Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499)
(ACE-EIA Paper 13/2001)
For advice
Environmental Impact Assessment Report for Application No. EIA-060/2001
Proposed Headquarters & Bus Maintenance Depot at Chai Wan
Purpose
1. This paper presents the key findings and recommendations of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the proposed headquarters & bus maintenance depot in Chai Wan submitted under Section 6(2) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) as application no. EIA-060/2001. A presentation will be made by Citybus Limited and their consultants. Comments from the public and the ACE will be taken into account by the Director of Environmental Protection when he makes the decision on the approval of the EIA report under the EIAO.
Advice Sought
2. Member's views are sought on the findings and recommendations of the EIA report.
Need for the Project
3. The Citybus Limited currently operates around 38% of its buses for routes serving the Eastern and Central Districts. The decommissioning of the temporary depot at Aldrich Bay has created the need for a permanent depot facility in the Eastern District for Citybus to maintain its quality and efficient bus services on the Hong Kong Island.
Description of Designated Project
4. This is a Designated Project under section A.6, Part I of Schedule 2 of the EIAO.
5. The proposed bus depot will be constructed on an approximately 1-hectare site located in Chai Wan East Industrial Area (Figure 1). The proposed bus depot is about 80m and 180m away from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE (Chai Wan)) and Tsui Wan Estate respectively.
Specific Environmental Aspects to Highlight
6. The major environmental issues identified for this project are noise impacts, air quality impacts and chemical wastes generated during operation.
Construction Noise
7. With the use of quiet plants and a 6m high temporary vertical noise barrier at the western site boundary along Shing Tai Road, the predicted maximum construction noise level at IVE (Chai Wan) will be reduced from a maximum of 82 dB(A) to 70 dB(A) to meet the established criteria.
Operational Noise
8. Buses are scheduled to return and exit from the proposed depot mostly in early morning (0530 to 0630) and mid-night (2300 to 0000). A routing plan for buses (Figure 1) is formulated to divert commuting buses away from nearby residential areas. The predicted maximum traffic noise increase at Tsui Wan Estate, attributed to buses from the proposed depot, is 0.2 - 0.4 dB(A) which is less than 1 dB(A) and negligible.
9. The noise generated from operations inside the proposed bus depot is predicted to meet established criteria with the following mitigation measures in place:
- 3m high solid vertical walls (as noise barriers) at the northern, western and southern facade at the roof parking area.
- Blank facades without opening at the northern and southern sides of the depot building.
Operational Air Quality
10. The air quality at all air sensitive receivers subject to vehicular emissions will comply with Air Quality Objectives (AQO). The predicted 1-hr cumulative NO2 at the worst affected air sensitive receiver - IVE (Chai Wan), is 195 mg/m3, which is within the AQO limit of 300 mg/m3.
Chemical Wastes during Operation
11. Chemical wastes generated during operation phase of the proposed depot are regulated under the Waste Disposal Ordinance. An Environmental Management System is proposed during operational phase to ensure proper chemical waste management and disposal.
Environmental Monitoring and Audit
12. A framework for EM&A has been put forward in the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) submitted in the EIA. The EM&A requirements will be enforced as Environmental Permit conditions.
Public Consultation
13. Citybus Limited made the EIA Report, EMP and Executive Summary available for the public to comment under the EIAO on 16 August 2001. Members will be briefed about any comments received from the public at the meeting.
Environmental Assessment and Noise Division
Environmental Protection Department
August 2001
