Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance
The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap 499) was implemented in 1998 providing a framework for assessing the potential environmental impacts of designated projects at the planning stage and for the protection of the environment. It contains provisions to avoid, minimize and control the adverse impacts to the local environment of designated projects through an environmental permit and environmental monitoring and audit system. The Technical Memorandum for Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance sets out the technical requirements for the Environmental Impact Assessment process and the criteria for determining the environmental acceptability of designated projects, stipulating that any adverse environmental effects should be avoided to the maximum practicable extent and minimized to within acceptable levels.
Details of Cap 499 and its subsidiary regulations can be found at the "Hong Kong e-Legislation" website of the Department of Justice.
