11 Summary of environmental outcomes

11.1 Overview

11.1.1 Section 2 outlines the details and benefit of the Project together with the consideration of alternatives during the preliminary design stage, in which has taken into account of findings of various engineering and environmental review. The technical assessments in Sections 3 to 9 have demonstrated that all the statutory requirements in EIA Study Brief (ESB-302/2017) and EIAO-TM have been compiled with.

11.1.2 This chapter summarises the key environmental outcomes arising from this EIA study, the approaches that have been adopted to either avoid or minimise various environmental impacts throughout the design process, and the associated environmental enhancements and mitigation measures.

11.2 Environmental Benefits of the Project

11.2.1 In view of the impending commissioning of the HZMB, the Project is designed to provide a seamless and hassle-free connection between the ITT of HKIA and HKBCF Island to facilitate the intermodal modal travel of air passengers, in line with and further strengthening HKIA’s strategic poisoning and function as an international aviation hub in the region.

11.2.2 The Project incorporates environmental protection measures such as 100% adoption of electric vehicles and associated charging facilities in the ITT.

11.3 Incorporation of Environmentally Friendly Options

11.3.1 Avoidance of environmental impacts has been one of the key considerations in this EIA study. For those impacts that could not be avoided, due consideration has been given to minimise those impacts as much as practicable so that all the residual impacts would comply with statutory requirements. A summary of these approaches is given below:

Avoidance of use diesel bonded vehicle

11.3.2 Electric vehicles will be used to provide the hassle-free bonded cross-boundary bus trips, and potentially bonded limousine trips subject to regulatory approval, between the ITT and Zhuhai/Macao BCF via the Bonded Vehicular Bridge and Associated Roads connecting to the HKBCF Island. As such, there will be no air pollutants emission during the operation of the Project.

Avoidance of open sea dredging

11.3.3 No open sea dredging will be involved for construction of the Bonded Vehicular Bridge. It is expected that the installation of steel pile casing would only cause minor displacement of marine sediment, which will quickly settle without significant increase in suspended solids. Sediment excavation will only be carried out in a confined dry working environment. Potential water quality impact due to release of suspended solids, contaminants and nutrients from sediment excavation is therefore not expected. No adverse water quality impact due to construction of marine bridge piles is anticipated

Avoidance of direct impact on the intertidal habitats

11.3.4 The foundations and piers on top of the Bonded Vehicular Bridge are located away from the sea walls. Intertidal habitats will not be directly impacted during construction stage.

11.4 Environmental Design Recommended

11.4.1 Other than initiatives to avoid environmental impacts as summarised in Section 11.3, further efforts have been exercised to minimise impacts. The need for any environmental designs required to mitigate the associated impacts have also been identified and will be implemented, as appropriate. A summary of these approaches is given below:

· Adoption of environmental friendly construction method;

· Adoption of proactive measures to avoid illegal dumping;

· Implementation of environmental monitoring and auditing system.

Adoption of Environmental Friendly Construction Method

11.4.2 Quieter construction method, i.e. bored piling method, will be adopted for the construction of the Project to minimise potential impacts to the environment. Precast construction method would also be adopted, with bridge deck formed from precast concrete sections which will be manufactured off-site and joined together on-site, which minimise the extent and duration of construction activities required on-site and hence potential the potential environmental impacts in the vicinity during construction.

Adoption of Proactive Measures to Avoid Illegal Dumping

11.4.3 Adoption of global positioning system (GPS) or equivalent system for tracking and monitoring of all dump trucks will be engaged for the Project in order to prohibit illegal dumping and landfilling of excavated materials generated from the Project.

Implementation of Environmental Monitoring and Auditing System

11.4.4 In addition to the mitigation measures as described above (see more details in the Project Implementation Schedule as given in Appendix 10.1), a comprehensive environmental monitoring and auditing programme would be implemented to cover various aspects of concern. An independent environmental checker would also be employed to ensure that all the necessary mitigation measures are implemented in a timely and orderly manner.

11.5 Key Environmental Problems Avoided and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Protected

11.5.1 Sections 11.3 and 11.4 have summarised the key approaches adopted in the current proposal to avoid, minimise and mitigate environmental impacts. Some of these approaches have contributed to avoid a number of environmental problems and to protect a number of environmentally sensitive areas. Table 11.1 presents the key environmental problems that have been avoided and any sensitive areas protected by these approaches.

Table 11.1 Summary of Key Environmental Problems Avoided and Sensitive Areas Protected

Design Approach	Environmental Problems Avoided and Sensitive Areas Protected
Avoidance of use diesel bonded vehicle (Section 11.3.2)	· The vehicular emissions are avoided during operation phase so that the nearby air sensitive receivers are protected.
Avoidance of open sea dredging (Section 11.3.3)	· Avoid release of suspended solids, contaminants and nutrients from sediment excavation to compliance with WQOs
Avoidance of direct impact on the intertidal habitats (Section 11.3.4)	· Avoid loss of intertidal habitats.
Adoption of environmental friendly construction method (Section 11.4.2)	· Adoption of quiet piling method to minimise the construction noise impact
Avoidance of illegal dumping (Section 11.4.3)	· The recommended preventive measures would avoid/minimise the chance of illegal dumping.
Implementation of Environmental Monitoring and Auditing System (Section 11.4.4)	· Ensure all the recommended measures are properly in place and their effectiveness.

11.6 Environmental Protection Measures Recommended

11.6.1 Mitigation measures have been recommended to further reduce the environmental impacts due to construction and operation of the Project. Key recommended mitigation measures and any associated benefits are summarised in Table 11.2 below.

Table 11.2 Key Recommended Mitigation Measures

Environmental Aspect	Mitigation Measure and any Associated Benefit
Air Quality Impact	· Implementing relevant control measures as required in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation to minimise dust generation.
Noise Impact	· Implementing good site practices to minimise the construction noise impact.
Water Quality Impact	· Implementation of the proposed mitigation measures including installation of steel pile casing and watertight cofferdam at the pier site, provision of appropriate desilting or sedimentation device for treatment of water from dewatering process, deployment of silt curtains, and use of suitable size of vessels for marine bridge pile construction. · Implementation of site practices as outlined in ProPECC Note PN 1/94 to control and minimise site runoff and drainage. · Adoption of proper site management and good housekeeping practices to minimise the potential water quality impact due to spillage events. · Provision of silt trap for road drainage for removal of pollutants from storm water. · Collection and conveyance of sewage effluent from the proposed toilets to the existing sewerage system on HKBCF Island.
Waste Management Implications	· Implementation of good site practices and waste reduction measures (e.g. reuse of construction and demolition (C&D) materials before off-site disposal or develop a materials recovery and recycling programme during construction and operation). · Preparation of a Waste Management Plan (WMP), as part of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). · Implement a trip-ticket system for each works contract in accordance with DevB TC(W) No. 6/2010 to ensure that the disposal of C&D materials are properly documented and verified. · Handling of chemical waste in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes, and disposal of chemical waste at licensed chemical waste recycling / treatment facilities. · Excavation, treatment, transportation and disposal of sediments in accordance with the Air Pollution Ordinance (Construction Dust) Regulation. · Any treatment area for the land-based sediment should be confined for carrying out the treatment process and any temporary stockpiling. The area should be designed to prevent leachate from entering the ground. · For off-site disposal of excavated marine sediments, the basic requirements and procedures specified under PNAP No.252 (ADV-21) shall be followed. · Application of marine dumping permit under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance for marine sediment disposal. · Collection and discharging of leachate in accordance with the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.
Marine Ecology	· Setting up vessel speed limit (i.e. 10 knots) on all construction-related vessels to minimise ship collision and acoustic disturbance to Chinese White Dolphins based upon a precautionary approach. · Adopting good site practices, guidelines and mitigation measures to further alleviate water quality impacts on retained corals recorded along REA1 and REA3, Chinese White Dolphins and other marine fauna. · Translocating all 23 affected coral colonies recorded at REA2 to further reduce the direct impact of habitat loss arising from the construction of proposed works as a precautionary measure. A detailed Coral Translocation Proposal would be prepared and subject to agreement with the authority prior to the commencement of translocation works. · Conducting precautionary post-translocation coral monitoring surveys on existing and translocated corals at recipient site to ensure proper implementation of coral translocation.
Landscape and Visual Impact	· Preservation of New Tree Planting – All the planned new trees to be retained and not to be affected by the Project shall be carefully protected during construction in accordance with DevB TCW No. 7/2015 – Tree Preservation during Development issued by GLTM Section of DevB. Any existing vegetation in landscaped area and natural terrain not to be affected by the Project shall be carefully preserved. · Transplanting of Affected Trees – Planned trees to be planted under HKBCF unavoidably affected by the works shall be transplanted within the project boundary or off-site within the Airport Island as far as possible, in accordance with DevB TCW No. 7/2015 – Tree Preservation and the latest Guidelines on Tree Transplanting issued by GLTM Section of DevB. · Compensatory Tree Planting – Any planned trees to be planted under HKBCF to be felled under the Project shall be compensated within the project boundary or off-site within the Airport Island (i.e. within area of approx. 6.2km), in accordance with DevB TCW No. 7/2015 – Tree Preservation. The compensatory planting shall be of a ratio not less than 1:1 in terms of number, i.e. the number of compensatory trees shall not be lower than that of the number of trees to be felled. Justification shall be provided if tree compensation requirement could not be met. For trees to be compensated on slopes, the guidelines for tree planting stipulated in GEO Publication No. 1/2011 will be followed. · Control of night-time lighting glare – Any lighting provision of the construction works at night shall be carefully control to prevent light overspill to the nearby VSRs and into the sky. · Erection of Decorative Screen Hoarding – Decorative Hoarding, which is compatible with the surrounding settings, shall be erected during construction to minimise the potential landscape and visual impacts due to the construction works and activities. · Management of Construction Activities and Facilities – The facilities and activities at works sites and areas, which include site office, temporary storage areas, temporary works etc., shall be carefully managed and controlled on the height, deposition and arrangement to minimise any potential adverse landscape and visual impacts · Reinstatement of Temporarily Disturbed Landscape Areas – All hard and soft landscape areas disturbed temporarily during construction shall be reinstated on like-to-like basis, to the satisfaction of the relevant Government Departments. · Aesthetically Pleasing Design of Aboveground / Above-sea Structures - The proposed structures in regard of layouts, forms, materials and finishes shall be sensitively designed so as to blend in the structures to the adjacent landscape and visual context. · Provision of Amenity Planting – Amenity planting including groundcover and trees shall be provided to soften the proposed above-ground structures on HKBCF as far as appropriate.

11.7 Estimation of Population Protected

11.7.1 Given no residential development within the EIA study area, with careful planning and design of the Project, together with the implementation of mitigation measures recommended in this EIA Report, the populations in the vicinity of the Project site has been protected.