Cha Kwo Ling by the Trunk Road T2 Project during operation
phase as the road will be contained within tunnel along this section.
3.5
Water Quality
3.5.1
Construction Phase
3.5.1.1
The subsea tunnel will be
constructed by TBM and as such, no disturbance to the marine waters or seabed
will occur and the marine
transportation of Construction and Demolition (C&D) materials, will not
result in any significant disturbance. Potential water pollution sources have been identified as
construction run-off, wastewater discharge from tunnelling and excavation,
contaminated groundwater, sewage effluent, accidental spillages and waste
construction materials. Mitigation
measures including providing perimeter drains, sand/silt removal facilities and
oil interceptors, covering excavated and construction materials and spill
response plans have been recommended to mitigate any adverse water quality
impacts. Routine audit of the
implementation of the mitigation measures is recommended during the
construction phase EM&A. No adverse water quality impacts are
predicted.
3.5.2
Operational Phase
3.5.2.1
Operational phase water quality
impacts may be associated with tunnel run-off, surface road run-off, sewage from ventilation
buildings and accidental spillage.
However, any impacts are considered negligible provided that the
recommended mitigation measures are implemented and adverse water quality
impacts are not predicted.
3.6
Marine Ecology
3.6.1
Construction Phase
3.6.1.1
As the Trunk Road
T2 project is largely in tunnel and the TBM construction method of tunnelling has
been adopted, habitat losses in the marine environment have been avoided. The potential site run-off from land based
works may lead to temporary water quality issues and an increase in local
suspended solids for a short period of time.
However, these impacts are predicted to be minor and can be further
controlled by the implementation of the recommendations in the Water Quality
Impact Assessment and ProPECC PN 1/94 Construction Site Drainage and, thus,
they would be temporary and negligible with good site practices in place. Given that the ecological value of the
surrounding marine habitats are generally considered to be low to very low, the
impact would be considered to be of minor significance and acceptable.
3.6.2
Operational Phase
3.6.2.1
Minor impacts to marine ecological resources due to potential accident spillages of chemical/oil and road surface
run-off have been predicted as a result of the
operation of the Trunk Road T2 project and no ecological specific mitigation
measures are required. The implementation of the mitigation measures recommended for the
protection of water quality, including provision of adequate drainage system
with silt traps and oil interceptors, will help to minimise any impacts
further.
3.7
Fisheries
3.7.1 The
Port Survey of 2006 did not record any adult fish or fry production in the
existing KTTS (AFCD, 2006). In addition, the assessment area is not a major operating area for large
trawler trawling vessels (>15m), with a ban on trawling activities effective
from December 2012, the impact on the construction works on fishing vessels
would be limited and only small
vessels, such as sampans, are used by fishermen in the KTTS which would be only
temporarily affected by the Trunk Road T2 construction works.
3.7.2 Based
on this, the lack of adult fish and fry in the area and the small size of the
temporary barging point, it is predicted that no significant impacts in respect
to the loss of fishing grounds would occur.
As such, the construction and operation of the
project would not give rise to any significant impacts to fisheries.
3.7.3 No mitigation
measures are required for fisheries resources given that the water quality
mitigation measures will be implemented as necessary.
3.8
Landscape and Visual
3.8.1 As the
majority of Trunk Road T2 (the Project) will be in tunnel, landscape and visual
impacts will be concentrated on three buildings at the western end, namely the
Ventilation and Tunnel Portal Buildings.
3.8.2 Based on the
Tree Survey, 67 trees are recommended to be felled and 31 trees are recommended
to be transplanted by the Project. No Old and Valuable Trees, Wall Trees or
Significant Trees will be affected. In the Western Works Area a temporary loss
of 75,300 square metres of hard standing which will be temporarily lost in the
construction phase, and an permanent loss of 8500 square meters of hard
standing, 5029 square meters of planting areas and loss of 66 trees will be
mitigated by 15,740 square meters of planting areas and 4,900 square meters of
Amenity Area as referred to in the report as RE10 Kai Tak South Apron: Amenity
Area. Extensive compensatory planting will include 152 trees in accordance with
ETWB TCW No. 3/2006. In the Eastern Works Area one tree and an approximate area
of 21,500 square metres of hard standing will be lost. Mitigation for the
felled tree has been included within the compensatory trees for the Western
Works Area. The site will be reinstated and handed over for future development
of Cha Kwo Ling Promenade Park under a separate project. Details of the landscape
proposals for the Western Works Area will be reviewed within the detail design
stage. It is considered there will be no substantial adverse landscape impacts
by the Project during the operation phase.3.8.3 Through
careful design consideration the long term affects will be minimised and a
series of greening solutions will be implemented to the development as a whole.
Provisions have been made for community green spaces, architectural greening
measures, street trees, and planting areas. These are envisioned to blend the
Project into the proposed surrounding landscape.
3.8.3 The Ventilation and Tunnel Portal Buildings will be mitigated by
sensitive and contemporary architectural detailing, including vertical
greening, green roofs, textual and tonal finishes, and screen planting. These
are envisioned to blend the Project into the proposed surrounding landscape and
will be no more than 17mPD in height. In addition to the landscape mitigation
measures, the buildings will be in close proximity to the elevated Kwun Tong
Bypass, and therefore partially screened to northern VSRs. As a large area of
the KTD Runway Precinct and South Apron will also be under construction at the
same time, the residual impacts within the western area are not viewed as
adverse and cumulative impacts are not considered to be unacceptable within
such a context. The overall visual impacts on the surrounding VSRs would not be
significant and could be considered positive to a certain extent. There are considered to be no residual visual
impacts after mitigation to VSRs in the Eastern Works Area.
3.8.4 Due to the intended 2021 completion dates of the Kai Tak development
including the Metro Park, Runway Residential and Hotel Precinct, the Cruise
Terminal and Tourism and Leisure Hub, three hospital sites and other government
buildings, views from the Victoria Harbour and Southern Kowloon areas will be
screened and covered. Substantial
adverse visual impacts are not expected.
3.8.5 Overall, it is considered that the residual landscape and visual impacts
of the Project are acceptable with mitigation measures during construction and
operation phases.
3.9
Cultural Heritage
3.9.1 The archaeology assessment did not
identify any areas of terrestrial or marine archaeological potential and no impacts
are predicted. However, any antiquity or
supposed antiquity discovered during the course of the excavation works will be
reported to the AMO immediately.
3.9.2 The built heritage
survey has identified 11 buildings in Cha Kwo Ling. However, no adverse impacts
to any of the buildings have been identified during either the construction or
operational phases of the project and no mitigation will be required.
3.10
Waste Management Implication
and Land Contamination
3.10.1
Waste Management
3.10.1.1
The construction of the
Trunk Road T2 will involve a number of activities which will generate waste
that can be broadly be classified into distinct categories based on its nature
and the options for disposal. These
include:
l
Excavated marine deposit (sediment) buried underneath the South Apron and
Cha Kwo Ling works areas for the construction of cut-and-cover tunnel sections;
l
Excavated C&D materials suitable for public fill, including the
alluvium from the sub-marine tunnel construction;
l
C&D waste which is not suitable for public fill;
l
Chemical waste;
l
Sewage; and
l
General refuse.
3.10.1.2
The majority of the soft
C&D material comprising sand fill, Grade III rock and below and alluvium,
making up approximately 1.15Mm3, will be suitable for reuse or
transfer to the public fill, in some cases, after treatment as required. The predicted surplus amount of this C&D
material, in addition to the Grade II or above rock from the subsea tunnel,
totally approximately 0.98Mm3, will be transferred to the Tseung
Kwan O Area 137 Fill Bank and Chai Wan Public Fill Barging Point by barge. This principle of disposal for the surplus
C&D material has been agreed in principle with the CEDD’s Vetting Committee
on 28 February 2013.
3.10.1.3
With the implementation of the
recommended mitigation measures, there would be no adverse residual impacts
associated with the handling, storage, transportation or disposal of the waste
generated by the Trunk Road T2 project during the construction and operation
phases of the Trunk Road T2 Project.
3.10.2
Contaminated Land
3.10.2.1
The land contamination
assessment at the concerned previously developed land lot is currently occupied
by PCCW and a short section of Cheung
Yip Street. As there were no exceedances of the criteria for the land
contamination for the Trunk Road T2 project, there would be no adverse impacts
due to land contamination anticipated.
There were 2 locations at Cheung
Yip Street, namely EH1 and EH3, at which the site investigation (SI) works for
the land contamination assessment were not practically accessible. As such, in future, if the concerned
locations are confirmed to be acquired as part of the works sites for the Trunk
Road T2 construction contract and access is permitted, a supplementary SI to complete
the land contamination assessment for EH1 and EH3 and further reconnaissance
visits to inaccessible Works Area WA2 would be conducted when these sites
become accessible in accordance with the requirements as set out in the
endorsed CAP prior to the commencement of construction works so as to verify if
any potential land contamination issues exist in these remaining areas. The
findings of such supplementary SI works would be submitted as supplementary
information to the CAR. If land
contamination is determined, the necessary remediation works will be proposed
in a RAP for implementation. Following
the completion of remaining SI works at locations EH1 and EH3, a supplementary
CAR and/or RAP will be submitted to EPD for approval before the commencement of
construction works.
3.11
Environmental Monitoring and
Audit
3.11.1
An
environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) programme will be implemented
during the construction and operation of the Project, to check the
effectiveness of the recommended mitigation measures and compliance with relevant
statutory criteria. The EM&A
procedures are required during construction and operational phases of the
project implementation. The EM&A
requirements are divided into environmental monitoring and/or project auditing
in the form of site inspection and supervision.
Only monitoring for air and noise has been recommended but regular
auditing for air, noise, water quality, ecology, LVIA and waste would be required.
Table 3.1 Scope
of Environmental Monitoring
|
Environmental Aspects
|
Phase
|
Monitoring Parameter
|
|
Dust
|
Construction
|
TSP
|
|
Airborne Noise
|
Construction
|
Leq(30mins)
|
|
Fixed Noise
|
Operational
|
Leq(30mins)
|
4
OVERALL Conclusions
4.1 This EIA
study has identified and assessed potential environmental impacts of the Project,
in accordance with the EIA study brief and EIAO-TM guidelines. Overall, the EIA study has concluded that the
Trunk Road T2 project would be environmentally acceptable, in compliance with
environmental legislation and standards.
With the implementation of environmental control measures during the
construction and operational phases, there would be no significant adverse
residual impacts from the Trunk Road T2 project.
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