CONTENTS
Page
1.3 Objective of
the EM&A Programme
1.4 The Scope of
the EM&A Programme
1.5 Works
Programme & Works Locations
1.6 Organization
and Structure of the EM&A Process
1.7 Structure of
the EM&A Manual
5.2 Sampling & Testing Methodology
6.2 Waste
Management Practices
6.4 Excavated
Sediment Management
11. environmental site inspection
11.2 Compliance
with Legal & Contractual Requirements
12.2 Baseline
Monitoring Report
12.4 Quarterly
EM&A Summary Reports
12.5 Annual
EM&A Review Report
12.6 Final
EM&A Summary Report
Figures
Key Location Plan |
|
Construction Programme |
|
Indicative Project Organisation
Chart |
|
Location Plan of Noise Sensitive
Receivers |
|
Water Sensitive Receiver near the
Project |
|
|
|
Annex
Implementation Schedule of
Recommended Mitigation Measures |
|
Proforma for EM&A Programme |
1.1.1
This
Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Manual (“the Manual”) has been
prepared by Black&Veatch on behalf of Drainage Services Department
(hereinafter referred to as DSD). The Manual is a supplementary document of the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study of the expansion of Sha Tau Kok
Sewage Treatment Works (hereafter referred to as the Project).
1.1.2
The
Manual has been prepared in accordance with the EIA Study Brief (No. ESB‐
253/2012) and the Technical Memorandum of the Environmental Impact Assessment
Process (EIAO‐TM). The purpose of the Manual is to provide information,
guidance and instruction to personnel charged with environmental duties and
those responsible for undertaking EM&A work during construction and
operation. It provides systematic procedures for monitoring and auditing of
potential environmental impacts that may arise from the works.
1.1.3
This
Manual contains the following information:
·
Responsibilities of the Contractor(s),
Environmental Team (ET), and the Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) with
respect to the environmental monitoring and audit requirements during the
course of the project;
·
Project organisation;
·
Requirements with respect to the
construction and operational programme schedule and the necessary environmental
monitoring and audit programme to track the varying environmental impact;
·
Details of the methodologies to be adopted
including field, laboratory and analytical procedures, and details on quality
assurance and quality control programme;
·
Preliminary definition of Action and
Limit levels;
·
Establishment of Event and Action plans;
·
Requirements for reviewing pollution sources
and working procedures required in the event of exceedances of applicable
criteria and/or receive of complaints;
·
Requirements for presentation of
environmental monitoring and audit data and appropriate reporting procedures;
and
·
Requirements for review of EIA
predictions and the effectiveness of the mitigation measures/environmental
management systems and the EM&A programme.
1.1.4 For the purpose of this manual, the ET Leader (ETL), who will be responsible for and in charge of the ET, will refer to the person delegated the role of executing the EM&A requirements.
1.1.5 This Manual is considered to be a working document and should be reviewed periodically and updated if necessary during the course of implementing the Project.
1.2.1
The works for this Project in Sha Tau Kok mainly
comprises of the following items:
·
Increase the
treatment capacity of Sha Tau Kok Sewage Treatment Works (STKSTW) to 5,000
m3/day at ADWF by 2020, with suitable allowance to cater for a further increase
of treatment capacity to 10,000 m3/day at ADWF after 2030 in Phase 2;
·
Construct a
temporary sewage treatment plant (TSTP);
·
Demolish the
existing Sha Tau Kok Sewage Pumping Station (STKSPS) and decommission the
rising main between STKSPS and STKSTW;
·
Construct a new
gravity sewer; and
·
Decommission the
existing submarine outfall and construct a new one.
1.2.2
The following elements of the Project are
classified as Designated Projects under the Environmental Impact Assessment
Ordinance (Cap. 499) (EIAO) and are addressed in this EIA Report:
·
Schedule 2, Part
I, Item F.2 (a) and (b)(i) - Sewage Treatment Works with an installed capacity
of more than 5,000 m3 per day; and a boundary of which is less than 200 m from
the nearest boundary of the an existing residential area; and
·
Schedule 2, Part
I, Item F.6 - a submarine outfall.
1.2.3 The Project site for expansion of the STKSTW will be within the existing STKSTW while the construction of the gravity sewers and demolition of STKSPS will be carried out in Sha Tau Kok Town. The proposed submarine outfall will be constructed by Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method under the sea bed of Starling Inlet.
1.2.4 The location of the Project are shown in Figure 1.1.
1.3.1
The broad objective of this EM&A Manual is to
define the procedures of the EM&A programme for monitoring the
environmental performance of the Project during design, construction and
operation. The construction and operational impacts arising from the implementation
of the Project are specified in the EIA Report. The EIA Report also specifies
mitigation measures and construction practices that may be needed to confirm
compliance with the environmental criteria. These mitigation measures and their
implementation requirements are presented in the Implementation Schedule of Mitigation
Measures (Annex A).
1.3.2
The main objectives of the EM&A programme are to:
·
provide a
database of environmental parameters against which to determine any short term
or long term environmental impacts;
·
provide an early
indication should any of the environmental control measures or practices fail
to achieve the acceptable standards;
·
confirm that the
mitigation recommendations of the EIA are included in the design of the
project;
·
clarify and
identify potential sources of pollution, impact and nuisance arising from the
works for the responsible parties;
·
confirm
compliance with regulatory requirements, contract specifications and EIA study
recommendations;
·
confirm
compliance of environmental designs during the design phase of the Project with
the specifications stated in the EIA Report and the EP;
·
monitor
performance of the mitigation measures and to assess their effectiveness;
·
take remedial
action if unexpected issues or unacceptable impacts arise;
·
verify the
environmental impacts predicted in the EIA; and
·
audit
environmental performance.
1.3.3
EM&A procedures are required during the design,
construction and operational phases of the project implementation and a summary
of the requirements for each of the environmental parameters is detailed in Table 1.1.
Table
1.1 - Summary of EM&A Requirements
Parameters |
EM&A
Phase |
||
Design Phase(1) (2) |
Construction
Phase |
Operation
Phase |
|
Air Quality |
ü |
ü(SI) |
ü |
Noise |
ü |
ü |
─ |
Water Quality |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Waste
Management |
─ |
ü(SI) |
─ |
Ecology
(Terrestrial and Aquatic) |
─ |
ü(SI) |
─ |
Fisheries |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Landscape and
Visual |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Cultural
Heritage |
─ |
ü |
─ |
Notes: “ (SI) ”= Site Inspection forms the main checking method; “ ─ “ = no EM&A required |
|||
(1) Pre-construction monitoring may overlap the design phase. (2) EM&A requirements in the design phase shall include confirmation on the compliance for environmental designs which were specified in the EIA Report and the EP for all parameters. |
1.4.1
The scope of this EM&A programme is to:
·
establish
baseline noise and water quality levels at specified locations and implement
monitoring requirements for noise and water quality monitoring programme;
·
implement
inspection and audit requirements for air quality;
·
implement
inspection and audit requirements for waste management;
·
implement
inspection and audit requirements for ecological mitigation measures;
·
implement
inspection and audit requirements for landscape and visual mitigation measures;
·
implement
inspection and audit requirements for cultural heritage mitigation measures;
·
liaise with, and
provide environmental advice (as requested or when otherwise necessary) to
construction site staff on the significance and implications of the
environmental monitoring data;
·
identify and
resolve environmental issues and other functions as they may arise from the
works;
·
check and quantify
the Contractor(s)’s overall environmental performance;
·
implementation of
Event and Action Plans (EAPs), and remedial actions taken to mitigate adverse
environmental effects as they may arise from the works;
·
conduct monthly
reviews of monitored impact data as the basis for assessing compliance with the
defined criteria and to verify that necessary mitigation measures are
identified and implemented, and to undertake additional ad hoc
·
monitoring and
auditing as required by special circumstances;
·
evaluate and
interpret environmental monitoring data to provide an early indication should
any of the environmental control measures or practices fail to achieve the
acceptable standards, and to verify the environmental impacts predicted in the
EIA;
·
manage and liaise
with other individuals or parties concerning other environmental issues deemed
to be relevant to the construction process;
·
conduct regular
site inspections and audits of a formal or informal nature to assess:
(i)
the level of the Contractor(s)’s general environmental
awareness;
(ii)
the Contractor(s)’s implementation of the
recommendations in the EIA and their contractual obligations;
(iii)
the Contractor(s)’s performance as measured by the
EM&A;
(iv)
the need for specific mitigation measures to be
implemented or the continued usage of those previously agreed; and
(v)
to advise the site staff of any identified potential
environmental issues.
·
produce monthly
EM&A reports which summarise project monitoring and auditing data, with
full interpretation illustrating the acceptability or otherwise of any
environmental impacts and identification or assessment of the implementation
status of agreed mitigation measures.
1.5.1
The locations of works are shown in Figure 1.1.
The preliminary construction programme is given in Figure 1.2.
1.6.1
The proposed organisation of the personnel involved in
the EM&A process is illustrated in Figure 1.3.
1.6.2
The roles and responsibilities of the various parties
are summarised below:
·
Drainage Services
Department (DSD) is the Project Proponent who shall appoint an
Environmental Team (ET) and Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) to
undertake the EM&A requirements under this Project.
·
Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) is the statutory enforcement body for environmental
protection matters in Hong Kong.
·
The Engineer’s Representative
(ER) shall appoint an appropriate member of the resident site staff, who
shall:
(i)
Supervise the ET;
(ii)
Monitor the Contractor’s compliance with the contract specifications,
including the EM&A programme, and the effective implementation and
operation of environmental mitigation measures in a timely manner;
(iii)
Ensure that impact monitoring is conducted at the correct locations at
the correct frequency as identified in the EM&A programme;
(iv)
Instruct the Contractor to follow the agreed protocols or those In the
Contract Specifications in the event of exceedances or complaints;
(v)
Review the programme of works with a view to identifying any potential
environmental impacts before they arise;
(vi)
Check that mitigation measures that have been recommended in the
approved EIA Report, this document and contract documents, or as required, are
correctly implemented in a timely manner, when necessary;
(vii)
Report the findings of site audits and other environmental performance
reviews to DSD;
(viii)
Verify the environmental acceptability of permanent and temporary works,
relevant design plans and submissions; and
(ix)
Comply with the agreed Event and Action Plan in the
event of any exceedance.
·
The Independent Environmental
Checker (IEC) shall advise the ER on environmental issues related to the
project. The IEC shall not be in any way an associated body of the ER, the
Contractor or the ET for the Project. The IEC shall be empowered to audit from
an independent viewpoint the environmental performance during the construction
of the Project. The IEC shall be a person who has relevant professional
qualifications in environmental control and at least 7 years experience in
EM&A and environmental management.
The IEC should be supported by a team,
similar to the ET Leader. The IEC shall be approved by EPD before his
appointment. The Project Proponent shall provide a site office to the IEC and
his team for use. The IEC shall report directly to EPD. The IEC shall accompany
EPD in carrying out site inspections and offer objective and professional
advice on environmental issues when requested. The IEC shall notify EPD
emergency events relating to violation of environmental legislation or
non-compliance with the recommendations of the approved EIA Report, which might
affect the monitoring or control of adverse environmental impacts from the
Project. The IEC shall allocate adequate resources for discharging the duties
required. The minimum on-site time for the IEC or his team should be agreed
with EPD.
The IEC shall submit to EPD for approval
before the commencement of the construction of the Project, a proposal on the
reporting mechanism, covering how the IEC and the team would:
(i)
discharge all the duties specified under the EM&A programme, taking
into account the Project’s construction activities and programme;
(ii)
report to EPD any observations, findings, conclusions and
recommendations reached during discharge of the duties;
(iii)
respond to questions and enquiries from EPD; and
(iv)
maintain close liaison with EPD.
The IEC shall be responsible for the
duties defined in this Manual, and shall audit the overall EM&A programme,
including the implementation of all environmental mitigation measures,
submissions required in this Manual, as well as any other relevant submissions
required under the Environmental Permit. The IEC shall be responsible for
verifying the environmental acceptability of permanent and temporary works,
relevant design plans and submissions under the EP. The IEC shall verify the
logbook prepared and kept by the ET Leader. The IEC shall notify EPD by fax,
within 24 hours of receipt of notification from the ET Leader of any such
instance or circumstance or change of circumstances or noncompliance with the
approved EIA Report or the EP, which might affect the monitoring or control of
adverse environmental impact.
The main duties of the IEC are to carry
out independent environmental audit of the project. This shall include, inter
alias, the following:
(i)
Review and audit in an independent, objective and professional manner in
all aspects of the EM&A programme;
(ii)
Validate and confirm the accuracy of monitoring results, appropriateness
of monitoring equipment, monitoring locations with reference to the locations
of the nearby sensitive receivers, and monitoring procedures;
(iii)
Carry out random sample check and audit on monitoring data and sampling
procedures, etc.;
(iv)
Conduct random site inspection (at least once a month);
(v)
Audit the approved EIA Report recommendations and EP requirements
against the status of implementation of environmental protection measures on
site;
(vi)
Review the effectiveness of environmental mitigation measures and
environmental performance of the Project;
(vii)
On an as needed basis, verify and certify the environmental
acceptability of the construction methodology (both temporary and permanent
works), relevant design plans and submissions under the environmental permit.
Where necessary, the IEC shall agree in consultation with the ET Leader and the
Contractor the least impact alternative;
(viii)
Verify investigation results of complaint cases and the effectiveness of
corrective measures;
(ix)
Verify EM&A reports submitted and certified by the ET Leader; and
(x)
Feedback audit results to ER/ ET by
signing according to the Event/ Action Plans specified in this Manual.
·
An Environmental Team (ET)
headed by an ET Leader and supported by an Odour Specialist, a Noise
Specialist, a Water Quality Specialist, a Terrestrial Ecologist, a Marine
Ecologist and a Registered Landscape Architect, shall be appointed by the
Project Proponent to carry out the recommended EM&A programme for the
Project. The ET shall be directly supervised by the Engineer’s Representative
(ER) of the Project and shall not be in any way an associated body of the
Contractor or the IEC for the Project. The Project Proponent shall provide
a site office to the ET Leader and ET for use. The
ET Leader and ET shall be responsible for carrying out site inspections to
audit the Contractor’s site practice and work methodologies with respect to
environmental mitigation measures contained in the EM&A Manual of the
Project and to take pro-active actions to pre-empt environmental problems. The ET Leader shall plan, organise and
manage the implementation of the EM&A programme, and ensure that the
EM&A works are undertaken to the required standards. The ET Leader shall
have relevant professional qualifications in environmental control and possess
at least 7 years experience in EM&A and/or environmental management subject
to the approval of the ER. Other supporting specialists shall possess
at least 3 years experience in their specialist/professional aspects subject to
the approval of their employer.
The ET Leader shall be responsible
for the implementation of the EM&A programme in accordance with the
EM&A requirements specified in this Manual and the EP. The ET Leader shall
keep a contemporaneous logbook for recording each and every instance or
circumstance or change of circumstances that may affect the compliance with the
recommendations of the approved EIA report. This logbook shall be kept readily available
for inspection by the IEC and Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) or his
authorised officers. The minimum on-site time for the ET Leader and ET
should be agreed with EPD.
Sufficient and suitably qualified
professional and technical staff shall be employed to ensure full compliance
with their duties and responsibility, as required under the EM&A programme
for the duration of the Project.
Specialist(s) shall form part of
the ET to carry out work relating to specific environmental aspects (as detailed
in the Manual) including but not limited to auditing the implementation of
mitigation measures to ensure compliance with the recommendations of the
approved EIA Report and to certify submissions as required in the EP. The
qualification and experience of the specialist(s) shall be certified by the ET
Leader and verified by the IEC.
The broad categories of works of
the ET comprise the following:
(i)
To monitor the various environmental parameters as required by the
EM&A programme;
(ii)
To follow up and close out of the non‐compliance actions;
(iii)
To investigate and audit the Contractor’s equipment and work
methodologies with respect to pollution control and environmental mitigation,
and to anticipate environmental issues that may require mitigation before the
problem arises;
(iv)
To audit and prepare audit reports on the environmental monitoring data
and the site environmental conditions;
(v)
To review the EM&A programme after the collection and analysis of
the baseline data;
(vi)
To modify the EM&A programme in terms of parameters, sites, sample
sizes, frequency etc. if appropriate in consultation with the ER and EPD; and
(vii)
To report the environmental
monitoring and audit results to the IEC, Contractor and the ER.
·
The Contractor shall assign
an on‐site environmental coordinator to oversee Contractor’s
environmental performance and the implementation of the EM&A duties. The
coordinator shall be a person who has relevant professional qualifications in
environmental control and is subject to approval by the ER.
The broad categories of works of
the Contractor comprise the following:
(i)
Work within the scope of the construction contract and other tender
conditions with respect to environmental requirements;
(ii)
Operate and strictly adhere to the guidelines and requirements in this
EM&A programme and contract specifications;
(iii)
Provide assistance to ET in carrying our monitoring;
(iv)
Participate in the site inspections undertaken by the ET as required,
and undertake correction actions;
(v)
Provide information / advice to the ET regarding works activities which
may contribute, or be continuing to the generation of adverse environmental
conditions;
(vi)
Submit proposals on mitigation measures in case of exceedances of Action
and Limit levels in accordance with the Event / Action Plans;
(vii)
Implement measures to reduce impact where Action and Limit levels are
exceeded; and
(viii)
Adhere to the procedures for carrying out complaint investigation.
The Contractor
should also participate in the environmental performance review undertaken by
the ER and undertake any corrective actions as instructed by the ER.
1.7.1
The remainder of this Manual is set out as follows:
·
Section 2 sets out the EM&A general requirements;
·
Section 3 details the requirements for air quality
audit;
·
Section 4 details the requirements for noise
monitoring;
·
Section 5 details the requirements for water quality
monitoring;
·
Section 6 details the requirements for waste management
audit;
·
Section 7 details the requirements for ecological
mitigation measures;
·
Section 8 details the requirements for fisheries
mitigation measures;
·
Section 9 details the requirements for landscape and
visual mitigation measures;
·
Section 10 details the requirements for cultural
heritage;
·
Section 11 describes the scope and frequency of site
auditing;
·
Section 12 details the EM&A reporting
requirements;
·
Annex A contains the
implementation schedule summarising all mitigation measures proposed in the
approved EIA Report with updates from the ER Report; and
·
Annex B contains the
monitoring and complaint log sheets.
1.7.2
This Manual is an evolving document that should be
updated to maintain its relevance as the Project progresses. The primary focus
for these updates will be to ensure the impacts predicted and the recommended
mitigation measures remain consistent and appropriate to the manner in which
the works are to be carried out.
2.1.1
In this section, the general requirements of the
EM&A programme for the Project are presented. The scope of the programme is
developed with reference to the findings and recommendations of the EIA Report.
2.2.1
The environmental issues, which were identified during
the EIA process and are associated with the construction phase of the Project
will be addressed through the monitoring and controls specified in this
EM&A Manual and in the construction contracts.
2.2.2
During the construction phases of the Project, air
quality, noise, water quality, waste management and landscape and visual will
be subject to EM&A, with environmental monitoring being undertaken for
noise and water quality as determined in the EIA. Monitoring of the
effectiveness of the mitigation measures will be achieved through the
environmental monitoring programme as well as through site inspections. The
inspections will include within their scope, mechanisms to review and assess
the Contractor(s)’s environmental performance, ensuring that the recommended
mitigation measures have been properly implemented, and that the timely
resolution of received complaints are managed and controlled in a manner
consistent with the recommendations of the EIA Report.
Environmental
Monitoring
2.2.3
The
environmental monitoring work throughout the Project period will be carried out
in accordance with this EM&A and reported by the ET. Monitoring works will
comprise of quantitative assessment of physical parameters, such as water
quality and noise, which also form an important part of the whole monitoring
programme. The monitoring programme will be conducted at the chosen representative
sensitive receivers in the vicinity of the construction site.
Action
and Limit Levels
2.2.4
Action and Limit (A/L) Levels are defined levels of
impact recorded by the environmental monitoring activities which represent
levels at which a prescribed response is required. These Levels are
quantitatively defined later in the relevant sections of this manual and
described in principle below:
·
Action Levels: beyond which
there is a clear indication of a deteriorating ambient environment for which
appropriate remedial actions are likely to be necessary to prevent
environmental quality from falling outside the Limit Levels, which would be
unacceptable; and
·
Limit Levels: statutory and/or
agreed contract limits stipulated in the relevant pollution control ordinances,
HKPSG or Environmental Quality Objectives established by the EPD. If these are
exceeded, works will not proceed without appropriate remedial action, including
a critical review of plant and working methods.
Event and
Action Plans
2.2.5
The
purpose of the Event and Action Plans (EAPs) is to provide, in association with
the monitoring and audit activities, procedures for ensuring that if any
significant environmental incident occurs, the cause will be quickly identified
and remediated. This also applies to the exceedances of A/L criteria identified
in the EM&A programme.
Site
Inspections
2.2.6
In
addition to monitoring; as a means of assessing the ongoing performance of the
Contractor(s), the ET will undertake site inspections and audits of the
compliance with stipulated procedures and on‐site practices. The primary
objective of the inspection and audit programme will be to assess the
effectiveness of the environmental controls established by the Contractor(s)
and the implementation of the environmental mitigation measures recommended in
the EIA Report. The IEC will undertake site inspection and audit on as need
basis to assess the performance of the Contractor(s).
2.2.7
Whilst
the audit and inspection programme will complement the monitoring activity, the
criteria against which the audits will be undertaken will be derived from the
Clauses within the Contract Documents which seek to enforce the recommendations
of the EIA Report and the EM&A Manual.
2.2.8
The
findings of site inspections and audits will be made known to the Contractor(s)
at the time of the inspection to enable the rapid resolution of identified
non‐conformities. Non‐conformities, and the corrective actions
undertaken, will also be reported in the monthly EM&A Reports.
2.2.9
Section
11 of this Manual presents details of the scope and frequency of on‐site
inspections and defines the range of issues that the audit protocols will be
designed to address.
Enquiries,
Complaint and Requests for Information
2.2.10
Enquiries,
complaints and requests for information may occur from a wide range of
individuals and organisations including members of the public, Government
departments, the press and community groups.
2.2.11
All
enquiries concerning the environmental impacts of the Project, irrespective of
how they are received, should be reported to the Project Proponent and IEC and
directed to the Contractor and ET who should set up procedures for handling,
investigation and storage of such information. The following steps should be
followed:
(i)
The ET Leader should notify the IEC and ER of the
nature of the enquiry.
(ii)
An investigation should be initiated to determine the
validity of the complaint and to identify the source(s) of the problem.
(iii)
The ET Leader and the Contractor should undertake the
following steps, as necessary:
·
investigate and
identify source(s) of the problem;
·
if considered
necessary by Project Proponent following consultation with the IEC, undertake
additional monitoring to verify the existence and severity of the alleged
complaint;
·
identify
necessary remedial measures and implement as soon as possible;
·
if the complaint
is transferred from EPD, submit interim report to EPD on status of the
complaint investigation and follow‐up action within the time frame
assigned by EPD;
·
repeat the
monitoring to verify effectiveness of mitigation measures; and,
·
repeat review
procedures to identify further possible areas of improvement if the repeat
monitoring results continue to substantiate the complaint.
(iv)
The outcome of the investigation and the action taken
will be documented on a complaint log (Annex B). A formal
response to each complaint received will be prepared by the Contractor(s)
within five working days and submitted to Project Proponent, in order to notify
the concerned person(s) that action has been taken. All enquiries/complaints
that trigger this process should be reported in the monthly EM&A reports,
which should include results of investigations undertaken by the ET Leader and
the Contractor, and details of the measures taken, and additional monitoring
results (if deemed necessary). It should be noted that the receipt of complaint
or enquiry should not be, in itself, a sufficient reason to introduce
additional mitigation measures.
2.2.12
During
the complaint investigation work, the Contractor and ER shall cooperate with
the ET Leader in providing all necessary information and assistance for
completion of the investigation. If mitigation measures are identified in the
investigation, the Contractor shall promptly carry out the mitigation. The ER
shall ensure that the measures have been carried out by the Contractor.
Reporting
2.2.13
Baseline,
construction phase and operation phase monitoring, monthly, and annual/final
reports will be prepared and certified by the ET Leader and verified by the
IEC. The reports will be submitted to the DSD, Contractor(s), ER and EPD. The
monthly reports will be prepared and submitted within two weeks of the end of
each calendar month.
Termination of EM&A
2.2.14
The
termination of EM&A programme is subject to the satisfactory completion of
the EM&A Final Report, agreement with the IEC and approval from EPD. The
proposed termination may require consultation with local community and
stakeholders. The termination of EM&A programme shall be determined on the
following basis:
(a) completion of construction activities and insignificant environmental impacts of the remaining outstanding construction works;
(b) trends analysis to demonstrate the narrow down of monitoring exceedances due to construction activities and the return of ambient environmental conditions in comparison with baseline data; and
(c) no environmental complaint and prosecution involved.
2.3.1
Based
on the findings of the EIA, air quality monitoring during operation phase is
considered necessary. During the operation phase, a commissioning test is recommended to
be conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of the odour control measures at
the TSTP and STKSTW during their operation.
Odour patrol is also proposed during the period of maintenance of the
deodorization system for TSTP or STKSTW.
2.3.2
Based
on the findings of the EIA, water quality monitoring during operation phase is
considered necessary. Monitoring of any planting works should also continue
over their establishment period, which may extend into the operation phase, and
will be covered by regular site inspections. Other operational licenses will
require specific monitoring or audit conditions or practices, and a non EIA
EM&A practice will need to be put in place.
2.3.3
An Emergency Response
Plan have been prepared and shall be implemented in the event of
emergency. Relevant government
departments shall be informed as soon as possible of any emergency
conditions.
3.1.1
In this section, the EM&A requirements during the
construction phase and the operation phase of the Project are presented. The
EM&A requirements have been developed with reference to the findings and
recommendations of the EIA Report.
3.2.1
The EIA study concluded that no adverse air quality or
odour impacts on the identified air sensitive receivers (ASRs) are anticipated
given that the recommended dust control measures and good construction site
practices are implemented. Therefore,
dust monitoring or odour monitoring is considered not necessary during the
construction phase of the Project.
3.2.2
Regular site inspections and audits will be carried
out during the construction phase in order to confirm that the mitigation
measures are implemented and are working effectively. The Contractor(s) will be responsible for the
design and implementation of the mitigation measures which are presented in Annex A.
Odour
Monitoring
3.3.1
In accordance with EIA recommendations, commissioning
test for the TSTP and STKSTW is recommended to be performed prior to their
operation to ascertain the effectiveness of the deodorization systems at the TSTP and STKSTW during the operation phase. Exhaust air flow rate, temperature of
exhaust, odour concentrations at the outlet of the deodorization systems should
be monitored during the commissioning test.
The exhaust air flow rate, temperature of exhaust, odour concentrations
presented in Table 3.1 should be
maintained. The recommended method for
the odour monitoring is presented in Table
3.2.
Table 3.1 – Design Parameter of Exhaust Stack and Odour
Emission Rates of TSTP and STKSTW
Design Parameter |
Unit |
STKSTW |
TSTP |
|||
Location |
- |
STKSTW No.1 |
STKSTW
No.2 |
TSTP
No.1 |
TSTP No.2 |
|
No. of emission points |
- |
1
(a) |
2 |
|||
Building height |
m above ground |
15.65 |
14.3 |
14.3 |
||
Stack height |
m above ground |
17.65 |
16.3 |
16.3 |
||
Equivalent stack diameter |
m |
1.69 |
0.15 |
0.25 |
||
Exit temperature |
- |
ambient |
ambient |
ambient |
||
Total flowrate @ exit temp. |
m3hr-1 |
70,279 |
46,722 |
3,952 |
9,293 |
|
|
m3s-1 |
19.52 |
12.98 |
1.10 |
2.58 |
|
Exit velocity |
ms-1 |
14.44 |
15.53 |
13.15 |
||
Maximum H2S emission
concentration at inlet |
ppm |
10 |
10 |
10 |
50 |
|
% of odour removal |
% |
99.3 |
99.3 |
99.5 |
99.8 |
|
Mitigated H2S emission concentration at exhaust |
ppm |
0.07 |
0.07 |
0.05 |
0.1 |
|
Mitigated odour emission concentration
at exhaust |
OUm-3 |
148.9 |
148.9 |
106.4 |
212.8 |
|
Mitigated odour emission rate |
OUs-1 |
4840.4 (b) |
116.8 |
549.2 |
||
Notes: (a)
Same emission point for STKSTW No.1 and STKSTW No.2. (b)
Combined emission rate for STKSTW No.1 and STKSTW No.2. |
||||||
Table 3.2 – Odour Monitoring Methodology
Monitoring Location |
Parameter |
Recommended Method
|
Stack of TSTP or STKSTW |
·
Exhaust air flow rate ·
Temperature of exhaust ·
Odour |
Air sampling: ·
grab sampling using Teflon bag Physical
parameter: ·
flow meter Laboratory analysis: ·
Forced-choice Dynamic Olfactometer
according to European Standard Method (EN 13725) |
3.3.2
Weekly monitoring of odour emission at the
exhausts at TSTP and STKSTW by taking odour samples is recommended to be
conducted in the first two months of the first year of the operation. The monitoring parameter will include exhaust
flow rate, temperature of exhaust and odour concentrations, following the
recommended monitoring method as presented in Table 3.2. The monitoring
results should be compared with that presented in Table 3.1. Provided that the monitoring results
show no non-compliance on a weekly basis during the first two months, it is
recommended to reduce the frequency to monthly in the subsequent four months
and further reduce to quarterly in the remaining six months of the first year
if no non-compliance is found. If there
is any non-compliance, the operator should inspect the deodorization unit. Frequency of odour monitoring should not be
reduced unless no non-compliance is found.
Quarterly odour monitoring is also recommended to continue in the second
year of the operation. If monitoring in
the first two years of operation shows that compliance can be achieved
consistently, the Project Proponent may propose and seek approval with EPD to
reduce monitoring frequency to every six-month or yearly basis throughout the
year for subsequent years of operation. The number of subsequent years of
operation should also be agreed with EPD.
Odour Patrol
3.3.3
Odour patrol is proposed during the period of maintenance or
cleaning of the deodorization system for TSTP or STKSTW to monitor the odour
impacts. Odour patrols will be conducted
by an odour patrol team. The odour
patrol team will patrol and sniff along an odour patrol route at the existing
STKSTW site boundary. The implementation
of the odour patrols shall be subject to the prevailing weather forecast condition
and should not be carried out during rainy days.
3.3.4
The
odour patrol team shall be comprised of at least two independent trained
personnel / competent persons, who should pass a set of screening tests and
fulfil the following requirements:
·
Have
their individual odour threshold of n-butanol in nitrogen gas in the range of
20 to 80 ppb/v required by the European Standard Method (EN 13725);
·
Be
at least 16 years of age and willing and able to follow instructions;
·
Be
free from any respiratory illnesses;
·
Be
engaged for a sufficient period to build up and monitor/detect at several
monitoring location;
·
Not
be allowed to smoke, eat, drink (except water) or use chewing gum or sweets 30
minutes before and during odour patrol;
·
Take
great care not to cause any interference with their own perception or that of
others by lack of personal hygiene or the use of perfumes, deodorants, body
lotions or cosmetics; and
·
Not
communicate with each other about the results of their choices.
3.3.5
The
independent trained personnel / competent persons should use their noses
(olfactory sensors) to sniff odours at different locations. The main odour emission sources and the areas
to be affected by the odour nuisance shall be identified. During the patrol, the sequence should start
from less odorous locations to stronger odorous locations.
3.3.6
The perceived odour intensity is divided into 5 levels. Table
3.3 describes the odour intensity for different levels.
Table 3.3 – Odour Intensity Levels
Level |
Odour Intensity |
0 |
Not detected.
No odour perceived or an odour so weak that it cannot be easily
characterised or described |
1 |
Slight
identifiable odour, and slight chance to have odour nuisance |
2 |
Moderate
identifiable odour, and moderate chance to have odour nuisance |
3 |
Strong
identifiable, likely to have odour
nuisance |
4 |
Extreme
severe odour, and unacceptable odour level |
3.3.7
The
independent trained personnel / competent persons shall record the findings
including date and time, weather condition (e.g. sunny, fine, cloudy, and
rainy), odour intensity, odour nature and possible odour sources, local wind
speed, and wind direction at each location.
3.3.8
Table 3.4 shows the action and limit level to
be used for the odour patrol. Should any
exceedance of the action or limit level occurs, actions in accordance with the
event and action plan presented in Table
3.5 should be carried out.
Table 3.4 – Action and Limit Levels for Odour Nuisance
Parameter |
Action Level |
Limit Level |
Odour Nuisance |
Odour
intensity of 2 is measured from odour patrol |
Odour
intensity of 3 or above is measured from odour patrol |
Note:
(a) The Action and Limit Levels for Odour
Nuisance are referenced from the EM&A Manual of the approved EIA Report for
Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2A Environmental Impact Assessment
Study – Investigation (AEIAR-121/2008).
Table 3.5 – Event and Action Plan for Odour Monitoring
Event |
Action |
|
Person-in-charge
of Odour Monitoring |
Project
Proponent |
|
Action
Level |
1. Identify source/reason
of exceedance; 2. Repeat odour patrol to
confirm finding |
1. Carry out investigation
to identify to source/reason of exceedance.
Investigation should be completed within 2 weeks; 2. Rectify any unacceptable
practice; 3. Implement more
mitigation measures if necessary; 4. Inform EPD and operator
of STKSTW if exceedance is considered to be caused by the operation of
STKSTW. |
Limit
Level |
1.
Identify source/reason of exceedance; 2.
Inform EPD; 3.
Repeat odour patrol to confirm findings; 4.
Assess effectiveness of remedial action and keep EPD informed of the
results |
1.
Carry out investigation to identify the source/reason of
exceedance. Investigation should be
completed within 2 weeks; 2.
Rectify any unacceptable practice; 3.
Formulate remedial actions; 4.
Ensure remedial actions properly implemented; 5.
If exceedance continues, consider what more/enhanced mitigation measures
should be implemented; 6.
Inform EPD and operator of STKSTW if exceedance is considered to be
caused by the operation of STKSTW. |
4.1.1
The mitigation measures and general requirements,
methodology and equipment for monitoring and audit of construction noise impact
associated with the Project are described in this section. According to the
EIA, since the predicted operational noise levels at all NSRs are well within
the relevant noise criteria, commissioning test and noise monitoring for the
TSTP and expanded STKSTW is considered unnecessary during the operation phase.
4.2.1 The construction noise level shall be measured in terms of the A‐weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (Leq). Leq (30 minutes) shall be used as the monitoring parameter for the time period between 0700 and 1900 hours on normal weekdays. For all other time periods, Leq (5 minutes) shall be employed for comparison with the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) criteria.
4.2.2
Supplementary information for data auditing,
statistical results such as L10 and L90 shall also be obtained for reference. A
sample data record sheet is shown in Annex
B for reference.
Baseline Monitoring
4.2.3 The ET should carry out the baseline noise monitoring prior to the commencement of the major construction works. The baseline noise levels should be measured for a continuous period of at least 14 consecutive days at a minimum logging interval of 30 minutes during daytime between 0700 and 1900 hours. The Leq, L10 and L90 should be recorded at the specified intervals. A schedule for the baseline monitoring should be submitted to the IEC for approval before the commencement of baseline monitoring.
4.2.4 There should not be any construction activities in the vicinity of the monitoring stations during the baseline monitoring. Any non‐project related construction activities in the vicinity of the monitoring stations during the baseline monitoring should be noted and the source and location of such activities should be recorded.
4.2.5
In exceptional cases, when baseline monitoring
data obtained are insufficient or questionable, the ET should liaise with the
IEC and EPD to agree on an appropriate set of data to be used as the baseline
reference.
Impact Monitoring
4.2.6 The impact noise monitoring should be carried out at all the designated monitoring stations when there are project‐related construction activities undertaken within a radius of 300m from the monitoring stations. Monitoring of Leq(30min) should be carried out at each station at 0700‐1900 hours on normal weekdays at a frequency of once a week when construction activities are underway. Any general construction work carried out during restricted hours is controlled by Construction Noise Permit (CNP) under the NCO.
4.2.7 In case of non‐compliances with the construction noise criteria, more frequent monitoring as specified in the Event and Action Plan (Section 4.4) should be carried out. This additional monitoring should be continued until the recorded noise levels show that the non‐compliance is rectified or proved to be irrelevant to the project‐related construction activities.
4.3.1 As referred to in the Technical Memorandum (TM) issued under the NCO, sound level meters in compliance with the International Electrotechnical Commission Publications 651: 1979 (Type 1) and 804: 1985 (Type 1) specifications shall be used for carrying out the noise monitoring. Immediately prior to and following each noise measurement the accuracy of the sound level meter shall be checked using an acoustic calibrator generating a known sound pressure level at a known frequency. Measurements should be accepted as valid only if the calibration level from before and after the noise measurement agrees to within 1.0 dB.
4.3.2 Noise measurements should not be made in fog, rain, wind with a steady speed exceeding 5 m/s or wind with gusts exceeding 10 m/s. The wind speed shall be checked with a portable wind speed meter capable of measuring the wind speed in m/s.
4.3.3 The ET is responsible for the provision of the monitoring equipment to ensure that sufficient noise measuring equipment and associated instrumentation are available for carrying out the baseline monitoring, regular impact monitoring and ad hoc monitoring. All the equipment and associated instrumentation shall be clearly labelled.
4.4.1 According to the environmental findings detailed in the EIA report, the designated locations for the construction noise monitoring are listed in Table 4.1 and shown in Figure 4.1.
Table
4.1 Representative Noise Sensitive Receivers (NSRs) identified for Construction
Noise Monitoring
ID |
Noise Sensitive Receivers |
Description |
NM1 |
NSR 6 |
Block 45, Sha Tau Kok Chuen |
NM2 |
NSR 8 |
Building along Shun Lung Street |
4.4.2 The status and location of the noise sensitive receivers (NSRs) may change after this EM&A Manual has been issued. In such case, and if changes to the monitoring locations are considered necessary, the ET should propose alternative monitoring locations and seek the agreement from the IEC and EPD on such proposal. When alternative monitoring locations are proposed, they should be chosen based on the following criteria:
(i)
The monitoring locations close to the major
construction works activities that are likely to have noise impacts;
(ii)
The monitoring close to the NSRs as defined in the
EIAO‐TM; and,
(iii)
The assurance of the minimal disturbance and working
under a safe condition to the occupants during the monitoring in the vicinity
of the NSRs.
4.4.3
The
monitoring stations should normally be at a point 1m from the exterior of the
facade of the NSR and be at a position 1.2m above ground. If there is a problem
with access to the normal monitoring position, an alternative position should
be chosen, and a correction to the measurement results should be made. For
reference, a correction of +3dB(A) should be made to the free‐field
measurements. The ETL should agree with the IEC and EPD on the alternative
monitoring position and corrections adopted. Once the positions for the
monitoring stations are chosen, the baseline and impact monitoring should be
carried out at the same positions.
4.5.1
The
action and limit levels for construction noise are defined in Table 4.2. If noncompliance occurred,
actions as stated in Table 4.3
should be undertaken.
4.5.2
According
to the EIA report, the construction activities would cause noise exceedances at
various NSRs and, therefore, appropriate mitigation measures and good site
practices are recommended. The Contractor should be responsible for the design
and implementation of these measures. The Implementation Schedule of the
mitigation measures is included in Annex A of
this EM&A Manual.
Table 4.2 Action and Limits Level
for Construction Noise Impact Monitoring
Time
Period |
Action
Level |
Limit
Level |
Construction
Noise |
||
07:00 – 19:00 hours in normal
weekdays |
When one documented
complaint is received from any one of the noise sensitive receivers |
·
75 dB(A) for residential premises ·
70 dB(A) for school and ·
65 dB(A) during examination period |
4.5.3
|
Table 4.3 Event and Action Plan for
Construction Noise Monitoring
Event |
Action |
|||
ET |
IEC |
ER |
Contractor |
|
Action
Level |
1.
Carry out investigation to identify the source and cause of the
complaint/ exceedance(s) 2.
Notify IEC, ER, and Contractor and report the results of
investigation to the Contractor, ER and the IEC 3.
Discuss with the Contractor and IEC for remedial measures required 4. If the complaint is
related to the Project, conduct additional monitoring for checking mitigation
effectiveness and report the findings and results to the IEC, ER and the
Contractor |
1.
Review the analyzed results submitted by the ET 2.
Review the proposed remedial measures by the Contractor and advise
the ER accordingly 3. Supervise the
implementation of remedial measures |
1.
Confirm receipt of Notification of Exceedance in writing 2.
Require Contractor to propose remedial measures for the analysed
noise problem 3.
Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented |
1.
Submit noise mitigation proposals, if required, to the IEC and ER 2. Implement noise
mitigation proposals. |
Limit
Level |
1.
Carry out investigation to identify the source and cause of the
exceedance 2.
Notify IEC, ER, Project Proponent, EPD and Contractor 3.
Repeat measurements to confirm findings 4.
Provide investigation report to IEC, ER, EPD and Contractor he
causes of the exceedances 5.
If the exceedance is related to the Project, assess effectiveness by
additional monitoring. 6.
Report the remedial action implemented and the additional monitoring
results to IEC, EPD, ER and Contractor 7.
If exceedance stops, cease additional monitoring |
1.
Review the analyzed results submitted by the ET 2.
Discuss the potential remedial measures with ER, ET Leader and
Contractor 3.
Review Contractors remedial actions whenever necessary to assure
their effectiveness and advise the ER accordingly 4.
Supervise the implementation of remedial measures |
1.
Confirm receipt of Notification of Exceedance in writing 2.
Require the Contractor to propose remedial measures for the analysed
noise problem 3.
Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented 4.
If exceedance continues, consider what activity of the work is
responsible and instruct the Contractor, in agreement with the Project
Proponent, to stop that activity of work until the exceedance is abated |
1.
Take immediate action to avoid further exceedance 2.
Submit proposals for remedial actions to IEC and ER within 3 working
days of notification 3.
Implement the agreed proposals 4.
Resubmit proposals if problem still not under control 5.
Stop the relevant activity of works as determined by the Project
Proponent until the exceedance is abated |
Notes: ET – Environmental Team,
IEC – Independent Environmental Checker; ER = Engineering Representatives |
5.1.1
In accordance with the recommendations of the EIA,
water quality EM&A is required during the installation, maintenance and
removal of sheetpiles and sediment removal works for construction of diffuser and,
during operation of the TSTP and expanded STKSTW. In addition, baseline water quality
monitoring will be required prior to the commencement of marine construction
activities. The following Section
provides details of the water quality monitoring to be undertaken by the
Environmental Team (ET) to verify the distance of sediment and effluent plume
dispersion and to identify whether the potential exists for any indirect
impacts to occur to ecological sensitive receivers. The water quality monitoring programme will
be carried out to allow any deteriorating water quality to be readily detected
and timely action taken to rectify the situation. The status and locations of water quality
sensitive receivers and the marine works location may change after issuing this
Document. If required, the ET in
consultation with IEC will propose updated monitoring locations and seek
approval from EPD.
5.1.2
Water quality monitoring for the Project can be
divided into the following stages:
•
Installation,
maintenance and removal of sheetpiles and sediment removal works for construction
of diffuser during marine construction works;
•
Continuous
monitoring of treated sewage effluent from the TSTP;
•
Marine
water quality monitoring during the first year of the TSTP operation;
•
Continuous
monitoring of treated sewage effluent from the expanded STKSTW;
•
Marine
water quality monitoring during the first year of the phase 1 of expanded
STKSTW operation;
•
Marine
water quality monitoring during the first year of the phase 2 of expanded
STKSTW operation; and
•
Follow-up water quality monitoring after any emergency
discharge event at any stage.
Water Quality Parameters
5.2.1
The parameters that have been selected for measurement
in situ and in the laboratory are
those that were either determined in the EIA to be those with the most
potential to be affected by the construction works or are a standard check on
water quality conditions. Parameters to
be measured in the construction phase, operation phase a, emergency discharge and effluent quality
monitoring are listed in Table 5.1.
Table 5.1 Parameters
measured in the marine water quality monitoring
Parameters |
Unit |
Abbre. |
Remarks |
|
|||||
Baseline |
Construction |
TSTP |
Expanded
STKSTW |
Emergency Discharge at Any Stage |
|||||
Marine WQ Monitoring |
Effluent Monitoring |
Marine WQ Monitoring (Phase 1&2) |
Effluent
Monitoring |
||||||
In situ
measurements |
|||||||||
Dissolved oxygen |
mg/L |
DO |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Temperature |
°C |
- |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
pH |
- |
- |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Turbidity |
NTU |
- |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Salinity |
0/00 |
- |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Laboratory measurements |
|||||||||
Suspended Solids |
mg/L |
SS |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Biochemical Oxygen Demand |
mg/L |
BOD5 |
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Total Phosphorus |
mg/L |
BOD5 |
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Total Nitrogen |
mg/L |
BOD5 |
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Ammonia Nitrogen |
mg/L |
BOD5 |
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
Total Inorganic Nitrogen |
mg/L |
TIN |
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
E.coli |
CFU/100 mL |
|
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
*Note: Monitoring of
TRC will be conducted when cleaning and sterilization of the new freshwater
main is carried out.
5.2.2
In addition to the water quality parameters, other
relevant data will also be measured and recorded in Water Quality Monitoring
Logs, including the location of the sampling stations, water depth, time,
weather conditions, sea conditions, tidal stage, current direction and
velocity, special phenomena and work activities undertaken around the
monitoring and works area that may influence the monitoring results. A sample data record sheet is shown in Annex B for reference.
Monitoring Equipment
5.2.3
For water quality monitoring, the following equipment
will be used:
Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature Measuring Equipment - The
instrument will be a portable, weatherproof dissolved oxygen measuring
instrument complete with cable, sensor, comprehensive operation manuals, and
will be operable from a DC power source.
It will be capable of measuring: dissolved oxygen levels in the range of
0 - 20 mg L-1 and 0 - 200% saturation; and a temperature of 0 - 45 degrees
Celsius. It shall have a membrane
electrode with automatic temperature compensation complete with a cable of not
less than 35 m in length. Sufficient
stocks of spare electrodes and cables shall be available for replacement where
necessary (e.g. YSI model 59 DO meter, YSI 5739 probe, YSI 5795A submersible
stirrer with reel and cable or an approved similar instrument).
Turbidity Measurement Equipment - The instrument
will be a portable, weatherproof turbidity-measuring unit complete with cable,
sensor and comprehensive operation manuals.
The equipment will be operated from a DC power source, it will have a
photoelectric sensor capable of measuring turbidity between 0 - 1000 NTU and
will be complete with a cable with at least 35 m in length (for example Hach
2100P or an approved similar instrument).
Salinity Measurement Instrument - A portable
salinometer capable of measuring salinity in the range of 0 - 40 ppt will be
provided for measuring salinity of the water at each monitoring location.
Water Depth Gauge – A portable, battery-operated echo sounder
(for example Seafarer 700 or a similar approved instrument) will be used for
the determination of water depth at each designated monitoring station. This unit will preferably be affixed to the
bottom of the work boat if the same vessel is to be used throughout the
monitoring programme. The echo sounder
should be suitably calibrated. The ET
shall seek approval for their proposed equipment with the client prior to
deployment.
Current Velocity and Direction – No specific
equipment is recommended for measuring the current velocity and direction. The environmental contractor shall seek
approval of their proposed equipment with the client prior to deployment.
Positioning Device – A Global Positioning System (GPS) shall be
used during monitoring to allow accurate recording of the position of the
monitoring vessel before taking measurements.
The Differential GPS, or equivalent instrument, should be suitably
calibrated at appropriate checkpoint (e.g. Quarry Bay Survey Nail) to verify
that the monitoring station is at the correct position before the water quality
monitoring commence.
Water Sampling Equipment - A water sampler,
consisting of a PVC or glass cylinder of not less than two litres, which can be
effectively sealed with cups at both ends, will be used (e.g. Kahlsico Water
Sampler 13SWB203 or an approved similar instrument). The water sampler will have a positive
latching system to keep it open and prevent premature closure until released by
a messenger when the sampler is at the selected water depth.
Sampling / Testing Protocols
5.2.4
All in situ
monitoring instruments will be checked, calibrated and certified by a
laboratory accredited under HOKLAS ([1])
or any other international accreditation scheme before use, and subsequently
re-calibrated at monthly intervals throughout the stages of the water quality
monitoring. Responses of sensors and
electrodes will be checked with certified standard solutions before each use.
5.2.5
On-site calibration of field equipment shall follow
the “Guide to On-Site Test Methods for
the Analysis of Waters”, BS 1427: 2009.
Sufficient stocks of spare parts shall be maintained for replacements
when necessary. Backup monitoring
equipment shall also be made available so that monitoring can proceed
uninterrupted even when equipment is under maintenance, calibration etc.
Laboratory Measurement and Analysis
5.2.6
All laboratory work shall be carried out in a HOKLAS
accredited laboratory (1).
Sufficient volume of each water sample shall be collected at the
monitoring stations for carrying out the laboratory analyses. Using chain of custody forms, collected water
samples will be transferred to an HOKLAS accredited laboratory for immediate
processing. The determination work shall
start within the next working day after collection of the water samples. The laboratory measurements shall be provided
to the client within 5 working days of the sampling event. Analytical methodology and sample
preservation of other parameters will be based on the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of
Waste and Wastewater published by APHA, AWWA and WPCF and methods by USEPA,
or suitable method in accordance with requirements of HOKLAS or another
internationally accredited scheme. The
submitted information should include pre-treatment procedures, instrument use,
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) details (such as blank, spike
recovery, number of duplicate samples per-batch etc), detection limits and
accuracy. The QA/QC details shall be in
accordance with requirements of HOKLAS or another internationally accredited
scheme.
5.2.7
Parameters for laboratory measurements, their standard
methods and their detection limits are presented in Table 5.2.
Table 5.2 Laboratory
measurements, standard methods and corresponding detection limits of marine
water quality monitoring
Parameters |
Standard
Methods |
Reporting Limit |
Precision |
Construction
Phase |
|||
Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
Temperature (°C) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
pH |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
Turbidity (NTU) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
Salinity (0/00) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
Suspended Solids (mg/L) |
APHA
2540E |
1.0 |
- |
Marine
Water Quality Monitoring for Operation of the TSTP and the Expanded STKSTW |
|||
Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
pH |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
- |
Turbidity (NTU) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
Salinity (0/00) |
Instrumental,
CTD |
0.1 |
±25% |
Suspended Solids (mg/L) |
APHA
2540E |
1.0 |
- |
Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (mg/L)) |
APHA 19ed
5210B |
1.0 |
- |
Total
Phosphorus (mg/L)) |
APHA 19ed
4500-P.B.E |
0.01 |
- |
Total
Nitrogen (mg/L)) |
APHA 19ed
4500-Norg APHA
19ed 4500-NH3 F APHA
19ed 4500-NO2- B APHA 19ed
4500-NO3- E |
0.05 |
- |
Ammonia
Nitrogen (mg/L)) |
APHA 19ed
4500-NH3 F |
0.02 |
- |
Total Inorganic Nitrogen |
APHA 19ed 4500-NH3
F APHA 19ed 4500-NO2-
B APHA 19ed 4500-NO3-
E |
0.05 |
- |
E.coli |
EPD HKSAR, Wat. Sci.
Tech. Vol.35, No. 11-12, pp 409-413 |
1 CFU per 100 ml |
- |
*Note: The testing methods, Quality Assurance/Quality Control 9QA/QC) details, detection limits and accuracy shall be submitted to EPD for approval prior to the commencement of monitoring programme.
Monitoring Locations
5.2.8
The water quality monitoring locations for baseline,
construction and marine
water quality monitoring during the first year of the TSTP operation and
expanded STKSTW operation as well as emergency
discharge are shown in Figure 5.1 and detailed in Table 5.3 below. A
schedule for water quality monitoring shall be prepared by the ET and approved
by IEC and EPD prior to the commencement of the monitoring.
Table 5.3 Location
of Water Quality Monitoring Stations
Station |
Easting |
Northing |
Description |
Remarks |
|||||
|
|
Baseline |
Construction |
First-year Operation of TSTP |
First-year
Operation of Expanded STKSTW |
Emergency Discharge at Any Stage |
|||
(Phase 1) |
(Phase 2) |
||||||||
FCZ1A* |
840892 |
844241 |
Sha Tau Kok Fish
Culture Zone – East |
ü |
ü |
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
FCZ1B* |
841565 |
844299 |
Sha Tau Kok Fish
Culture Zone – West |
ü |
|
ü |
|
|
|
FCZ2 |
845701 |
845691 |
Ap Chau Fish Culture
Zone |
ü |
|
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
FCZ7* |
842282 |
844451 |
Temporary Relocation
Site for Fish Rafts of the Sha Tau Kok Fish Culture Zone |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
FCZ8* |
841511 |
843959 |
Temporary Relocation
Site for Fish Rafts of the Sha Tau Kok Fish Culture Zone |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
SG |
841099 |
844650 |
Seagrass Colony |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
M1 |
840647 |
844860 |
Mangrove Stand |
ü |
ü |
ü |
|
|
|
M6 |
843220 |
845130 |
Mangrove Stand |
ü |
|
|
ü |
ü |
ü |
H1 |
840395 |
844653 |
Horseshoe Crab |
ü |
ü |
ü |
|
|
|
H4 ^ |
839664 |
842925 |
Horseshoe Crab |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
N1 |
842863 |
845378 |
Impact Station of the Expanded STKSTW (Ebb Tide) |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
N2 |
842109 |
844631 |
Impact Station of the Expanded STKSTW (Flood Tide) |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
C |
844690 |
845886 |
Control Station |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
ü |
* FCZ7 and FCZ8 are the potential relocation zones for FCZ1A and FCZ1B
(Sha Tau Kok Fish Culture Zone) when there is sediment dredging at Sha Tau Kok
Fish Culture Zone, Approach Channel, Boat Shelter, etc. Monitoring at FCZ7 and / or FCZ8 would only
be required when there is mariculture activities within the relocation zones.
^ H4 is located in very shallow mudflat area and may be emersed completely
in low tide. The ET should assess the
accessibility of the site and other constraints, and adjust the location of
this station before the commencement of the baseline survey if necessary.
5.2.9
Effluent from the TSTP and expanded STKSTW shall be
collected at a suitable location after all treatment process before
discharge. The sampling location should
be agreed with DSD and EPD, and should fulfil the following requirements:
·
Effluent collected at the sampling location is representative to
the effluent discharged at the outfall
·
Sampling works at the sampling location would not interfere with
the sewage treatment works operation
·
Sampling works at the
sampling location would not induce safety hazard (e.g. staff sampling effluent
drops into the culvert)
5.2.10
The status and locations of water quality sensitive
receivers and the monitoring sites may change after issuing this Manual. If such cases exist, the ET shall propose
updated monitoring locations and seek approval from the ER, the IEC, and the
IEC.
5.2.11
When alternative monitoring locations are proposed,
they shall be chosen based on the following criteria:
·
at locations close to and preferably at the boundary of the site
activities as indicated in the EIA report, which are likely to have water
quality impacts;
·
close to the sensitive receptors which are directly or likely to be
affected;
·
for monitoring locations located in the vicinity of the sensitive
receptors, care should be taken to cause minimal disturbance during monitoring;
and
·
reference stations which are at locations representative of the project
site in its undisturbed condition.
Sampling Frequency
Baseline
Monitoring
5.2.12
Baseline conditions for water quality shall be
established and agreed with the IEC and the EPD prior to the commencement of
works. The purpose of the baseline
monitoring is to establish ambient conditions prior to the commencement of the
works and to demonstrate the suitability of the proposed impact and control monitoring
stations. The baseline conditions shall normally be established by measuring
the water quality parameters specified above.
5.2.13
The measurements shall be taken at all designated
monitoring stations including control stations, once per day for a minimum of 3
days per week for 4 weeks prior to the commencement of the construction
works. Measurements shall be taken at
each station at any time. The interval
between two sets of monitoring shall not be less than 36 hours.
5.2.14
No construction activities shall be on-going in the
vicinity of the stations during the baseline monitoring. The ET shall be
responsible for undertaking the baseline monitoring and submitting the results
within 10 working days from the completion of the baseline monitoring work.
5.2.15
In exceptional cases when insufficient baseline
monitoring data or questionable results are obtained, the ET shall seek
approval from the IEC and the EPD on an appropriate set of data to be used as
baseline reference.
5.2.16
The baseline monitoring schedule shall be issued to
the IEC and EPD at least 1 week prior to the commencement of baseline
monitoring.
Construction
Phase
5.2.17
During periods when there are sheetpiles installation,
maintenance and removal works and sediment removal works, impact monitoring
should be undertaken at the specified monitoring stations as shown in Figure 5.1
and Tables 5.3 three times a
week. Monitoring at each station would
be undertaken at both mid-ebb and mid-flood tides on the same day. The tidal range selected for the baseline
monitoring will be at least 0.5 m for both flood and ebb tides as far as
practicable. The interval between two
sets of monitoring would not be less than 36 hours. The monitoring frequency would be increased
in the case of exceedances of Action/Limit Levels if considered necessary by
ET. Monitoring frequency would be
maintained as far as practicable.
5.2.18
The monitoring location/position, time, water depth,
water temperature, salinity, weather conditions, sea conditions, tidal stage,
special phenomena and work underway at the marine works site will be recorded.
First-year
Operation Phase
5.2.19
Upon
commencement of the TSTP, Phase 1 and Phase 2 Expansion of the expanded STKSTW, an operation phase
water quality monitoring exercise would be carried out for a minimum of 3 days
per week for one-year, in the same manner as the baseline monitoring.
Continuous
Effluent Quality Monitoring for First Year Operation of the TSTP and Expanded
STKSTW
5.2.20
The
effluent of the TSTP, Phase 1 and Phase 2 Expansion should be collected
in a full 24-hour period. Twenty
four-hour flow-weighted composite effluent sample for subsequent chemical
analysis and testing should be prepared by the following procedures:
·
Collect
effluent sub-sample at bi-hourly interval over a 24 hour period
·
Obtain
flow record of the Project for the 24-hour sampling period
·
Calculate
the volume of each sub-sample for preparation of flow-weighted composite sample
·
Transfer
the appropriate volume of sub-samples to a clean container and mix thoroughly
5.2.21
The
results of effluent quality monitoring shall be compared against the Action and
Limit Levels stipulated in Table 5.4. The monitoring requirement for the continuous effluent quality
monitoring should be approved by EPD. In case of non-compliance, suitable actions
shall be undertaken to notify the plant operator for the non-compliance and
identify the cause for the non-compliance.
Corrective and remedial actions shall be implemented to improve the
effluent quality. The monitoring
frequency should also be increased until the effluent quality is in compliance
with the stipulated
levels. The non-compliance events and
preventive measures shall be documented.
Emergency
Discharge Follow-up Monitoring Exercise
5.2.22
After
an emergency discharge event from the TSTP or the expanded STKSTW, a follow-up
water quality monitoring exercise shall be commenced within 24 hours after the
start of the emergency discharge at all stations shown in Figure 5.1 and Tables 5.3. The monitoring
shall be conducted by DSD or other agent appointed by the DSD. The result of the monitoring each day shall
be compared with the Action and Limit Levels stipulated in Table 5.4. In case of non-compliance, the monitoring exercise shall be repeated on the next
day until no further exceedance of the Action and Limit Levels at all
monitoring stations is recorded for 2 consecutive days.
Sampling Depths & Replication
5.2.23
For baseline, construction phase and operation phase
monitoring, each station will be sampled and measurements/ water samples will
be taken at three depths, 1 m below the sea surface, mid-depth and 1 m above
the seabed. For stations that are less
than 3 m in depth, only the mid depth sample shall be taken. For stations that are less than 6 m in depth,
only the surface and seabed sample shall be taken. For in situ measurements, duplicate readings
shall be made at each water depth at each station. Duplicate water samples shall be collected at
each water depth at each station.
Monitoring stations for coastal marine ecology such as M1, M6, H1, H2
and SG is located at shallow water.
Caution should be taken for field measurement and sampling at these
monitoring stations to avoid disturbance of bottom sediment by vessel or human
(when wading) movement.
5.2.24
The effluent sampling should be planned carefully to
ensure appropriate volume of effluent sub-samples is collected to prepare
sufficient amount of flow-weighted composite effluent sample for carrying out
subsequent chemical analysis and testing.
5.3.1
Water quality monitoring will be
evaluated against Action and Limit Levels.
The key assessment parameters are dissolved oxygen and suspended
sediment and thus Action and Limit Levels based on the assessment criteria are
identified for these. However turbidity
can also provide valuable instantaneous information on water quality and thus
Action and Limit Levels are also recommended for this parameter to facilitate
quick responsive action in the event of any apparent unacceptable deterioration
attributable to the works. The proposed
Action and Limit Levels are shown in Table 5.4.
5.3.2
Action and Limit levels are used to
determine whether operational modifications are necessary to mitigate impacts
to water quality. In the event that the
levels are exceeded for construction phase or marine water monitoring for first-year
operation of TSTP and expanded STKSTW, appropriate
actions in Event and Action Plan (Table
5.5) should be undertaken and a
review of works will be carried out by the Contractor(s). The effluent quality
for the operation of TSTP is chosen in a way that no increase in pollution
loading would be resulted from the potential increase of average flow from
1,660 m3/day of the existing STKSTW to 2,500 m3/day. Since the increase of average flow is about 50%,
a reduction of effluent concentration by one-third would be required to ensure
no increase in pollution loading due to the operation of the TSTP as stated in
the EIA.
5.3.3
During a follow-up water quality monitoring exercise after an
emergency discharge event, DSD or its appointed agent shall inform the mariculturists, relevant
stakeholders (e.g. Sha Tau Kok District Rural Committee) and relevant
government departments (e.g. AFCD, EPD, MD) everyday on the latest results of
the water quality monitoring exercise to allow these parties to make informed
decisions. By the end of the follow-up
water quality monitoring exercise, DSD or its appointed agent shall also inform
these parties that no exceedance of the Action and Limit Levels has been recorded
at all WSRs for two consecutive days to signal the recovery of water quality.
5.3.4
Any noticeable change to water
quality will be recorded in the monitoring reports and will be investigated and
remedial actions will be undertaken to reduce impacts. Particular attention will be paid to the
Contractor(s)’s implementation of the recommended mitigation measures.
Table 5.4 Action
and Limit Level for Water Quality
Parameter |
Action
Level |
Limit
Level |
Construction
Phase Marine Water Monitoring |
||
DO
in mg/L b |
Surface and
Middle 5%-ile of baseline data for surface and middle layer Bottom 5%-ile of baseline data for
bottom layers Fish Culture
Zones 5.1
mgL-1 or level at control station (whichever the lower) |
Surface and Middle 4 mg L-1 or 1%-ile of baseline data for surface
and middle layer Bottom 2 mg L-1 or 1%-ile of baseline data for bottom
layer Fish Culture
Zones 5.0 mgL-1 or level at control
station (whichever the lower) |
Turbidity
(Tby) in NTU (Depth-averaged a) c |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30%
exceedance of value at any impact station compared with corresponding data
from control station |
SS
in mg/L (Depth-averaged
a) c |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30%
exceedance of value at any impact station compared with corresponding data
from control station |
Marine
Water Monitoring for First-year Operation of TSTP and Expanded STKSTW as well
as Follow-up Monitoring for Emergency Discharge |
||
Dissolved oxygen in mg/L b |
Surface and
Middle 5%-ile of baseline data for surface and middle layer Bottom 5%-ile of baseline data for
bottom layers Fish Culture
Zones 5.1 mgL-1 or level at control
station (whichever the lower) |
Surface and
Middle 4 mg L-1 for surface and middle layer or 1%-ile of baseline data
for surface and middle layer Bottom 2
mg L-1 for bottom layers or 1%-ile of baseline data
for bottom layer Fish Culture Zones 5.0 mgL-1 or level at control
station (whichever the lower) |
Turbidity
in NTU (Depth-averaged a) c |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control
station |
Salinity
in PSU (Depth-averaged a) c |
Below 91% of baseline level or 9% less than value at any
impact station compared with corresponding data from control station |
Below 90% of baseline level or 10% less than value at any
impact station compared with corresponding data from control station |
SS in mg/L (Depth-averaged a) c |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control
station |
Biochemical Oxygen
Demand in mg/L
(Depth-averaged a) |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control
station |
Total Phosphorus in mg/L (Depth-averaged
a) |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control
station |
Total Nitrogen in mg/L (Depth-averaged
a) |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control
station |
Ammonia Nitrogen in mg/L (Depth-averaged
a) |
95%-ile of baseline data, or 20% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control station |
99%-ile of baseline data, or 30% exceedance of value at any impact station compared
with corresponding data from control
station |
TIN
in mg/L (Depth-averaged
a) c |
0.29 mg/L or 95%-ile of baseline level |
0.30 mg/L or 99%-ile of baseline level |
E.coli CFU/100 mL (Depth-averaged
a) c |
600 for fish culture zones or 95%-ile of baseline level |
610 for fish culture zones or 99%-ile of baseline level |
Notes: a.
“Depth-averaged”
is calculated by taking the arithmetic means of reading of all three depths. b.
For
DO, non-compliance of the water quality limits occurs when monitoring result
is lower than the limits. c.
For
SS, turbidity, salinity, TIN and E.coli,
non-compliance of the water quality limits occurs when monitoring result is
higher than the limits. |
||
Continuous Effluent Quality
Monitoring for First Year Operation of the TSTP and Expanded STKSTW (Phase 1
& 2) |
||
SS in mg/L |
TSTP 20
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 30
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 30
mg/L |
TSTP 40
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 60
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 60
mg/L |
Biochemical
Oxygen Demand in mg/L |
TSTP 13.3
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 20
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 20
mg/L |
TSTP 26.6
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 40
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 40
mg/L |
Total
Nitrogen in mg/L |
TSTP 28.6
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 12
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 12 mg/L |
TSTP 57.1
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 24
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 24
mg/L |
Total
Phosphorus in mg/L |
TSTP 3.3
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 4
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 4
mg/L |
TSTP 6.6
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 8
mg/L Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 8
mg/L |
E.coli CFU/100 mL |
TSTP 664
cfu/100ml Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 1,000
cfu/100ml Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 1,000
cfu/100ml |
TSTP 996
cfu/100ml Expanded STKSTW (Stage 1) 1,500
cfu/100ml Expanded STKSTW (Stage 2) 1,500
cfu/100ml |
Table 5.5 Event
and Action Plan for Water Quality Monitoring
Event |
Action |
|||
ET
|
IEC
|
Contractor(s)
|
ER |
|
Action Level being
exceeded by one sampling day |
1.
Repeat in
situ measurement on the next day of exceedance to confirm findings; 2.
Check monitoring data, plant, equipment and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 3.
Identify source(s) of impact and record in
notification of exceedance; 4.
Inform IEC, Contractor(s) and ER. |
1.
Check monitoring data submitted by ET and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 2.
Inform EPD and AFCD. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Check plant and equipment and rectify
unacceptable practice |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing. |
Action Level being
exceeded by two or more consecutive sampling days |
1.
Repeat in
situ measurement on the next day of exceedance to confirm findings; 2.
Check monitoring data, plant, equipment and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 3.
Identify source(s) of impact and record in
notification of exceedance; 4.
Inform IEC, Contractor(s) and ER; 5.
Discuss with IEC and Contractor(s) on additional
mitigation measures and ensure that they are implemented |
1.
Check monitoring data submitted by ET and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 2.
Inform EPD and AFCD; 3.
Discuss with ET and Contractor(s) on additional
mitigation measures and advise ER accordingly; 4.
Assess the effectiveness of the implemented
mitigation measures. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Check plant and equipment and rectify
unacceptable practice; 3.
Consider changes of working methods; 4.
Discuss with ET and IEC on additional mitigation
measures and propose them to ER within 3 working days; 5.
Implement the agreed mitigation measures. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Discuss with the IEC on the proposed additional
mitigation measures and agree on the mitigation measures to be implemented. 3.
Ensure additional mitigation measures are
properly implemented. |
Limit Level being
exceeded by one sampling day |
1.
Repeat in
situ measurement on the next day of exceedance to confirm findings; 2.
Check monitoring data, plant, equipment and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 3.
Identify source(s) of impact and record in
notification of exceedance; 4.
Inform IEC, Contractor(s) and ER; 5.
Discuss with IEC and Contractor(s) on additional
mitigation measures and ensure that they are implemented |
1.
Check monitoring data submitted by ET and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 2.
Inform EPD and AFCD; 3.
Discuss with ET and Contractor(s) on additional
mitigation measures and advise ER accordingly; 4.
Assess the effectiveness of the implemented
mitigation measures. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Check plant and equipment and rectify
unacceptable practice; 3.
Critically review the need to change working
methods; 4.
Discuss with ET and IEC on additional mitigation
measures and propose them to ER within 3 working days; 5.
Implement the agreed mitigation measures. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Discuss with the IEC on the proposed additional
mitigation measures and agree on the mitigation measures to be implemented. 3.
Ensure additional mitigation measures are
properly implemented. 4.
Request Contractor(s) to critically review the
working methods. |
Limit Level being
exceeded by two or more consecutive sampling days |
1.
Repeat in
situ measurement on the next day of exceedance to confirm findings; 2.
Check monitoring data, plant, equipment and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 3.
Identify source(s) of impact and record in
notification of exceedance; 4.
Inform IEC, Contractor(s) and ER; 5.
Discuss with IEC and Contractor(s) on additional
mitigation measures and ensure that they are implemented |
1.
Check monitoring data submitted by ET and
Contractor(s)’s working methods; 2.
Inform EPD and AFCD; 3.
Discuss with ET and Contractor(s) on additional
mitigation measures and advise ER accordingly; 4.
Assess the effectiveness of the implemented
mitigation measures. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Check plant and equipment and rectify unacceptable
practice; 3.
Critically review the need to change working
methods; 4.
Discuss with ET and IEC on additional mitigation
measures and propose them to ER within 3 working days; 5.
Implement the agreed mitigation measures. |
1.
Confirm receipt of notification of exceedance in
writing; 2.
Discuss with the IEC on the proposed additional
mitigation measures and agree on the mitigation measures to be implemented. 3.
Ensure additional mitigation measures are
properly implemented. 4.
Request Contractor(s) to critically review the
working methods. |
Notes : ET –
Environmental Team, IEC – Independent Environmental Checker; ER = Engineering Representatives
The
above actions should be taken within 1 working day after the exceedance is
identified during operation phase.
6.1.1
The
construction of the Project is expected to generate the following types of
waste:
·
Site clearance/demolition materials;
·
Excavated materials;
·
Sediment;
·
Bentonite slurry;
·
Chemical waste; and
·
General refuse.
6.1.2
The operation of the Project will also generate the
following types of waste:
·
Sludge;
·
Solid waste; and
·
Chemical waste.
6.1.3
Mitigation
measures, where appropriate, have been recommended as part of the EIA to avoid
or reduce potential adverse environmental impacts associated with handling,
collection and disposal of waste arising from the construction of the proposed
Project.
6.1.4
Waste
management will be the Contractor(s)’s responsibility and wastes produced
during the construction phase will be managed in accordance with appropriate
waste management practices and EPD’s regulations and requirements.
6.1.5
Auditing
of waste management practices during regular site inspections will confirm that
thewaste generated during construction are properly, stored, handled and
disposed of. The construction Contractor(s) will be responsible for the
implementation of any mitigation measures to reduce waste or redress issues
arising from the waste materials.
6.2.1
The
waste management practices and recommended mitigation measures will be
incorporated into a Environmental Management Plan (EMP) as stated in the “ETWB
TC(W) No. 19/2005, Environmental Management on Construction Sites” for managing
the different types of wastes by the Contractors on site. The EMP will be
certified by the ET Leader and verified by the IEC as conforming to the
information and recommendations contained in the EIA Report.
6.2.2
The
EMP shall describe the arrangements for avoidance, reuse, recovery and
recycling, storage, collection, treatment, the estimated rate of construction
and demolition materials generation and disposal, and the recommended
mitigation measures on waste management as set out in Section 6.6 of the EIA Report. The EMP shall indicate the disposal
arrangements and locations of C&D materials and other wastes.
6.2.3
A
Trip Ticket system will be included in the EMP. Surplus excavated spoil and
other wastes will not be disposed at any other designated disposal locations
unless otherwise approved in writing by EPD, Secretary of Public Fill Committee
and/or other authorities as appropriate.
6.2.4
The
Implementation Schedule (Annex A)
provides details on the appropriate mitigation measures for avoiding and
preventing adverse environmental impacts associated with sediment, C&D
materials, chemical wastes, general refuse and sewage from the workforce. The
EMP will be refined and updated as more detailed information is generated on
the volume of sediment and the agreed disposal arrangements. Similarly, it will
be regularly reviewed, and updated as appropriate, throughout the course of the
construction works to confirm that it remains current with the latest detailed
information and works practices.
6.2.5
The
EMP will also outline the requirements for a waste audit program to verify that
the measures outlined in the plan are effectively implemented and adhered too.
6.3.1
The
construction Contractor(s) must confirm that the necessary disposal permits or
licences are obtained from appropriate authorities in accordance with the
various Ordinances. In addition to the monthly joint inspections/ audits, each
construction Contractor(s) will designate a member of staff as being
responsible for routine inspections and audits of on‐site waste
management practices, with reference to the relevant legislation and guidelines
as well as the recommendations given in the Implementation Schedule contained
in Annex A of
this Manual, and defined below:
(i) General Legislation
·
Waste Disposal Ordinance
(WDO) (Cap 354);
·
Waste Disposal (Chemical
Waste) (General) Regulation (Cap 354C);
·
Waste Disposal (Charges for
Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation (Cap 354N);
·
Land (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Ordinance (Cap 28);
·
Public Health and Municipal
Services Ordinance (Cap 132) – Public Cleansing and Prevention
of Nuisances Regulations; and
·
Dumping at Sea Ordinance
(DASO) (Cap. 466).
(ii) Other Relevant Guidelines
·
Waste Disposal Plan for Hong
Kong (December 1989), Planning, Environment and Lands Branch Government
Secretariat, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
Code of Practice on the
Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes (1992), EPD, Hong Kong SAR
Government;
·
Hong Kong Planning Standards
and Guidelines Planning (2015), Planning Department, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
WBTC No. 2/93 ‐ Public
Dumps, Works Branch, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
WBTC No. 2/93B ‐
Public Filling Facilities, Works Branch, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
WBTC No. 16/96 ‐ Wet
Soil in Public Dumps, Works Branch, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
Waste Reduction Framework
Plan, 1998 to 2007, Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau, Government
Secretariat, 5 November 1998;
·
WBTC No. 4/98 and 4/98A
‐ Use of Public Fill in Reclamation and Earth Filling Projects, Works
Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
WBTC No. 12/2000 ‐
Fill Management, Works Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
WBTC No. 19/2001 ‐
Metallic Site Hoardings and Signboards; Works Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
WBTC No. 12/2002 ‐
Specifications Facilitating the Use of Recycled Aggregates, Works Bureau, Hong
Kong SAR Government;
·
ETWB TCW No. 24/2004 -
Specifications Facilitating the Use of Concrete Paving Units Made of Recycled
Aggregates
·
ETWB TC(W) No. 34/2002
‐ Management of Dredged/ Excavated Sediment, Environment, Transport and
Works Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government;
·
ETWB TC(W) No. 19/2005
‐ Environmental Management on Construction Sites, Environment, Transport
and Works Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government;
· DEVB TC(W) No. 6/2010 ‐ Trip Ticket System for Disposal of
Construction & Demolition Materials, Development Bureau, Hong Kong SAR
Government; DEVB TCW No. 8/2010 -
Enhanced Specification for Site Cleanliness and Tidiness;
· DEVB TCW No. 2/2011 – Encouraging the Use of Recycled
and other Green Materials on Public Works Projects;
·
DEVB TCW No.
9/2011 – Enhanced Control Measures for Management of Public Fill; and
·
Project
Administration Handbook for Civil Engineering Works (2014 Edition) – section
4.1.3 relating to Construction and Demolition Materials
6.3.2
The
Contractor(s)’s waste management practices will be audited with reference to
the checklist detailed in Table 6.1
below.
6.3.3
Details
of the required mitigation measures are included in the Implementation Schedule
of Annex A of
this EM&A Manual.
Table
6.1 Waste Management Checklist
Activities |
Timing |
Checking |
If non-compliance noted, Action Required |
Necessary waste disposal
permits or licences have been obtained |
Before the
commencement
of
works |
Once |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. The Contractor(s) will apply for the necessary
permits/ licences prior to disposal of the waste. The ET will verify that
corrective action has been taken. |
Excavated sediments are
managed and disposed in accordance with ETWB TC(W) No. 34/2002: Management
Framework for Disposal of Dredged/ Excavated Sediment . |
Throughout
the
sediment excavation works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to manage and
dispose the excavated materials properly. The Contractor(s) will immediately
suspend excavation until the excavated materials are properly managed and
disposed. |
Only licensed waste collectors
are used for waste collection. |
Throughout
the
works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to use a
licensed waste collector. The Contractor(s) will temporarily suspend waste
collection of that particular waste until a licensed waste collector is used.
Corrective action will be undertaken within 48 hours. |
Records of quantities of
wastes generated, recycled and disposed are properly kept. For demolition
material/waste, the number of loads for each day will be recorded (quantity
of waste can then be estimated based on average truck load. For landfill
charges, the receipts of the charge could be used for estimating the
quantity). |
Throughout
the
works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. The Contractor(s) will estimate the missing data
based on previous records and the activities carried out. The ET will review
the results and forward to ER for approval. |
Sufficient waste disposal
points are provided. Wastes are collected and removed from site in a timely
manner. General refuse is collected on
a regular basis. |
Throughout
the
works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to remove waste
accordingly. |
Waste storage areas are
properly cleaned and do not cause windblown litter and dust nuisance.
Appropriate measures to reduce windblown litter and dust nuisance of waste
will be adopted, e.g. by either covering trucks or by transporting wastes in
enclosed containers. |
Throughout the works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the Contractor(s),
IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to clean the storage area
and/or cover the waste. |
Different types of waste are
segregated in different containers or skip to enhance reuse and recycling of
material and proper disposal of waste. |
Throughout the works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to provide
separate skips/ containers. The Contractor(s) will verify that the workers
place the waste in the appropriate containers. |
Chemical wastes are stored,
handled and disposed of in accordance with the Code of Practice on the
Packaging, Handling and Storage of
Chemical Wastes, published by the EPD. Chemical wastes are separated for
special handling and appropriate treatment at the Chemical Waste Treatment
Centre at Tsing Yi. |
Throughout the works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to rectify the
issues immediately. Warning will be given to the Contractor(s) if corrective actions
are not taken within 24 hrs. |
Demolition materials are
properly covered before leaving the site. |
Throughout the works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to comply. The
Contractor(s) will confirm that the demolition materials are properly covered
when transport out of the site. |
Wastes are disposed of at
licensed sites. |
Throughout the works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will warn the Contractor(s) and instruct the
Contractor(s) to confirm that the wastes are disposed of at the licensed
sites. Should it involve chemical waste, the Waste Control Group of EPD will
be notified. |
Regular cleaning and
maintenance programme for drainage systems, sumps and oil interceptors are
provided. A recording system for the amount of wastes generated/ recycled and
disposal sites is developed and implemented. |
Throughout the works |
Each Week |
The ET will inform the
Contractor(s), IEC and ER. ER will instruct the Contractor(s) to comply. |
6.4.1
With reference to the Sediment Quality Report in
the EIA, only Category L sediment was identified. In accordance with ETWB TCW
No. 34/2002, Type 1 – Open Sea Disposal should be adopted for the disposal of
3,040 m3 excavated sediment during construction of the proposed
outfall diffuser. The location of marine disposal site should be sought with
MFC/CEDD. The Contractor shall obtain a Marine Dumping Permit in accordance
with the Dumping at Sea Ordinance. The Contractor should provide separate
submissions (e.g. Sediment Sampling and Testing Plan / Sediment Quality Report)
to EPD / DASO authority when applying for the Marine Dumping Permit under the
Dumping at Sea Ordinance.
6.5.1
To
facilitate monitoring and control over the contractors’ performance on waste
management, a waste inspection and audit programme will be implemented
throughout the construction phase. The programme will look at the aspects of
waste management including waste generation, storage, recycling, transport and
disposal. An appropriate audit programme will be undertaken with the first
audit conducted at the commencement of the construction works.
6.5.2
The
aims of the waste inspection and audit programme are:
·
To review the waste management practices in the
Environmental Management Plan (EMP) including the
quantities and types of C&D materials generated, reused and disposed of
off‐site; the amount of fill materials exported from/imported to the site
and the quantity of timber used in temporary works construction for each
process/activity;
·
To confirm that the wastes arising from works are
handled, stored, collected, transferred and disposed of an environmentally
acceptable manner and comply with the relevant requirements under the Waste
Disposal Ordinance (WDO) and its regulations;
·
To confirm that the construction Contractor(s) properly
implements the appropriate environmental protection and waste pollution control
mitigation measures, as outlined in the EMP and the Implementation Schedule and
presented in Annex A, to
reduce and control the potential for waste impacts.
·
To monitor the implementation and achievement of the EMP
on site to assess its effectiveness; and
·
To monitor the follow‐up action on deficiencies
identified.
6.5.3
Weekly
audits of the waste management practices will be carried out during the
construction phase to determine if wastes are being managed in accordance with
the recommended good site practices and EMP. Joint site inspections and audits
by the ET, the IEC and the contractor will be undertaken once per month. The
inspection/ audit will look at all aspects of on‐site waste management
practices including waste generation, storage, recycling, transport and disposal.
Particular attention will be given to the contractor’s provision of sufficient
spaces, adequacy of resources and facilities for on‐site sorting and
temporary storage of C&D materials. The C&D materials to be disposed of
from the site will be visually inspected. The public fill for delivery to the
off‐site stockpiling area will contain no observable non‐ inert
materials (e.g. general refuse, timber, etc). Furthermore, the waste to be
disposed of at refuse transfer stations or landfills will as practicable
contains no observable inert or reusable/recyclable C&D materials (e.g.
soil, broken rock, metal, and paper/cardboard packaging, etc). Apart from site
inspection, documents including licences, permits, disposal and recycling
records will be reviewed and audited for compliance with the legislation and
Contract requirements. Any irregularities observed during the site audits will
be raised promptly to the contractor for rectification.
6.5.4
The
findings of the waste audits will be reported in the Monthly EM&A Reports,
Quarterly EM&A Reports and Annual/Final EM&A Reports.
7.1.1
The Project only affects a small area of
subtidal soft bottom habitat of low ecological value and potentially affects Great Egret’s usage of
the Night Roosting Site. With the
implementation of proposed mitigation measures and good site practices, no
unacceptable ecological impacts from the construction of the Project are found.
The implementation of the ecological mitigation measures (Annex A)
will be inspected regularly as part of the EM&A procedures during the
construction period.
7.1.2
As a
precautionary measure, a pre-construction survey shall be conducted by
the ET before the commencement of the construction activities to reconfirm the usage of the Night Roosting
Site for Great Egret. If the
Night Roosting Site is used by Great Egrets or other ardeid species, no works
shall be undertaken within an area of 100m from the Night Roosting Site after
16:00 under normal working hours (i.e. 16:00
to 07:00 of the following day). In addition, strong artificial lighting
should not be used in the area at night to avoid disturbance to the roosting
ardeids. Clear signs should be erected
on site to alert all site staff and workers about the requirement.
7.2.1
The recommended good site practices and
precautionary measures should be audited at least once every week as part of
the site audit programme. The weekly
site audit to be carried out by the ET should include checking whether good
site practices and precautionary measures are being properly implemented by the
Contractor.
7.2.2
The findings of the weekly site audits will be reported in the Monthly EM&A
Reports, Quarterly EM&A Reports and Annual/Final EM&A Reports.
8.1.1
The EIA concluded that the Project would not
affect fisheries resources and fishing operations significantly. With the use of trenchless construction
technique (i.e. HDD) for the construction of submarine discharge outfall which
does not require dredging, it is anticipated that seabed sediments would not be
disturbed and disturbance to fisheries habitat and fishing ground is hence not
expected. Potential indirect water
quality impact from sediment release due to the installation of sheetpiles (and
removal after the completion) for cofferdam installation at submarine outfall,
decommissioning of existing submarine outfall, vessel discharges and land-based
site runoff from construction workforce are considered acceptable with the implementation of water quality
mitigation measures. Considered that
precautionary measures have been taken into account in the design and initial
commissioning of the TSTP and STKSTW to minimize the risk of emergency sewage
discharge, unacceptable
operational phase impacts to fisheries resources and fishing operations are not
anticipated. Compliance with the
relevant discharge standards to control water quality impacts to within
acceptable levels is also expected to control impacts to fisheries
resources. Apart from water quality mitigation measures,
no specific fisheries mitigation is required and the residual impact is
considered acceptable.
8.1.2
Marine water quality monitoring programme at
selected WSRs is recommended during construction and operation phases to ensure
no unacceptable water quality impact is arising from the works. Details of the water quality monitoring and
audit requirements and the associated event and action plans are described in Section 5 of this Manual.
9.1.1
The EIA has recommended a series of landscape
mitigation measures for both the construction and operational phases for the
Project. These measures are summarised in the following tables:
Table 9.1: Proposed
Construction Phase Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures
ID No. |
Mitigation Measures |
Funding Agency |
Implementation Agency |
CM1 |
Preservation of Existing Vegetation: Existing
trees designated to be retained in-situ will be properly
protected. Tree protection measures to be undertake shall be in
accordance with DEVB TC(W) 7/2015 on “Tree Preservation” and Guidelines on
Tree Preservation during Development” by DEVB. This may include the clear
demarcation and fencing-off of tree protection zones, tight site supervision
and monitoring to prevent tree damage by construction activities, and
periodic arboricultural inspection and maintenance to uphold tree
health. A total of around 108 nos. of trees will be retained
in-situ within the tree survey area. Under
current proposal, no tree is recommended to be transplanted since the trees
in conflict with the proposed works are not suitable to be transplanted.
However, should transplantation be proposed in the detailed design stage
after an update tree survey, the recommended final recipient sites should be
adjacent to their current locations. Enough time should be reserved for tree
transplantation works to increase the survival rate of the transplanting
trees. To ensure the survival of transplanted trees, protection
work should be considered. The tree transplantation proposal will
be submitted to relevant authorities for approval together with the formal
tree removal application. Tree transplanting works shall be undertaken in
accordance with Guidelines on Tree Transplanting by DEVB. |
DSD |
DSD (via
Contractor) |
CM2 |
Control of Site
Construction Activities: Construction
site controls shall be enforced, where possible, to ensure that the landscape
and visual impacts arising from the construction phase activities are
minimised. These construction site controls should include but not
limited to the following: · Storage
of materials should be carefully arranged to minimise potential landscape and
visual impact. · The
location and appearance of site accommodation should be carefully designed to
minimise potential landscape and visual impact. · Site
lighting should be carefully designed to prevent light spillage, · Extent
of the works area and construction period should be minimised as far as
practicable. · Screen
hoarding with compatible design to blend into the surrounding natural
environmental should be considered (Screen hoarding may not be practicable
for works of upgrading existing rising mains due to the spatial constraints
of the works area along the Shun Hing Street). · Temporary
works areas should be reinstated at the earliest possible opportunity. |
DSD |
DSD (via
Contractor) |
CM3 |
Suitable design of the proposed TSTP: §
Colour of natural tones and non-reflective
building materials shall be used for any outward facing building
facades to avoid visual and glare disturbance §
Responsive lighting design - Directional
and full cut off lighting is recommended to minimise light spillage to the
surroundings; - Minimise
geographical spread of lighting, only applying for safety at the key access
points of the TSTP; and - Limited
lighting intensity to meet the minimum safety and operation requirement. |
DSD |
DSD (via Contractor) |
Table 9.2: Proposed
Operation Phase Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures
ID No. |
Mitigation Measures |
Funding Agency |
Implementation Agency |
Management Agency |
OM1 |
Suitable
design of the proposed STK STW: §
Colour of natural tones and non-reflective
building materials shall be used for any outward facing building
facades to avoid visual and glare disturbance § Responsive lighting design - Directional and full cut off
lighting is recommended within the boundaries of STK STW to minimise light
spillage to the surroundings; - Minimise geographical spread of
lighting, only applying for safety at the key access points of the STK STW;
and - Limited lighting intensity to
meet the minimum safety and operation requirement. |
DSD |
DSD (via
Contractor) |
DSD |
OM2 |
Amenity /
Compensatory Planting : 0.15ha planting area (0.03ha
amenity planting area and 0.12ha compensatory planting area) have been
reserved in the preliminary design. i. 0.12ha of compensatory planting
area is allocated for planting of 31 heavy standard trees (total DBH of 3.1m)
to compensate the loss of 18 trees proposed to be felled (total DBH of 3.1m).
The proposed compensation ratio is 1:1.72 and 1:1 in terms of tree number and
total DBH respectively. The proposed new trees shall be native species of
amenity value and at the same time of low maintenance
requirements. Recommended tree species include Schima superb, Cinnamomum burmannii and Schefflera heptaphylla. This preliminary compensation proposal
will form part of the tree removal application which will be controlled by
the DEVB TC(W) 7/2015 – Tree Preservation. Tree risk assessment to all trees
within the project site would be undertaken where applicable in accordance
with Guidelines for Tree Risk Assessment and Management Arrangement; ii. Apart from compensatory tree
planting, amenity planting of shrubs will be provided within the 0.03ha
amenity planting area. A minimum of 1,380 shrubs will be planted. Recommended
native shrub species include Litsea
rotundifolia, Rhaphiolepis indica and Rhodomyrtus
tomentosa. iii. the entire 0.15ha planting
area (i.e. amenity and compensatory planting area) will be hydroseeded by
native grass species Eremochloa
ophiuroides to provide ground cover greening. |
DSD |
DSD (via
Contractor) |
DSD |
OM3 |
Amenity
enhancement : Rooftop greening and vertical greening to mitigate
the visual impact of taller structures can soften the façade of STK STW
structures. |
DSD |
DSD (via
Contractor) |
DSD |
Note:
OM1-3 are operational phase landscape and visual mitigation measures, which are
recommended to be well planned and designed at design stage to ensure these
measures are properly incorporated and optimized in the project.
9.1.2
The Contractor should implement landscape construction
works and subsequent maintenance operations and undertake tree risk assessment
during construction stage and the 12 month establishment period. A
professionally qualified Resident Landscape Architect, i.e. Registered
Landscape Architect (RLA) will supervise, monitor and ensure that all
recommended landscape and visual mitigation measures under Chapter 9 of the EIA
Report are effectively implemented.
9.1.3
All measures undertaken by the Contractor during the
construction phase and first year of the operational phase should be audited by
the Environmental Team, on a regular basis to ensure compliance with the
intended aims of the measures.
9.1.4
Site inspections should be undertaken at least once
every two weeks throughout the construction period and once every two months
during the operational phase. The scope of the audit is detailed below.
Operational phase auditing would be restricted to the last 12 months of the
establishment works of the operational landscape measures.
-
The extent of the agreed works areas should be
regularly checked during the construction phase. Any trespass by the Contractor
outside the limit of the works;
-
The progress of the engineering works should be
regularly reviewed on site to identify the earliest practical opportunities for
the landscape works to be undertaken;
-
All landscaping works are carried out in accordance
with the specifications;
-
The planting of new trees and other plants, are
carried out properly; and
-
All necessary horticultural operations and replacement
planting are undertaken throughout the maintenance period to ensure the healthy
establishment.
9.1.5
In the event of non-compliance identified during the
site inspection, the responsibilities of the relevant parties are detailed in
the Event/Action plan provided in table below:
Table 9.3: Event
/ Action Plan for Landscape and Visual during Construction Phase
Event |
Action |
|||
ET |
IEC |
ER |
Contractor |
|
Non-conformity
on one occasion |
1. Inform the
Contractor, IEC and ER; 2. Discuss
remedial actions with IEC, ER and Contractor 3. Monitor
remedial actions until rectification has been completed |
1. Check
inspection report 2. Check
Contractor’s working method 3. Discuss
with ET, ER and Contractor on possible remedial measures 4. Advise ER
on effectiveness of proposed remedial measures |
1. Confirm
receipt of notification of non-conformity in writing 2. Review and
agree on the remedial measures proposed by the Contractor 3. Supervise
implementation of remedial measures |
1. Identify
source and investigate the non-conformity 2. Implement
remedial measures 3. Amend
working methods agreed with ER as appropriate 4. Rectify
damage and undertake any necessary replacement |
Repeated
Non-conformity |
1. Identify
source(s) 2. Inform the
Contractor, IEC and ER; 3. Discuss
inspection frequency 4. Discuss
remedial actions with IEC, ER and Contractor 5. Monitor
remedial actions until rectification has been completed 6. If
non-conformity stops, cease additional monitoring |
1. Check
inspection report 2. Check
Contractor’s working method 3. Discuss
with ET, ER and Contractor on possible remedial measures 4. Advise ER
on effectiveness of proposed remedial measures |
1. Notify the
Contractor 2. In
consultation with the ET and IEC, agree with the Contractor on the remedial
measures to be implemented 3. Supervise
implementation of remedial measures |
1. Identify
source and investigate the non-conformity 2. Implement remedial
measures 3. Amend
working methods agreed with ER as appropriate 4. Rectify
damage and undertake any necessary replacement. Stop relevant portion of
works as determined by ER until the non-conformity is abated. |
Notes: ET –
Environmental Team; IEC – Independent Environmental Checker; ER –
Engineer’s Representative
10.1.1
The
EIA has confirmed that the Project will not cause any cultural heritage impact
and it is unnecessary to take further mitigation measure. No
specific EM&A requirement is therefore required.
11.1.1
Site
inspections provide a direct means to track and ensure the enforcement of
specified environmental protection and pollution control measures. Regular site inspections will be carried out by
the ET and the Contractor once per week during construction phase. During
operation phase, regular site audit shall be carried out to cover all planting
works for a period of not less than 12‐months. The IEC will also
undertake monthly site audit to assess the performance of the Contractor(s).
Additionally, the ET will be responsible for defining the scope of the
inspections, detailing any deficiencies that are identified, and reporting any
necessary action or mitigation measures that were implemented as a result of
the inspection; the results of the inspections should be made available to the
Contractor, IEC and ER.
11.1.2
The
areas of inspection should include the general environmental conditions in the
vicinity of the Site and pollution control and mitigation measures within the
Site; it should also review the environmental conditions outside the site area
which are likely to be affected, directly or indirectly, by site activities.
The ET should make reference to the following information in conducting the
inspections:
·
the EIA and EM&A
recommendations on environmental protection and pollution control mitigation
measures;
·
ongoing results of the
EM&A programme;
·
works progress and
programme;
·
individual works method
statements which will include proposals on associated pollution control
measures;
·
contract specifications on
environmental protection; and
·
relevant environmental
protection and pollution control laws.
11.1.3
The
ET’s inspection findings and their associated recommendations on improvements
to the environmental protection and pollution control works should be submitted
to the IEC and the Contractor within 24 hours, for comment and for taking
immediate action. They should also be presented, along with the remedial
actions taken, in the monthly EM&A reports. The Contractor should follow
the procedures and time‐frames stipulated in the environmental site
inspection for the implementation of mitigation proposals. An action reporting system should be
formulated and implemented to report on any remedial measures implemented
subsequent to the site inspections.
11.1.4
Ad
hoc site inspections should also be carried out by the ET and IEC if
significant environmental problems are identified. Inspections may also be
required subsequent to receipt of an environmental complaint, or as part of the
associated investigation work.
11.2.1
There
will be contractual environmental protection and pollution control requirements
as well as Hong Kong’s environmental protection and pollution control laws
which the construction activities will comply with.
11.2.2
The
ET Leader should review the progress and programme of the works to check that
relevant environmental laws have not been violated, and that any foreseeable
potential for violating the laws can be prevented.
11.2.3
The
Contractor should also regularly copy relevant documents to the ET Leader, IEC,
ER and Project Proponent so that the checking work can be carried out. The
relevant documents are expected to include the updated Work Progress Reports,
the updated Works Programme, application letters for different licences/permits
under the environmental protection laws, and all the valid licences/permit. The
site diary should also be available, upon request, to the ET Leader during his
site inspection.
11.2.4
After
reviewing the documentation, the ET should advise IEC, ER, Project Proponent,
EPD and Contractor of any non‐compliance with the contractual and
legislative requirements on environmental protection and pollution control for
them to take follow‐up actions. If the ET Leader's review concludes that
the current status on licence/permit application and any environmental
protection and pollution control preparation works is incompatible with the
works programme or may result in potential violation of environmental
protection and pollution control requirements by the works in due course, he
should also advise the Contractor accordingly.
11.2.5
Upon
receipt of the advice, the Contractor should undertake immediate action to
remedy the situation. The ET, IEC and ER should follow up to ensure the
appropriate actions have been taken by the Contractor in order that the
environmental protection and pollution control requirements are fulfilled.
11.3.1
The
ET Leader should undertake the following procedures upon receipt of a
complaint:
·
log complaint and date of
receipt into the complaint database and inform the Contractor, ER, IEC and
Project Proponent immediately;
·
investigate the complaint
jointly with the Contractor and the IEC and discuss with the Contractor and IEC
to determine its validity and to assess whether the source of the issue is due
to construction or operation of the Project;
·
if a complaint is considered
valid due to the construction or operation activities, the ET Leader should
identify mitigation measures in consultation with the Contractor, and submitted
to the IEC and ER for review. The ER should report the results to the Project
Proponent;
·
if mitigation measures are
required, the ET Leader should advise the Contractor accordingly;
·
review the Contractor's
response on the identified mitigation measures and the updated situation;
·
if the complaint is
transferred from EPD, an interim report should be submitted to EPD on the
status of the complaint investigation and follow‐up action within the
time frame assigned by EPD;
·
undertake additional
monitoring and audit to verify the situation if necessary and ensure that any
valid reason for complaint does not recur;
·
report the investigation
results and the subsequent actions on the source of the complaint for
responding to complainant. If the source of complaint is EPD, the results
should be reported within the time frame assigned by EPD; and
·
record the complaint,
investigation, the subsequent actions and the results in the monthly EM&A
reports.
11.3.2
During
the complaint investigation work, the Contractor and ER shall cooperate with
the ET Leader in providing all necessary information and assistance for
completion of the investigation. If mitigation measures are identified in the
investigation, the Contractor should promptly carry out the mitigation
measures. EPD will approve the proposed mitigation measures and the ET Leader
and IEC should check that the measures have been carried out by the Contractor.
11.4.1
The
ET Leader should keep a contemporaneous log‐book of each and every
instance or circumstance or change of circumstances which may affect the
findings of the environmental impact assessment and non‐compliance with
the Environmental Permit. The ET Leader should notify the IEC within one
working day of the occurrence of any such instance or circumstance or change of
circumstance. The ET Leader’s log‐book should be kept readily available
for inspection by persons (such as IEC and Contractor) assisting in supervision
of the implementation of the recommendations of the EIA Report and the
conditions set out in the Environmental Permit, or by EPD or his authorised
officers.
12.1.1
Reports can be provided in an electronic medium upon
agreeing the format with the Contractor, IEC, IC, Project Proponent and the
EPD. All the monitoring data should also be submitted on diskettes or CD Rom.
12.2.1
The
ET Leader shall prepare and submit a Baseline Environmental Monitoring Report
within 10 days of completion of the baseline monitoring. The Baseline
Monitoring Report will be submitted to the Contractor, IEC, ER and EPD. The
baseline monitoring report will include at least the following:
(i)
up to half a page executive summary;
(ii)
brief project background information;
(iii)
drawings showing locations of the baseline monitoring
stations;
(iv)
an updated construction programme;
(v)
monitoring results (in both hard and diskette copies)
together with the following information:
· monitoring
methodology;
· name of laboratory
and types of equipment used and calibration details;
· parameters
monitored;
· monitoring
locations;
· monitoring date,
time, frequency and duration; and
· quality assurance
(QA) / quality control (QC) results and detection limits;
(vi)
details on influencing factors, including:
· major activities,
if any, being carried out on the site during the period;
· weather conditions
during the period; and
· other factors which
might affect results;
(vii)
determination of the Action and Limit Levels (A/L
levels) for each monitoring parameter and statistical analysis of the baseline
data;
(viii)
revisions for inclusion in the EM&A Manual; and
(ix)
comments and conclusions.
12.3.1
The results and findings of all EM&A works
required in the Manual should be recorded in the monthly EM&A Reports and
be prepared by the ET and verified by the ET Leader. The reports will be
submitted to the Contractor, IEC and EPD within 10 working days of the end of
each reporting month, with the first report due in the month after construction
works commence. The ET should liaise with
the relevant parties to confirm the exact number and format of monthly reports
in both hard copy and electronic format.
The report should include, but not be limited to, the following
elements:
First Monthly EM&A Report
12.3.2
The
first monthly EM&A report should include at least but not be limited to the
following:
(i)
Executive Summary (1‐2 pages);
· Exceedances of
Action/Limit Levels;
· Complaint Log;
· Notifications of
any summons and successful prosecutions;
· Reporting Changes;
· Future key issues.
(ii)
Basic Project Information
· Project organisation
including key personnel contact names and telephone numbers;
· Construction
Programme with fine tuning of construction activities showing the
inter‐relationship with environmental protection/ mitigation measures for
the month; and
· Works undertaken
during the month.
(iii)
Environmental Status
· Works undertaken
during the month with illustrations (such as location of works); and
· Drawing showing the
Project area, any environmental sensitive receivers.
(iv)
Summary of EM&A requirements including:
· Environmental mitigation
measures, as recommended in the EIA Report;
· Environmental
monitoring requirements and contractual requirements;
(v)
Implementation Status
· Advice on the
implementation status of environmental protection and pollution
control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the EIA Report, summarised in
the updated implementation schedule.
(vi)
Site Audit Report
(vii)
Monitoring results (in both hard and diskette copies)
together with the following information:
· Monitoring
methodology;
· Name of laboratory
and equipment used and calibration details;
· Parameters
monitored;
· Monitoring
locations (and depth); and
· Monitoring date,
time, frequency, and duration.
(viii)
Report on Complaints, Notifications of Summons and
Successful Prosecutions
· Record of all
complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, including locations and
nature of complaints investigation, liaison and consultation undertaken,
actions and follow‐up procedures taken, results and summary;
· Record of
notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the
current environmental protection/pollution control legislation’s, including
locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow‐up actions
taken, results and summary;
· Review of the
reasons for and the implications of non‐compliance, complaints, summons
and prosecutions including review of pollution sources and working procedures;
and
· Description of the
actions taken in the event of non‐compliance and deficiency reporting and
any follow‐up procedures related to earlier non‐ compliance.
(ix)
Others
· An account of the
future key issues as reviewed from the works programme and work method
statements; and
· Submission of
implementation status proforma, proactive environmental protection proforma,
regulatory compliance proforma, site inspection proforma, data recovery
schedule and complaint log summarising the EM&A of the period.
Subsequent Monthly Report
12.3.3
The
subsequent monthly EM&A reports should include the following:
(i)
Executive Summary (1‐2 pages)
· Exceedances of
Action/Limit Levels;
· Complaint Log;
· Notifications of
any summons and successful prosecutions;
· Reporting Changes;
· Future key issues.
(ii)
Environmental Status
· Construction
Programme with fine tuning of construction activities showing the
inter‐relationship with environmental protection/ mitigation measures for
the month;
· Works undertaken
during the month with illustrations including key personnel contact names and
telephone numbers; and
· Drawing showing the
project area, any environmental sensitive receivers.
(iii)
Implementation Status
· Advice on the implementation
status of environmental protection and pollution control/mitigation measures,
as recommended in the project EIA study report, summarised in the updated
implementation schedule.
(iv)
Monitoring results (in both hard and diskette copies)
together with the following information:
· Monitoring
methodology;
· Name of laboratory
and equipment used and calibration details;
· Parameters
monitored;
· Monitoring
locations (and depth); and
· Monitoring date,
time, frequency, and duration.
(v)
Report on Complaints, Notifications of Summons and
Successful Prosecutions
· Record of all
complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, including locations and
nature of complaints investigation, liaison and consultation undertaken,
actions and follow‐up procedures taken, results and summary;
· Record of
notifications of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the
current environmental protection/pollution control legislation’s, including
locations and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow‐up actions
taken, results and summary;
· Review of the
reasons for and the implications of non‐compliance, complaints, summons
and prosecutions including review of pollution sources and working procedures;
and
· Description of the
actions taken in the event of non‐compliance and deficiency reporting and
any follow‐up procedures related to earlier non‐compliance.
(vi)
Others
· An account of the
future key issues as reviewed from the works programme and work method
statements.
(vii)
Appendix
· Supporting
documents
· Outstanding issues
and deficiencies.
12.4.1
The
quarterly EM&A summary report should contain the following listed
information:
(i)
Executive summary (up to half page);
(ii)
Basic project information including a synopsis of the
project organisation, programme, contacts of key management, and a synopsis of
work undertaken during the quarter;
(iii)
A brief summary of EM&A requirements including:
· Monitoring
parameters;
· Environmental
quality performance limits (Action and Limit levels); and
· Environmental
mitigation measures, as recommended in the Final EIA;
(iv)
Advice on the implementation status of environmental
protection and pollution control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the
Final EIA, summarised in the updated implementation schedule;
(v)
Drawings showing the project area, any environmental
sensitive receivers and the locations of the monitoring and control stations;
(vi)
Graphical plots of the trends of monitored parameters
over the past 4 months (the last month of the previous quarter and the present
quarter) for representative monitoring stations annotated against:
· The major
activities being carried out on site during the period;
· Weather conditions
during the period; and
· Any other factors
which might affect the monitoring results;
(vii)
Advice on the solid and liquid waste management
status;
(viii)
A summary of non‐compliance (exceedances) of the
environmental quality performance limits (Action and Limit levels);
(ix)
A brief review of the reasons for and the implications
of non‐compliance including review of pollution sources and working procedures;
(x)
A summary description of the actions taken in the
event of non‐compliance and any follow‐up procedures related to
earlier non‐compliance;
(xi)
A summary record of all complaints received (written
or verbal) for each media, liaison and consultation undertaken, actions and
follow‐up procedures taken;
(xii)
A summary record of notifications of summons and
successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental
protection/pollution control legislations, locations and nature of the
breaches, investigation, follow‐up actions taken and results;
(xiii)
Comments (e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of the
mitigation measures), recommendations (e.g. any improvement in the EM&A
programme) and conclusions for the quarter; and
(xiv)
Project Proponents' contacts and any hotline telephone
number for the public to make enquiries.
12.5.1
The
Annual EM&A Review Report should contain the following listed information:
(i)
Executive summary (up to half page);
(ii)
Drawings showing the Project area, environmental
sensitive receivers and monitoring and control stations;
(iii)
Basic project information including a synopsis of the
project organisation, programme, contacts of key management, and a synopsis of
work undertaken during the quarter;
(iv)
A brief summary of EM&A requirements including:
· Monitoring
parameters;
· Environmental
quality performance limits (Action and Limit levels); and
· Environmental
mitigation measures, as recommended in the Final EIA;
(v)
Summary of the implementation status of environmental
protection and pollution control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the
Final EIA, summarised in the updated implementation schedule;
(vi)
Graphical plots of the trends of monitored parameters
over the past 4 months (the last month of the previous quarter and the present
quarter) for representative monitoring stations annotated against:
· The major
activities being carried out on site during the period;
· Weather conditions
during the period; and
· Any other factors
which might affect the monitoring results;
(vii)
A summary of non‐compliance (exceedances) of the
environmental quality performance limits (Action and Limit levels);
(viii)
A brief review of the reasons for and the implications
of non‐compliance including review of pollution sources and working
procedures;
(ix)
A summary description of the actions taken in the
event of non‐compliance and any follow‐up procedures related to
earlier non‐compliance;
(x)
A summary record of all complaints received (written
or verbal) for each media, liaison and consultation undertaken, actions and
follow‐up procedures taken;
(xi)
A summary record of notifications of summons and
successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental
protection/pollution control legislations, locations and nature of the
breaches, investigation, follow‐up actions taken and results;
(xii)
Comments (e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of the
mitigation measures), recommendations (e.g. any improvement in the EM&A
programme) and conclusions for the quarter; and
(xiii)
Project Proponents' contacts and any hotline telephone
number for the public to make enquiries.
12.6.1
The
EM&A programme will be terminated upon the completion of the construction
works and specified operation phase monitoring period so that the potential to
cause significant environmental impacts is ceased and the post‐project monitoring
is concluded.
12.6.2
The
final EM&A summary report will include, inter alia, the following:
(i)
An executive summary;
(ii)
Drawings showing the project area, any environmental
sensitive receivers;
(iii)
Basic project information including a synopsis of the
project organisation, programme, contracts of key management, and a synopsis of
work undertaken during the entire construction period;
(iv)
A brief summary of EM&A requirements including:
environmental mitigation measures, as recommended in the EIA Report;
(v)
Advice on the implementation status of environmental
protection and pollution control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the EIA
Report, summarised in the updated implementation schedule;
(vi)
Provide clear‐cut decisions on the environmental
acceptability of the Project with reference to the specific impact hypothesis;
(vii)
A summary description of the actions taken in the
event of non‐compliance and any follow‐up procedures related to
earlier non‐compliance;
(viii)
A summary record of all complaints received (written
or verbal) for each media, liaison and consultation undertaken, actions and
follow‐up procedures taken;
(ix)
A summary record of notification of summons and
successful prosecutions for breaches of the current environmental protection/
pollution control legislation’s, locations and nature of the breaches,
investigation, follow‐up actions taken and results;
(x)
Review the practicality and effectiveness of the EIA
process and EM&A programme (eg effectiveness and efficiency of the
mitigation measures) recommend any improvement in the EM&A programme; and
(xi)
A conclusion to state the return of ambient and/or the
predicted scenario as per EIA findings.
12.7.1
The
EM&A reports shall submit monthly in
operation phase and should include the following:
(i)
Executive Summary (1‐2 pages)
· Exceedances of
Action/Limit Levels;
· Complaint Log;
· Notifications of
any summons and successful prosecutions;
· Reporting Changes;
· Future key issues.
(ii)
Environmental Status
· environmental
protection/ mitigation measures for the month;
· Works undertaken
during the month with illustrations including key personnel contact names and
telephone numbers; and
· Drawing showing the
project area, any environmental sensitive receivers.
(iii)
Implementation Status
· Advice on the
implementation status of environmental protection and pollution
control/mitigation measures, as recommended in the project EIA study report,
summarised in the updated implementation schedule.
(iv)
Monitoring results (in both hard and diskette copies)
together with the following information:
· Monitoring
methodology;
· Name of laboratory
and equipment used and calibration details;
· Parameters
monitored;
· Monitoring
locations (and depth); and
· Monitoring date,
time, frequency, and duration.
(v)
Report on Complaints, Notifications of Summons and
Successful Prosecutions
· Record of all
complaints received (written or verbal) for each media, including locations and
nature of complaints investigation, liaison and consultation undertaken,
actions and follow‐up procedures taken, results and summary;
· Record of notifications
of summons and successful prosecutions for breaches of the current
environmental protection/pollution control legislation’s, including locations
and nature of the breaches, investigation, follow‐up actions taken,
results and summary;
· Review of the reasons
for and the implications of non‐compliance, complaints, summons and
prosecutions including review of pollution sources and working procedures; and
· Description of the
actions taken in the event of non‐compliance and deficiency reporting and
any follow‐up procedures related to earlier non‐compliance.
(vi)
Others
· An account of the
future key issues as reviewed from the works programme and work method
statements.
(vii)
Appendix
· Supporting
documents
·
Outstanding issues and deficiencies.
12.8.1
Documentation
such as the monitoring field records, site inspection forms, etc. are not
required to be included in the monthly EM&A reports for submission.
However, such documents should be well kept by the ET Leader and should be
available for the inspection of the IEC, Project Proponent and EPD upon
request. All relevant information should be clearly and systematically recorded
in the documents. The monitoring data should also be recorded in electronic
format. All the documents and data should be kept for at least five years after
completion of the Extension contract.
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