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Press Release
EIA (Exemption of Shenzhen Section of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge) Order made
The Chief Executive in Council today (June 5) made an Order to provide for a temporary exemption from the environmental permit requirement for operating the Shenzhen section of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge (SSBB).
The Order, which was made pursuant to section 30 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance (Cap. 499), allows the Shenzhen Bay Bridge to open to traffic when the new cross-boundary control point at the Shenzhen Bay Port comes into operation.
Upon gazettal on June 15, the Order will take effect for a limited period of 12 months starting from the date when the Shenzhen Bay Port operates or until the Director of Environmental Protection issues the required environmental permit, whichever is the earlier.
"The Highways Department, which is the operator of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge, can only initiate the statutory application procedure to apply for the EP after the laws of Hong Kong are applicable to the SSBB. It would be neither acceptable to the community nor in the public interest that the operation of the Hong Kong Port Area is to be delayed pending the application and issue of the environmental permit for the operation of the SSBB," a government spokesman said.
"The Highways Department will apply for the environmental permit under the EIA Ordinance during the exemption period. To safeguard the environment during the exemption period, the Order has specified conditions to require the Highways Department to implement in the SSBB, where applicable, the same environmental mitigation and monitoring measures set out in the EP for the Hong Kong section," he added.
"Anyone who breaches a condition or requirement imposed under an exemption order is deemed to have breached an EP and is subject to the relevant provisions of the EIA Ordinance (Cap. 499)," the spokesman said.
The new control point at the Shenzhen Bay Port, which is to be linked to Ngau Hom Shek in the Northwest New Territories through the Shenzhen Bay Bridge (also known as the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor), will be the fourth vehicular boundary crossing between Hong Kong and the Mainland. It will provide a much needed relief to the existing boundary crossings. Hong Kong and Shenzhen are making the best efforts to commission the Shenzhen Bay Port within this year.
Ends/Tuesday, June 5, 2007
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