18.1.1.1
This section describes the need for
Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) during the construction and operation
phases of the project in accordance with the
requirements as stipulated in Annex 21 of the EIAO-TM.
18.1.1.2 The
purpose of the EM&A programme is to ascertain and
verify the assumptions implicit to, and accuracy of, EIA study predictions. The
EM&A programme includes the scope of the
environmental monitoring and audit requirements for the project to ensure
compliance with the EIA study recommendations, to assess the effectiveness of
the recommended mitigation measures and to identify any further need for
additional mitigation measures or remedial action.
18.2.1.1 A
project organisation consisting of the project
proponent (i.e., AAHK), the Project Manager (PM), Independent
Environmental Checker (IEC), Environmental Team (ET), and Contractor
will be established to take on the
responsibilities for environmental protection for the project.
18.3.1.1 EM&A
is an important aspect in the EIA process which specifies the
timeframe and responsibilities for the implementation of environmental
mitigation measures. The requirements on environmental monitoring
(including baseline and impact monitoring) are given in a
stand-alone EM&A Manual.
18.3.1.2 The
EM&A Manual includes the following:
¡ Organisation, hierarchy and responsibilities of AAHK, the
Contractor, Engineer’s Representative, ET and IEC with respect to the EM&A
requirements during construction and operational phases of the project;
¡ Information on project organisation and programming of construction
activities;
¡ Requirements with respect to the construction schedule and
necessary EM&A programme to track the varying environmental impacts;
¡ Details of methodologies to be adopted, including all field,
laboratory and analytical procedures, and details on quality assurance;
¡ Procedure for undertaking on-site environmental audits;
¡ Definition of Action and Limit Levels;
¡ Establishment of Event and Action Plans;
¡ Requirements of reviewing pollution sources and working procedures
required in the event of non-compliance of environmental criteria and
complaints;
¡ Requirements for reviewing the implementation of mitigation
measures, and effectiveness of environmental protection and pollution control
measures adopted; and
¡ Presentation of requirements for EM&A data and appropriate
reporting procedures.
18.3.1.3 An
Environmental Mitigation Implementation Schedule (EMIS) has been prepared and
included in Chapter 20 and the EM&A
Manual to summarise all the required mitigation
measures that need to be implemented during the construction and operational
phases of the project. The implementation responsibilities are also identified
in the EMIS. The EM&A Manual also presents the requirements for
environmental monitoring and auditing (e.g. monitoring locations, monitoring
and audit frequency).
18.4.1.1 The
following measurements and activities for each environmental aspect (where
applicable) has been identified:
¡ Baseline monitoring;
¡ Impact
monitoring;
¡ Compliance
monitoring;
¡ Remedial actions in accordance
with the Event and Action Plan within the timeframe in case the specified
criteria in the EM&A Manual were exceeded;
¡ Logging and keeping records of
monitoring results; and
¡ Preparation and submission of Monthly and Final EM&A Reports.
18.4.1.2 Detailed
requirements of the EM&A programme will be
described in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
18.5.1.1 The
project is anticipated to give rise to construction dust impacts. The key
activities that would potentially result in dust emissions include land
formation works, construction works on the newly formed land, on the existing
airport island, concrete batching plants, asphalt batching plants, crushing
plant, barging points, haul roads, diversion of submarine fuel pipeline,
diversion of submarine 11 kV cable and modifications to existing outfall.
Regular dust monitoring is considered necessary during the construction phase
of the project and regular site audits are also required to ensure the dust
control measures are properly implemented.
18.5.1.2 Monitoring
and audit of daily RSP and daily FSP levels are not proposed. This is because even under the hypothetical
worst case Tier 1 mitigated scenario both daily RSP and daily FSP would comply
with the corresponding AQO at all ASR throughout the construction period,
except the limited non-compliance with the AQO for daily RSP at up to three ASR
in three of the nine construction years. Hence no significant RSP or FSP
impacts are anticipated. Therefore, only hourly TSP will be monitored and
audited at appropriate locations. Details of the EM&A programme
are presented in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Operation Phase
18.5.1.3 The
current airport air quality monitoring stations should be maintained. No
additional air quality monitoring station is required.
18.5.2.1 Implementation
of the recommended mitigation measures should be checked as part of the
environmental monitoring and audit procedures during the construction and
operation phase.
Aircraft Noise
18.5.3.1 In
accordance with the requirements of the EIA Study Brief, an aircraft noise
monitoring and audit programme has been recommended and this shall include the following key elements as detailed in the
EM&A Manual:
¡ An exercise to verify
predictions on the effectiveness of measures to mitigate aircraft noise impact
and the preparation of a Prediction Verification Report;
¡ Review Report, prepared on an annual basis, for detailing the compliance with noise abatement procedures and unanticipated events,
as well as any further necessary investigation and/or remedial action(s);
¡ Noise Contour Report, prepared in at least every five years, to
compare actual airport operation to forecast airport operation with respect to aircraft noise, taking
into account data collected on actual aircraft
operational levels, fleet mix, runway and flight track utilizations; and produce an updated noise contour using the most currently available and
internationally accepted noise modelling methodology
18.5.3.2 In
additional to the above reporting requirements, AAHK shall continue to engage
with the neighbouring communities in the vicinity of HKIA, other stakeholders
and interested parties on aircraft noise issues associated with the operation
of the project.
18.5.3.3 A clear EM&A framework has been established as
presented in the EM&A Manual. Prior
to commencement of project operation, a detailed EM&A Plan should be submitted
to EPD for agreement.
Fixed Noise Sources
18.5.3.4 Prior
to the operation phase of the project, as part of the design process,
commissioning tests should be conducted to ensure the operation noise from the
fixed plant would comply with the relevant EIAO-TM noise criteria. The
commissioning test methodology statement shall be submitted by the Contractor
to seek approval from AAHK and EPD. The test should be carried out by a
qualified person possessing at least seven years of noise control experience
and a corporate membership of Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics or equivalent.
The noise commissioning test report should be submitted to the ET Leader, IEC
and PM for approval.
18.5.3.5 Noise
commissioning tests are also required for noise enclosure of aircraft engine
run-up facilities. Details of the requirement of tests are presented in the
stand-alone EM&A Manual. The test should be carried out by a qualified
person possessing at least seven years of noise control experience and a
corporate membership of Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics or equivalent. The noise commissioning test report should be
submitted to the ET Leader, IEC and PM for approval.
Construction Noise
18.5.3.6 Although
no residual airborne noise impact is predicted during construction phase, an
EM&A programme is recommended to ensure that the
nearby NSRs will not be subject to unacceptable construction noise impact.
Details of the EM&A programme is presented in the
stand-alone EM&A Manual. Recommended construction noise control and
mitigation measures are proposed in the EIA report. The Contractor should be
responsible for the design and implementation of these measures under the
supervision of the PM and monitored by the ET.
Traffic Noise
18.5.3.7 No
adverse road or marine traffic noise impacts are anticipated from operation of
the project, hence no environmental monitoring and audit is proposed.
Construction Phase
18.5.4.1 During
construction phase, specific mitigation measures in the form of silt curtains
will be required, and other measures in the form of general good construction
works practices have been specified. An EM&A programme
is recommended to check and review the effectiveness of these mitigation
measures during construction phase. A silt curtain
efficiency pilot test is also recommended to confirm the silt removal
efficiency of the silt curtains. Details of the EM&A requirements are
specified in the EM&A Manual.
18.5.4.2 To
ensure no adverse water quality impacts during construction activities, a water
quality monitoring programme as well as a specific DCM monitoring programme is recommended
to be implemented throughout construction phase, as part of the management and
control programme defined in the action plan of the
EM&A Manual. Details of the water quality monitoring programme
are specified in the EM&A Manual.
Operation Phase
18.5.4.3 With
the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, no adverse water
quality impacts are anticipated during operation phase, hence no specific
environmental monitoring and audit is required. However, water quality
monitoring for the spent cooling water discharges will be undertaken in
accordance with the future WPCO license conditions. Water quality monitoring is
also proposed for the greywater treatment facility
during commissioning and operation to ensure the treated effluent quality
complies with the reuse standards as defined in the EIA.
18.5.5.1 With
the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, the existing public
sewerage system would be upgraded to cater for the maximum development flows
arising from the project. In order to
monitor the sewage flow build-up for the project to ensure timely completion of
the mitigation works for the affected gravity sewer before the flow would
exceed the sewer design capacity, it is recommended to implement a regular
sewage flow monitoring programme.
18.5.5.2 Moreover, in order to ensure the additional sewage generated from the
3RS project would not impose adverse impacts in respect of sewage septicity and
odour issues on the existing sewerage networks including the public sewerage
system, it is recommended to implement a hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
monitoring system for the sewerage system of the 3RS.
18.5.5.3 Details of the above monitoring works are given in the EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
18.5.6.1 It
will be the contractor’s responsibilities to ensure that all wastes produced
during the construction phase of the project are handled, stored and disposed
of in accordance with good waste management practices and the relevant regulations
and requirements. The recommended
mitigation measures shall form the basis of the Waste Management Plan to be
developed by the contractor in the construction phase.
18.5.6.2 During
construction phase, regular site inspection as part of the EM&A procedures
should be carried out to check if various types of waste are being managed in
accordance with approved procedures and the Waste Management Plan. It should
cover different aspects of waste management including waste generation,
storage, recycling, treatment, transport and disposal.
Operation Phase
18.5.6.3 During
operation phase, weekly inspection should be carried out along the artificial
seawall of the expanded airport island to check for any entrapment or
accumulation of floating refuse. Where an appreciable amount of floating refuse
is found on the artificial seawall during the weekly inspection, the locations
of such refuse will be recorded and arrangements with the contractor will
immediately be made to collect and clear the refuse from the seawall.
18.5.7.1 In
view of the desktop review results and the site reconnaissance findings,
excavation of soil for land remediation will be subject to the findings of site
investigation (SI) to be conducted.
18.5.7.2 Further
site reconnaissance would be conducted once inaccessible areas (i.e. fuel tank
room within Terminal 2 (T2) building, fuel tank room to the west of Civil
Aviation Department (CAD) antenna farm, seawater pump house and switching
station, pumping station and fire training facility) are accessible in order to
identify any land contamination concern for these areas. Subject to the further
site reconnaissance findings, a supplementary Contamination Assessment Plan
(CAP) for additional SI (if necessary) may be prepared and submitted to EPD for
endorsement prior to the commencement of SI at these areas.
18.5.7.3 After
completion of the SI, Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) will be prepared
and submitted to EPD for approval prior to start of the proposed construction
works at the golf course, the underground and above-ground fuel storage tank
areas, emergency power generation units, airside petrol filling station and
fuel tank room. Should remediation be required, Remediation Action Plan (RAP)
and Remediation Report (RR) will be prepared for EPD’s approval prior to commencement
of the proposed remediation and any construction works respectively.
18.5.7.4 During
construction phase, EM&A is to be carried out in the form of regular site
inspections. All related procedures and facilities for handling or storage of
chemicals and chemical wastes will be audited regularly to ensure they are in
order, intact and reported in the EM&A reports accordingly.
18.5.8.1 Implementation
of the recommended mitigation measures for Sha Chau egretry should be checked and confirmed as part of the
EM&A programme during the construction phase, the
details of which are presented in the stand alone EM&A Manual. In particular, a pre-construction survey is
recommended to update the latest boundary of the egretry
during the breeding season before commencement of the HDD drilling works to
ensure the daylighting location can avoid direct encroachment on the egretry. During the works period, monitoring shall be
undertaken to identify and evaluate any impacts with appropriate actions taken
as required to address and minimise any adverse
impact found. Details of the pre-construction egretry
survey are presented in stand-alone EM&A Manual. Subject to the
pre-construction survey findings, the daylighting location/ works area will be
adjusted to avoid the future egretry location.
18.5.8.2 No
EM&A requirements are considered during the operation phase.
18.5.9.1
The EIA has predicted the project would lead to some ecological
impacts and has recommended a series of measures to avoid, minimise, and
mitigate the impacts to an acceptable level.
An ecological monitoring and audit programme would be needed to ensure
the recommended measures are properly implemented. In addition, the EM&A
programme also serves other purposes, including but not limited to verify the
accuracy of the ecological assessment study and recommending action plans in
response to unpredicted impacts or ineffective mitigation.
18.5.9.2
The monitoring and audit requirements specific for marine ecology are
presented in the Environmental Monitoring and Audit Manual. It is proposed to
conduct ecological monitoring during the baseline, construction,
post-construction and operation phases of the third runway project, with the
aims to monitor the effects on the CWDs over
the construction period, including the potential shift in the CWD
travelling areas and habitat use, to determine the effectiveness of the
reduction in HSF speeds on the acoustic impacts and disturbance to the CWDs and also determine the effectiveness of the
mitigation (i.e. after the proposed Marine Park comes into operation) on CWD
numbers. The CWD monitoring will be conducted by the ET, led by a CWD
monitoring team leader with five years post-graduate experience in CWD
monitoring.
18.5.9.3 An overarching goal of
these surveys is to provide a dataset that can be compatible with the AFCD long
term monitoring, be stratified in such a way as to allow the calculation of
density and abundance for the various different phases listed above and to
facilitate the calculation of trends from these estimates, providing some
assessment of how the project may be impacting the CWDs. Further details on the
survey methodologies are provided in the standalone EM&A Manual.
18.5.9.4
Three major types of field work have been proposed as follows:
a)
Focused vessel
line transect surveys and also to collect individual
CWD identification photos for examination of ranging patterns. As part of this vessel-based work, focal
follows of individual CWD groups provide information on movements and travel
patterns;
b)
Land-based
theodolite tracking of movements provides
information on swimming and movement patterns of dolphin groups, and responses
to vessels and other potential stressors; and
c)
Autonomous
passive acoustic monitoring (PAM or equivalent) of the dolphins and their
environment (especially vessel and marine-construction noise), providing
information on CWD presence and vocal activity, as well as noise levels in CWD
habitat.
18.5.9.5
The vessel based monitoring surveys and CWD focal
follows have
been proposed over a period of at least 6 months for the baseline phase,
on-going for the duration of the construction works, 12 month post
construction monitoring and at least 12 months during operational stage to test the effectiveness of the
mitigation measures, so that all four seasons are represented and seasonal
differences can be examined.
18.5.9.6
In addition to the proposed vessel transect monitoring, some
additional monitoring in the form of underwater acoustic monitoring
and
land-based theodolite tracking for CWD monitoring will be undertaken during the
baseline and construction works. In all cases, the scope, locations and
frequency of the monitoring will be further defined at the detailed design phase
in agreement with AFCD and EPD. The main aim
for these two monitoring types is to supplement the vessel transect survey
findings detailed above and to help verifying the predictions in the EIA but
not for monitor the effectiveness of the mitigation measures. The need for further land-based theodolite
and underwater acoustic surveys will be subject to a review of the above
findings.
18.5.9.7
In conjunction with the monitoring efforts, given the uncertainty on
the growth of HSF traffic from SkyPier / the ITT in
future years, the EM&A will monitor actual numbers of HSFs operating from SkyPier after the HZMB and HKBCF commence operations by
obtaining HSF movement data from the SkyPier
operators.
18.5.9.8
A pre-construction coral dive survey is also proposed at the
artificial seawall at northern and northeastern
airport island, and the daylighting locations at Shau
Chau to check the status of Balanophyllia sp. and other coral species and review the
feasibility of translocation. A pre-construction coral dive survey plan and
report will be prepared for agreement with the Authority.
18.5.10 Fisheries
18.5.10.1 With the implementation of the
recommended water quality mitigation measures during construction and
operation phases as well as the proposed establishment of new Marine Park to
compensate the permanent loss of fisheries habitats (and
resources),
no adverse residual impact on fisheries is anticipated.
18.5.10.2 The implementation of the
water quality mitigation measures should be checked as part of the
environmental monitoring and audit procedures during the construction period as
presented in the Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual. Apart
from water quality mitigation measures, the consideration of alternative
construction methods e.g. use of non-dredge ground improvement methods by DCM
would also reduce the potential release of contaminant to the water column and reduce the indirect impact on fisheries resources. Water quality
monitoring and audit has been proposed at locations covering sites of fisheries
importance during construction and operation phases to
monitor the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures, thus fisheries specific monitoring is considered not necessary.
18.5.11
Landscape and Visual
Construction Phase
Monitoring of Design,
Construction and Establishment Works
18.5.11.1
The design, implementation and maintenance of
landscape and visual mitigation measures should be checked to ensure that they
are fully realised and that any potential conflicts
between the proposed landscape measures and any other project works and
operational requirements are resolved at the earliest possible date and without
compromise to the intention of the mitigation measures.
Design of Landscape and
Visual Mitigation Measures
18.5.11.2
The detailed design of the landscape and
visual mitigation measures should be undertaken so as to ensure compliance with
the recommended measures.
Site Supervision of
Landscape Works
18.5.11.3
The implementation of the landscape works
during the construction phase and establishment works should be inspected
through the site audit program.
Operation Phase
Monitoring
of Landscape Establishment
18.5.11.4 All
landscape and visual mitigation measures shall be monitored during the
landscape establishment period to check that intended mitigation effects are
realised.
18.5.12.1 No
EM&A is required for marine archaeology or terrestrial cultural heritage.
18.5.13.1 No
specific EM&A is required for health impacts related to aircraft emissions
and noise.