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Press
Releases - 1998
Environmental
Impact Assessment more transparent
A new
piece of legislation, which marks a major milestone in planning
against pollution from major developments, will come into
operation tomorrow (Wednesday).
The Environmental
Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) aims to avoid, minimise
and control adverse environmental impacts of designated projects
through the application of the environmental impact assessment
(EIA) process and an environmental permit system.
The legislation
not only makes the present administrative EIA process a statutory
one, but also provides opportunities for the public to express
concern on the possible impact from developments, Principal
Environmental Protection Officer, Mr Elvis Au said.
"Under
the new Ordinance, certain designated projects that have potential
for adverse environmental impacts must comply with the EIA
requirements, and obtain environmental permits for their construction
and operation.
"Compared
to the existing EIA system, one of the major improvements
is that measures recommended in EIA would be enforceable under
the Ordinance.
"It is
an offence to construct, operate or decommission certain types
of projects listed in the Ordinance without environmental
permits or contrary to the environmental permit conditions.
"Another
major improvement is that the public could be involved at
an early stage of the project planning and design.
"The
new Ordinance provides for the public to raise environmental
concerns which the EIA should address, and comment on the
EIA report prior to its approval," he said.
The Ordinance
was enacted in February 1997. The associated technical memorandum
and regulations were approved in June and November last year.
Mr Au
said the statutory EIA process would be transparent as the
public could access the information under the Ordinance through
the EIA Ordinance Register Office at 27/F, Southorn Centre,
Wanchai. Certain information can also be accessed through
the EIA Ordinance website (http://www.info.gov.hk/epd/eia).
The Technical
Memorandum on the Environmental Impact Assessment Process
and A Guide to the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance
can be obtained from the EIA Ordinance Register Office. The
Ordinance, the technical memorandum, the associated regulations
and other guidance materials are also available at the Ordinance
website.
Any further
enquiries can be made to the EIA Ordinance Register Office
at 2835 1835 and by fax 2147 0894.
End/Tuesday,
March 31, 1998
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