12 Environmental Monitoring and Audit
Requirements
12.1.1.1 This
section further elaborates the requirements of environmental monitoring and
audit (EM&A) for the construction and operation phases of the Project,
based on the assessment results of various environmental issues.
12.1.1.2 The purpose of the EM&A programme
is to ascertain and verify the assumptions implicit to, and accuracy of, EIA
study predictions. The EM&A programme includes the scope of the EM&A
requirements for the Project to ensure compliance with the EIA study
recommendations, to assess the effectiveness of the recommended mitigation
measures and to identify any further need for additional mitigation measures or
remedial action.
12.1.1.3 The following sections summarise the
recommended EM&A requirements for the Project. Details of the specific requirements
are provided in a stand-alone EM&A Manual.
12.2.1.1
With
the implementation of dust suppression measures stipulated in Air
Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, good site practice and
proposed mitigation measures, no adverse dust and odour impact arisen from the
construction works would be expected at the ASRs in the vicinity of the site.
No air quality monitoring is therefore considered necessary. Weekly site audit is recommended to be conducted during construction
phase in order to ensure the proposed mitigation measures are implemented in an
appropriate manner and are effective.
12.2.1.2 Since no significant adverse air
quality impact is anticipated during the operation phase of the Project,
monitoring and audit is deemed unnecessary.
12.4
Water Quality Impact
12.5.1.1 Since adverse
sewerage impact from the Project would not be anticipated, no EM&A
requirement is considered necessary.
12.6
Waste Management Implications
12.6.1.1
It is the Contractor’s responsibility to
ensure that all wastes produced during the construction of the Project are
handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with the recommended good waste
management practices and relevant legislation and waste management guidelines.
The recommended mitigation measures should form the basis of the site Waste
Management Plan (WMP) to be developed by the Contractor in the construction
phase.
12.6.1.2 It is recommended that the waste arisings
generated during the construction activities should be audited regularly to
determine if wastes are being managed in accordance with approved procedures
and the site WMP. The audits should look at all aspects of on-site waste
management practices including waste generation, storage, recycling, transport
and disposal. Apart from site inspections, documents including licences,
permits, disposal and recycling records should be reviewed and audited for
compliance with the legislation and Contract requirements. In addition, the
routine site inspections should check the implementation of the recommended
good site practices and other waste management mitigation measures.
12.6.1.3
It
is expected that there would be limited quantities of waste to be generated
from the operation of the Project and adverse environmental impacts would not be
anticipated with the implementation of good waste management practices. No
waste monitoring and audit programme for the operation phase of the Project is
considered necessary.
12.7
Land Contamination
12.7.1.1
No land contamination impact would be
anticipated from the Project, therefore, no monitoring programme is required.
12.8.1.1 Implementation of the recommended
mitigation measures described in Section 9.8 should be audited regularly throughout the
construction phase.
12.8.1.2 To minimise the direct
loss/damage to the coral colonies, translocation and/or other best practicable
mitigation measures will be implemented for the directly affected coral
colonies. A detailed coral mapping is recommended to
identify the exact number of coral colonies (both movable and non-movable)
within the affected area. Surveys of finding a suitable recipient site are also
recommended. The coral mitigation is recommended to be undertaken during the
winter season (November-March) in order to avoid disturbance to the spawning
period (i.e. July to October) of the affected coral colonies. A detailed Coral Mitigation Plan, including
description of methodology including translocation (e.g. pre-translocation
survey, identification / proposal of coral recipient site) and/or other
best practicable mitigation measures, and post-mitigation monitoring programme,
should be prepared with reference to recently approved EIA and subject to
comment by the AFCD before commencement of the coral mitigation. All the coral
mitigation exercises should be conducted by experienced marine ecologist(s)
with at least 5 years relevant experience prior to commencement of coral mitigation. During
operation phase, coral survey will be carried out to review and update the
conditions of corals in the dredging area and its vicinity prior to each
maintenance dredging. Subject to the findings of the coral survey, the impact
on corals due to maintenance dredging will be reviewed and mitigation measures
will be proposed as necessary.
12.9.1.1
Since
no unacceptable fisheries impact would be anticipated during the construction
and operation phases of the Project, no specific monitoring for fisheries
resources is considered necessary.
Nonetheless, the implementation of the recommended water quality
mitigation measures should be regularly audited during the construction phase.
12.10.1.1 The
design, implementation and maintenance of landscape and visual mitigation
measures should be checked to ensure that they are incorporated in the detailed
design. Implementation of the applicable recommended mitigation measures should
be regularly checked through the site audit programme during the construction
phase.