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Press Release
EPD response on Tamar Development's air quality issues
In response to the views expressed by various organisations on the environmental issues at the Legislative Council's Subcommittee to Review the Planning for the Central Waterfront (including the Tamar Site) today (April 3), a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said the Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the Central Reclamation Phase III (CRIII) in fact covered existing and planned developments including the proposed Central Government Complex at Tamar site.
"The report had gone through public consultation between July and August 2001 under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO). The report was endorsed by the Advisory Council on the Environment and eventually approved by the EPD in August 2001. The report is available at the EIAO website," the spokesman said.
The EIA report concluded that the Tamar development would not cause any adverse impact on air quality, he added.
"The air quality assessment was conducted in accordance with the established assessment methodologies accepted in Hong Kong and internationally. It is a reliable assessment method. It had already taken into account the effects of the buildings on the predicted air quality and have not underestimated the impact of Tamar project on air quality," he said.
Given that there is no change in landuse in the CRIII, the relevant EIA report is still valid and no updating is required.
The spokesman said it was necessary to combat air pollution at the source. The Government would continue to implement measures to reduce vehicle emissions and the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Management Plan agreed by the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong with a view to improving local and regional air quality, the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, April 3, 2006
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