15
Environmental Monitoring and Audit
15.1.2
The
following sections summarise the recommended EM&A
requirements with the Project Implementation Schedule presented in Appendix 15.1.
Details of the EM&A programme and the
specific monitoring requirements are presented in a stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
15.2.1
With
the implementation of the dust suppression measures stipulated in the Air
Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, good site practices and
proposed mitigation measures, no adverse dust impact would be expected at the
ASRs in the vicinity of the work fronts.
Dust monitoring requirements are recommended in the stand-alone EM&A
Manual to ensure the efficacy of the control measures. Details of the
EM&A programme are provided in the stand-alone EM&A
Manual.
Operational Phase
15.2.2
No
adverse air quality is expected from the operation of the Project with the
deployment of emission free electric powered rail system. The Non-Road Mobile
Machinery to be used within Ngau Tam Mei Depot (NTD) would also comply with
relevant standards and requirements. Hence, no environmental monitoring and
site inspections are required during operational phase.
Construction Phase
15.3.1
Construction
noise impacts at the representative NSRs from the Project were assessed in this
EIA Report. Appropriate mitigation
measures are recommended to alleviate the impacts to meet the EIAO-TM criteria. Noise monitoring during construction
phase would be implemented to check the noise compliance with EIAO-TM criteria
and the effectiveness of mitigation measures. With noise exceedances predicted at the
planned school site at Kam Tin South Housing Development during examination
period, the Contractor should liaise with the concerned school and / or the
Examination Authority to ascertain the exact dates and times of all examination
periods during the construction period and should avoid conducting noisy
activities during the examination periods if the school is relied on opened
windows for ventilation. Details of
the EM&A programme are provided in the
stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Operational Phase
15.3.2
Prior
to the operation of the Project, noise commissioning tests should be conducted
to check the compliance of the planned fixed plant noise source and rail
noise. Details of the commissioning
tests are provided in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Construction Phase
15.4.1
The
assessment result for construction ground-borne noise indicated compliance at
all GBNSRs, except a planned school site during examination period. Close liaison with the representatives
of the planned school to confirm the examination periods and to avoid TBM
operation in the vicinity of the schools within such periods is recommended,
and ground-borne noise monitoring is considered not necessary during
construction phase.
Operational Phase
15.4.2
Prior
to the operation of the Project, a noise commissioning test should be conducted
to check the compliance of the ground-borne operational noise. Details of the commissioning test are
provided in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Construction
Phase
15.5.1
With
the implementation of the recommended water quality mitigation measures, no
adverse water quality impact would be expected at the WSRs located in the
vicinity of the works sites/areas.
Regular site inspections should be undertaken to inspect the
construction activities and works sites/areas in order to ensure the
recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented. Details of the audit
requirements are provided in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Operational
Phase
15.5.2
With proper design of
drainage and sewerage systems and implementation of the recommended mitigation
measures, no adverse water quality impacts
associated with the operation of the Project are expected. Therefore, no
specific EM&A requirement would be required.
Construction Phase
15.6.1
With
the provision of temporary sewage treatment facilities (i.e. chemical toilets),
no sewerage and sewage implications were identified, and therefore no specific
EM&A requirement would be required during construction phase.
Operational Phase
15.6.2
No
adverse impacts to the existing and planned sewerage systems associated with
the operation of the Project are expected, and thus no specific EM&A
requirement would be required.
Construction Phase
15.7.1
The
Contractor should be responsible to ensure that all waste produced during the
construction of the Project are properly handled, stored and disposed of in
accordance with good waste management practices, relevant legislation and waste
management guidelines.
15.7.2
Waste materials generated during construction
activities, such as C&D materials, are recommended to be audited at regular
intervals to ensure that proper storage, transportation and disposal practices
are being implemented. This would ensure the waste generated would be properly
disposed of. The Contractor should be responsible for the implementation of any
mitigation measures to minimise waste or mitigate problems arisen from waste
materials.
15.7.3
A
Waste Management Plan (WMP) should be prepared and submitted by the Contractor
to the Engineer for approval. The
recommended mitigation measures in this EIA Report should form the basis of the
WMP.
Operational Phase
15.7.4
It
is expected that there would be limited quantities of waste to be generated
from the operation of the Project and no adverse environmental impacts would be
anticipated with the implementation of good waste management practices. Therefore, waste monitoring and audit programme during the operational phase is not required.
15.8.1
Based
on the findings of site appraisals, a total of 121 potentially contaminated sites were
identified with
potential land contamination concerns within the Project and intrusive site
investigation (SI) works were proposed for the 43 accessible potentially contaminated sites. However, as the concerned sites are
still in operation, it would not be feasible to carry out the proposed SI works
under the EIA Study. Further site re-appraisal of the whole Project Site (including
identified accessible sites, partially accessible sites and inaccessible
sites), associated SI works and any necessary remediation action are
therefore recommended to carry out after land resumption but prior to the commencement of
construction works by mean of excavation at the respective identified
contamination area (if any). If necessary, any soil / groundwater
contamination would be identified and properly treated according to the
approved Remediation Action Plan(s) (RAP).
Remediation Report(s) (RRs) demonstrating the completion of remediation
works at the area(s) (if any) confirmed with contamination will be prepared and
submitted to EPD for approval prior to the commencement of construction works
at the contaminated areas.
15.8.2
With
the implementation of the recommended further works for the concerned areas,
any soil / groundwater contamination would be identified and properly treated
prior to construction works at the concerned areas. Land contamination impacts are therefore
considered surmountable to future occupants. Specific EM&A requirement is
therefore not required.
15.9
Ecology (Terrestrial and Aquatic)
15.9.1
Recommended
mitigation measures including avoidance of recognised
sites of conservation importance and associated habitats; control of
construction site runoff; establishment of buffer zone; control of groundwater
infiltration, etc, should be properly implemented
throughout the construction period.
Regular site inspections should be undertaken to inspect the
construction activities and works sites/areas in order to ensure the
recommended mitigation measures are properly implemented. Details of the audit
requirements are provided in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
15.9.2
For Kam Po Road Egretry and
Ardeid Night Roost (ANR), a pre-construction survey should be conducted for
areas within 100m from the boundaries of works site/area to confirm the
location and status of the Egretry and ANR. Monthly
monitoring should also be conducted during the course of construction works
within 100m of the Egretry and ANR. Details of the EM&A requirements
should refer to the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
15.9.3 All flora species
of conservation importance should be protected as far as practicable. As a
mitigation measure, all the unavoidably affected individuals should be
preserved on site, or transplanted to nearby suitable habitat(s) prior to
the commencement of site clearance as a last resort. A Detailed Vegetation Survey should be
conducted in the identified affected area
(i.e. SPAUT area) by a suitably
qualified botanist / ecologist to identify and record the affected individuals
prior to the commencement of any site clearance works. A Protection and
Transplantation Proposal including the subsequent monitoring visit for the
affected individuals should be prepared and conducted by a suitably qualified
local ecologist / horticulturist with at least 7 years relevant experience. The
Proposal should be submitted for EPD¡¯s approval at
least one month before commencement of construction works. Details of the EM&A requirements
should refer to the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
15.9.5
Compensatory
wetland should be provided to compensate for the affected wetland habitat. A Habitat Creation
and Management Plan (HCMP)
should be prepared by local ecologist with at least 7 years relevant experience
to form the basis of the proposed compensatory wetland and should be submitted
for EPD¡¯s approval at least three months before commencement of compensatory
works. The HCMP should
cover habitat design and construction methods, monitoring protocol with
particular focus on target species, detailed design and implementation details
of the compensatory wetland. Upon establishment of the compensatory wetland,
monthly monitoring should be conducted after the establishment. Parameters of monitoring should focus on
the abundance of target species and habitat conditions (e.g. water depth, water
quality and condition of the wetland vegetation etc.). Management programmes
(e.g. water control, structural maintenance, supplemental planting, pest
control, repair of damage etc.) should be conducted as necessary according to
the agreed HCMP.
15.9.6
A
bat shelter should also be provided for the unavoidable loss of day-roosting
site in one of the structures in deserted Pok Wai Public School. Details for the provision of a bat
shelter will be further studied and submitted at least three months before the
construction of bat shelter, detailing the location, design, management,
maintenance and monitoring requirement for agreement with AFCD.
Construction Phase
15.10.1
Groundwater
levels will be monitored at the areas close to the
aboveground works sites where would have deep excavation and active fishponds in
pre-construction and construction stages as part of the comprehensive
groundwater monitoring strategy. A monitoring and emergency response plan
should be prepared in relation to potential impacts due to groundwater
drawdown, will form part of the EM&A requirement in the EM&A Manual and
should be agreed with EPD and AFCD before commencement of the construction
works. The plan should include, but
not be limited to, details of monitoring locations and programme, a mechanism
to monitor the implication from the works to the groundwater system and
fishponds including their water levels, action levels and emergency responses
such as immediate action, remedial action and investigation. Monitoring
programme should be implemented to monitor impacts from groundwater
drawdown.
Operational Phase
15.10.2
With
the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures for minimising the
groundwater drawdown, no specific EM&A requirement would be required during
operational phase.
Construction Phase
Operational Phase
15.11.2
With
the implementation of the recommended landscape and visual mitigation measures,
no specific EM&A requirement would be required during operational phase.
Construction Phase
Built Heritage
15.12.1
Preservation
by record in cartographic and photographic record, and other documentation
means (including 3D scanning) for the other identified items that would be
directly affected is recommended. In addition, monitoring of ground-borne
vibration, tilting and ground settlement under Buildings Ordinance is proposed
during construction phase to ensure no adverse impact would be posed to the
other identified item in close vicinity. Details of the EM&A
requirements should refer to the stand-alone EM&A Manual.
Archaeology
15.12.2
To
fully retrieve the archaeological data, a survey-cum-excavation should be conducted in north of AUT Station, and south
of NTM Station and NTD before commencement of site formation and construction
works, subject to the future land resumption status and discussion with
AMO. The archaeological survey
should be conducted with an aim to locate the precise horizontal extent and the
nature of the archaeological deposits. Should key archaeological findings
occurred, excavation works should be applied to retrieve archaeological data
completely before the commencement of site formation and construction
works. Further archaeological
investigation should be conducted on NTM-TP3 after land
resumption and before site formation and construction works to remove the top
fill soil and reveal the pre-fill natural soil in order to yield adequate
archaeological information.
15.12.3
For
the sake of satisfying licence requirements and provide a more comprehensive
analysis on the archaeological potential within the Licence Area, future
archaeological survey is recommended on the south of SAT Station after land
resumption and before commencement of site formation and construction works.
15.12.4
Archaeological
watching brief is recommended to be carried out for the at-grade works sites /
works area, encroached by the Mai Po Lung (South) ASA, at the northwest of SAT
Station during the course of excavation works.
15.12.5
The
survey-cum-excavation, archaeological survey and archaeological watching brief
should be conducted by an archaeologist who should have obtained a Licence to Excavate and Search for Antiquities
from the Antiquities Authority prior to the commencement of the
fieldworks. The scope, methodology
and programme of the archaeological fieldworks should
be agreed with AMO. Should
archaeological deposits discovered in the archaeological fieldworks, mitigation
measures should be proposed and agreed with
AMO.
15.12.6
If
antiquities or supposed antiquities under the Antiquities and Monuments
Ordinance (Cap. 53) are discovered during the construction phase, the project
proponent is required to inform AMO immediately for discussion of appropriate
mitigation measures to be agreed by AMO before implementation by the project
proponent to the satisfaction of AMO.
Operational Phase
15.12.7
There
would be no impacts to archaeological and built heritage resources during
operational phase, and therefore no specific EM&A requirement is required.
Construction Phase
15.13.1
Good
safety practices and recommended design measures should be implemented to
further manage and minimise the potential risks during construction phase of
the Project. No environmental monitoring would be required.
Operational Phase
15.13.3
No
risk associated with the operation of the Project is expected, and thus no
monitoring and audit programme would be required.