12                     Environmental Monitoring and Audit Requirements

12.1                  Introduction

12.1.1.1         This section provides a summary of the requirements of environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) for the construction and operation phases of the Project and associated works based on the assessment results of the various environmental issues. Details of the EM&A requirements are provided in a stand-alone EM&A Manual.

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. The following sections summarise the recommended EM&A requirements with the Implementation Schedule of Recommended Mitigation Measures presented in Appendix 12.1. 

12.2                  Air Quality Impact

12.2.1             Construction Phase

12.2.1.1         EM&A for potential dust impacts should be conducted during construction phase so as to check compliance with the legislative requirements.  Details of the monitoring and audit programme are contained in a stand-alone EM&A Manual.

12.2.1.2         Regular site audits for potential dust impact are recommended to be conducted during the entire construction phase of the Project so as to ensure the dust mitigation measures and the dust suppression measures stipulated in Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation are implemented in order.

12.2.2             Operation Phase

12.2.2.1         No unacceptable adverse impact arising from the Project is anticipated during the operation phase of the Project.  Therefore, the EM&A works for the operation phase are considered unnecessary.

12.3                  Noise Impact

12.3.1             Construction Phase

12.3.1.1         An EM&A programme is recommended to be established according to the expected occurrence of noisy activities. All the recommended mitigation measures for daytime normal working activities should be incorporated into the EM&A programme for implementation during construction. Details of the EM&A requirements are provided in the EM&A Manual.

12.3.2             Operation Phase

12.3.2.1         Road traffic noise levels should be monitored at representative NSRs which are in the vicinity of the recommended direct mitigation measures, during the first year after road opening. The purpose of the monitoring is to ascertain that the recommended mitigation measures are effective in reducing the noise levels.

12.4                  Water Quality Impact

12.4.1             Construction Phase

12.4.1.1         Regular site inspection during the construction phase is proposed to inspect the construction activities and works area to ensure the recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented.

12.4.2             Operation Phase

12.4.2.1         No adverse water quality impacts would be expected from the operation road works if the recommended mitigation measures are implemented properly.  No water quality monitoring is therefore considered necessary.

12.5                  Waste Management Implications

12.5.1             Construction Phase

12.5.1.1         It will be the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that any wastes produced during the construction works are handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with recommended good waste management practices and relevant regulations and other legislative requirements. The recommended mitigation measures detailed in Section 6.7 should form the basis of the site Waste Management Plan (WMP) to be developed by the Contractor in the construction stage.

12.5.1.2         It is recommended that the waste arisings generated during the construction activities should be audited regularly by the Environmental Team (ET) to determine if wastes are being managed in accordance with approved procedures. 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 licenses, permits disposal and recycling records should be reviewed and audited for compliance with the legislation of the recommended good site practice and other waste management mitigation measures.

12.5.2             Operation Phase

12.5.2.1         Adverse environmental impacts associated with handling, storage and disposal of waste are not expected from the operation of the Project with the implementation of good waste management practices. Therefore, waste monitoring and audit programme for the operation phase of the Project would not be required.

12.6                  Land Contamination

12.6.1.1         Since no land contamination impacts are anticipated for the Project, no EM&A programme is required during the construction or operation phase.

12.7                  Landfill Gas Hazard

12.7.1             Construction Phase

12.7.1.1         Safety requirements stated in Chapter 8 of the Landfill Gas Hazard Assessment Guidance Note should be implemented properly during construction phase within the 250m consultation zone.

12.7.2             Operation Phase

12.7.2.1         For maintenance of Tsuen Wan Road, resurfacing or other maintenance works will be carried out at open space and any risk from LFG are unlikely. However, if entry into manholes or chambers are undertaken, works in confined spaces under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Confined Spaces) Regulation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance should be observed and the Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Space should be followed to ensure compliance with the Regulation. Monitoring requirement and precaution measures will be formulated in risk assessment report by competent person under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Confined Spaces) Regulation.

12.7.2.2         In addition, if any construction is required for the maintenance work during operational stage, the responsible party should follow the monitoring works as recommended above for construction phase.

12.8                  Impact on Cultural Heritage

12.8.1             Construction Phase

12.8.1.1         No impacts would be anticipated to any built heritage identified.  Thus, no mitigation measure would be required.

12.8.1.2         No Site of Archaeological Interest (SAI) is identified within assessment area. No archaeological impact would be anticipated. Thus, no mitigation measure would be required.  As a precautionary measure, AMO should be informed immediately in case of discovery of antiquities or supposed antiquities in the course of works, so that appropriate mitigation measures, if needed, can be timely formulated and implemented in agreement with AMO.

12.8.2             Operation Phase

12.8.2.1         No impact to cultural heritage would be anticipated from the operation of the Project.  Hence, no mitigation measure would be required for the operation phase.

12.9                  Landscape and Visual Impacts

12.9.1             Construction Phase

12.9.1.1         The mitigation measures listed in Table 11.9 shall be adopted during the construction phase. It is recommended that regular site inspections during the construction phase should be undertaken to inspect the construction activities and works areas in order to ensure the recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented.

12.9.2             Operation Phase

12.9.2.1         The operation phase mitigation measures listed in Table 11.10 shall be adopted during the detailed design and be built as part of the construction works at the last stage of the construction period so that they are in place at the date of commissioning of the Project. However, it should be noted that the full effect of the soft landscape mitigation measures would not be appreciated for several years.