6               CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions

6.1         The Quarterly Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) Report presents the EM&A works undertaken in the period between 22nd February and 31st May 2013 in accordance with EM&A Manual. 

 

6.2         No Action/Limit Level exceedance was recorded for air quality and underwater noise.

 

6.3         For water quality monitoring, there are 17 Action Level exceedances and 6 Limit Level exceedances were recorded for dissolved oxygen. 30 Action Level exceedances and 101 Limit Level exceedances for turbidity were recorded. 22 Action exceedances and 92 Limit Level exceedances for suspended solids were recorded.

 

6.4         According to the investigation, no major marine construction activities were conducted during the monitoring period between 22 February and 19 March 2013. No pollution discharge from the marine works and sediment plume due to natural fluctuation of shallow water were observed. Therefore, all exceedances are considered not due to the Contract.

 

6.5         One Action Level exceedance was recorded for noise as one documented complaint was received to complaint the noise nuisance due to loading of metal parts at barge near the seawall of Works Area WA6 early morning (around 8:45a.m) on 18 May 2013 (Saturday) in the reporting month. No Limit Level exceedance for noise was recorded.

 

6.6         During this quarter of dolphin monitoring, no adverse impact from the Contract on Chinese White Dolphins was noticeable from general observations, and the dolphin occurrence in West Lantau survey area remained the same as in the baseline period. No Action/Limit Level exceedance was recorded in the reporting period.

 

6.7         Although the average dolphin encounter rates in the present three-month study period were similar to the ones in the three-month baseline monitoring period, the spatial occurrence of dolphins appeared to be noticeably different between the two periods, with lower usage of the area to the north of Tai O Peninsula (i.e. the vicinity of HKLR09 construction site) during the present impact monitoring period.

 

6.8         Dolphin usage in West Lantau waters should be continuously monitored, to examine whether such avoidance of the northern portion of the study area by the dolphins will continue in the upcoming quarters.

 

6.9         Environmental site inspection was conducted on 26th February 2013, 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th March 2013, 2nd, 9th, 16th, 26th and 30th April 2013, 7th, 14th, 21st and 31st May 2013 by ET in the reporting month. All deficiencies identified during the site inspection have already rectified / improved during the follow-up audit session.

 

6.10     The inspection to the Sha Lo Wan (West) Archaeological Site was conducted on 25th March 2013. No access to Sha Lo Wan (West) Archaeological site for works areas and storage of construction equipment was observed.

 

6.11     There were four environmental complaints, no notification of summons and successful prosecution received in the reporting period.

 

6.12     The ET will keep track on the EM&A programme to ensure compliance of environmental requirements and the proper implementation of all necessary mitigation measures.

Recommendations

 

6.13     According to the environmental audit performed in the reporting month, the following recommendations were made:

 

Air Quality Impact

 

·          To regularly maintain the quality of machinery and vehicles on site.

·          To implement dust suppression measures on all haul roads, stockpiles, dry surfaces and excavation works.

·          To provide hoarding along the entire length of that portion of the site boundary.

 

Noise Impact

 

·          To inspect the noise sources inside the site.

·          To space out noisy equipment and position the equipment as far away as possible from sensitive receivers.

·          To provide temporary noise barriers for operations of noisy equipment near the noise sensitive receivers, if necessary.

 

Water Impact

 

·     To prevent any surface runoff discharge into any stream course and sea.

·     To review and implement temporary drainage system.

·     To identify any wastewater discharges from site.

·     To ensure properly maintenance for de-silting facilities.

·     To clear the silt and sediment in the sedimentation tanks.

·     To review the capacity of de-silting facilities for discharge.

·     To divert all the water generated from construction site to de-silting facilities with enough handling capacity before discharge.

·     To avoid accumulation of stagnant and ponding water on site.

 

Ecology Impact

·     To implement Spill Response Plan in the event of accidential spillage of or other hazardours chemicals.

·     To implement Dolphin Exclusion Zone during the installation of bored pile casing located in the waters to the west of Airport.

·     To implement Dolphin Watching Plan after the bored piling casing is installed.

·     To ensure the acoustically-decoupled measures were implemented for air compressors and other noisy equipment mounted on construction vessels according to acoustic decoupling measures plan. 

 

 

Waste/Chemical Management

 

·          To check for any accumulation of waste materials or rubbish on site.

·          To ensure the performance of sorting of C&D materials at source (during generation);

·          To carry out inspection of dump truck at site exit to ensure inert and non-inert C&D materials are properly segregated before removing off site.

·          To avoid any discharge or accidental spillage of chemical waste or oil directly from the site.

·          To avoid improper handling or storage of oil drum on site.