Table of Contents

                       

                        Executive Summary                                                              

1                      Introduction                                                                           

1.1                   Background                                                                            

1.2                   Scope of Report                                                                    

1.3                   Organization Structure                                                   

2                      EM&A Results                                                                          

2.1                   Dolphin Monitoring                                                              

2.2                   Environmental Licenses and Permits                         

2.3                   Summary of Exceedances of the Environmental Quality Performance Limit                                               

2.4                   Summary of Complaints, Notification of Summons and Successful Prosecutions                                                

3                      Future Key Issues                                                                 

3.1                   Monitoring Schedule for the Coming Month          

4                      Conclusions and recommendations                            

4.1                   Conclusions                                                                            

 


 

Appendix A                         Project Organization for Environmental Works

Appendix B                         EM&A Monitoring Schedules

Appendix C                         Operational Phase Dolphin Monitoring Survey

Appendix D                        Cumulative Statistics On Exceedances, Complaints, Notifications of Summons and Successful Prosecutions

 

 

Executive Summary

Under Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP), ERM-Hong Kong, Limited (ERM) has been appointed as the Environmental Team (ET) by the Highways Department (HyD) to undertaken the implementation of post-construction monitoring for the Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) in accordance with Environmental Permit No. EP-354/2009/D for the Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link Project (TM-CLK Link Project).  AECOM Asia Company Limited was appointed by HyD as the Supervising Officer while Ramboll Hong Kong Ltd. was employed by HyD as the Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) and Environmental Project Office (ENPO). 

The post-construction monitoring for the CWD commenced on June 2020 and will be completed in May 2022. 

This is the Sixth Monthly EM&A report presenting the monitoring works carried out during the period from 1 to 28 February 2022 for the Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP) Post-Construction Monitoring of Chinese White Dolphin (Line-transect Vessel Surveys) for Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link in Northeast and Northwest Lantau Survey Area – Investigation (the “Contract”) in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual of the TM-CLK Link Contract. 

In order to fulfil the EP’s and EM&A Manual’s requirements for TM-CLKL Project, Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP) took over the responsibility for implementation of operational phase dolphin monitoring from Contract No. HY/2012/08 from 1 September 2021 to 31 May 2022.

A summary of monitoring and audit activities conducted in the reporting period is listed below:

Operational Phase Dolphin Monitoring              2 sessions

Summary of Breaches of Action/Limit Levels

One (1) Limit Level exceedance was observed for the quarterly dolphin monitoring data between December 2021 and February 2022.

Environmental Complaints, Non-compliance & Summons

No non-compliance with EIA recommendations, EP conditions and other requirements associated with the construction of this Contract was recorded in this reporting period.

No environmental complaint was received in this reporting period.

No environmental summons was received in this reporting period.

Reporting Change

There was no reporting change in the reporting period.

1                                    Introduction

1.1                               Background

According to the findings of the Northwest New Territories (NWNT) Traffic and Infrastructure Review conducted by the Transport Department, Tuen Mun Road, Ting Kau Bridge, Lantau Link and North Lantau Highway would be operating beyond capacity after 2016.  This forecast has been based on the estimated increase in cross boundary traffic, developments in the Northwest New Territories (NWNT), and possible developments in North Lantau, including the Airport developments, the Lantau Logistics Park (LLP) and the Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macao Bridge (HZMB).  In order to cope with the anticipated traffic demand, two new road sections between NWNT and North Lantau – Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link (TM-CLKL) and Tuen Mun Western Bypass (TMWB) are proposed.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of TM-CLKL (the Project) was prepared in accordance with the EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-175/2007) and the Technical Memorandum of the Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIAO-TM).  The EIA Report was submitted under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) in August 2009.  Subsequent to the approval of the EIA Report (EIAO Register Number AEIAR-146/2009), an Environmental Permit (EP-354/2009) for TM-CLKL was granted by the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) on 4 November 2009, and EP variation (VEP) (EP-354/2009/A) was issued on 8 December 2010.  Subsequent applications for variation of environmental permits (VEPs), EP-354/2009/B, EP-354/2009/C and EP-354/2009/D, were granted on 28 January 2014, 10 December 2014 and 13 March 2015, respectively.

Under Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP), ERM-Hong Kong, Limited (ERM) has been appointed as the Environmental Team (ET) by the Highways Department (HyD) to undertaken the implementation of post-construction monitoring for the Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) in accordance with Environmental Permit No. EP-354/2009/D for the Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link Project (TM-CLK Link Project).  AECOM Asia Company Limited was appointed by HyD as the Supervising Officer while Ramboll Hong Kong Ltd. was employed by HyD as the Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) and Environmental Project Office (ENPO). 

The post-construction monitoring for the CWD commenced on June 2020 and will be completed in May 2022. 

In order to fulfil the EP’s and EM&A Manual’s requirements for TM-CLKL Project, Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP) took over the responsibility for implementation of operational phase dolphin monitoring from Contract No. HY/2012/08 from 1 September 2021 to 31 May 2022.

1.2                               Scope of Report

This is the Sixth Monthly EM&A Report under the Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP) Post-Construction Monitoring of Chinese White Dolphin (Line-transect Vessel Surveys) for Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link in Northeast and Northwest Lantau Survey Area – Investigation.  This report presents a summary of the environmental monitoring and audit works in February 2022.

1.3                               Organization Structure

The organization structure of the Contract is shown in Appendix A.  The key personnel contact names and contact details are summarized in Table 1.1 below.

Table 1.1        Contact Information of Key Personnel

Party

Position

Name

Telephone

Fax

Highways Department

 

Engr 24/SD

Ken T.M. Cheng

2762 4062

3188 6614

SOR

(AECOM Asia Company Limited)

 

Senior Resident Engineer

K P Wong

 

 

2293 6403

 

 

2293 6300

 

 

ENPO / IEC

(Ramboll Hong Kong Ltd.)

ENPO Leader

 

Y.H. Hui

3465 2850

3465 2899

IEC

 

Brian Tam

9700 6767

3465 2899

 

 

 

 

ET (ERM-HK)

ET Leader

Jasmine Ng

2271 3311

2723 5660

 

 

 

 

 

 

2                                    EM&A Results

The EM&A programme required environmental monitoring for marine ecology.  The EM&A requirements and related findings for the component are summarized in the following sections

2.1                               Dolphin Monitoring

2.1.1                          Monitoring Requirements

Operational Phase dolphin monitoring is required to be conducted by a qualified dolphin specialist team to evaluate whether there have been any effects on the dolphins.  According to the EM&A Manual, Operational Phase Monitoring on dolphin monitoring shall be undertaken based upon the frequency of forty-eight, one-day survey events at a frequency of 2 per month over a period of 24 months following cessation of the construction.

In order to fulfil the EM&A requirements and make good use of available resources, Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP) has taken over the responsibility for implementation of dolphin monitoring from HZMB HKLR Contract No. HY/2011/03 since October 2019 and Contract No. HY/2012/08 since September 2021.

2.1.2                          Monitoring Equipment

Table 2.1 summarises the equipment used for the operational phase dolphin monitoring.

Table 2.1        Dolphin Monitoring Equipment

Equipment

Model

Global Positioning System (GPS)

 

Garmin 18X-PC

Geo One Phottix

 

Camera

Nikon D90 300m 2.8D fixed focus

Nikon D90 20-300m zoom lens

 

Laser Binocular

Infinitor LRF 1000

 

Marine Binocular

Bushell 7 x 50 marine binocular with compass and reticules

 

Vessel for Monitoring

65 foot single engine motor vessel with viewing platform 4.5m above water level

2.1.3                          Monitoring Parameter, Frequencies & Duration

Dolphin monitoring should cover all transect lines in Northeast Lantau (NEL) and the Northwest Lantau (NWL) survey areas twice per month throughout the entire construction period and operational phase.  The monitoring data should be compatible with, and should be made available for, long-term studies of small cetacean ecology in Hong Kong.  In order to provide a suitable long-term dataset for comparison, identical methodology and line transects employed in baseline dolphin monitoring was followed in the impact dolphin monitoring and operational phase dolphin monitoring.

2.1.4                          Monitoring Location

The operational phase dolphin monitoring was carried out in the NEL and NWL along the line transect as depicted in Figure 2.1.  The co-ordinates of all transect lines are shown in Table 2.2 below.


Table 2.2        Operational Phase Dolphin Monitoring Line Transect Co-ordinates

Line No.

Easting

Northing

Line No.

Easting

Northing

1

Start Point

804671

815456

13

Start Point

816506

819480

1

End Point

804671

831404

13

End Point

816506

824859

2

Start Point

805476

820800*

14

Start Point

817537

820220

2

End Point

805476

826654

14

End Point

817537

824613

3

Start Point

806464

821150*

15

Start Point

818568

820735

3

End Point

806464

822911

15

End Point

818568

824433

4

Start Point

807518

821500*

16

Start Point

819532

821420

4

End Point

807518

829230

16

End Point

819532

824209

5

Start Point

808504

821850*

17

Start Point

820451

822125

5

End Point

808504

828602

17

End Point

820451

823671

6

Start Point

809490

822150*

18

Start Point

821504

822371

6

End Point

809490

825352

18

End Point

821504

823761

7

Start Point

810499

822000*

19

Start Point

822513

823268

7

End Point

810499

824613

19

End Point

822513

824321

8

Start Point

811508

821123

20

Start Point

823477

823402

8

End Point

811508

824254

20

End Point

823477

824613

9

Start Point

812516

821303

21

Start Point

805476

827081

9

End Point

812516

824254

21

End Point

805476

830562

10

Start Point

813525

821176

22

Start Point

806464

824033

10

End Point

813525

824657

22

End Point

806464

829598

11

Start Point

814556

818853

23

Start Point

814559

821739

11

End Point

814556

820992

23

End Point

814559

824768

12

Start Point

815542

818807

24*

Start Point

805476*

815900*

12

End Point

815542

824882

24*

End Point

805476*

819100*

Remarks: The coordinates of several starting and ending points have been revised due to the presence of a work zone to the north of the airport platform with intense construction activities in association with the construction of the third runway expansion for the Hong Kong International Airport.  Co-ordinates in red and marked with asterisk are revised co-ordinates of transect line.


2.1.5                          Monitoring Schedule for the Reporting Month

Dolphin monitoring was carried out on 10, 11, 24 and 25 February 2022.  The dolphin monitoring schedule for the reporting month is shown in Appendix B.

2.1.6                          Results & Observations

A total of 279.30 km of survey effort was collected, with 100% of the total survey effort being conducted under favourable weather conditions (i.e. Beaufort Sea State 3 or below with good visibility) in February 2022.  Among the two areas, 108.80 km and 170.50 km of survey effort were collected from NEL and NWL survey areas, respectively.  The total survey effort conducted on primary and secondary lines were 192.16 km and 87.14 km respectively.  The survey efforts are summarized in Appendix C.

Three groups of eight Chinese White Dolphins were sighted in the two sets of surveys in February 2022 ([1]).  The dolphin sightings were made in NWL, while none was sighted in NEL.  The dolphin sightings were made during on-effort search and were made on primary lines.  The dolphins were not associated with any operating fishing vessel.

No dolphin sighting was made in the proximity of the TM-CLKL alignment.  The distribution of dolphin sightings during the reporting month is shown in Figure 2.2.

Encounter rates of Chinese White Dolphins are deduced from the survey effort and on-effort sighting data made under favourable conditions (Beaufort 3 or below) in February 2022 with the results present in Tables 2.3 and 2.4.

Table 2.3        Individual Survey Event Encounter Rates

 

Encounter rate (STG)     (no. of on-effort dolphin sightings per 100 km of survey effort)

Encounter rate (ANI)            (no. of dolphins from all on-effort sightings per 100 km of survey effort)

Primary Lines Only

Primary Lines Only

NEL

Set 1: February 10th / 11th

0.0

0.0

Set 2: February 24th / 25th

0.0

0.0

NWL

Set 1: February 10th / 11th

1.6

9.6

Set 2: February 24th / 25th

3.3

3.3

Note: Dolphin Encounter Rates are deduced from the Two Sets of Surveys (Two Surveys in Each Set ) in February 2022 in Northeast (NEL) and Northwest Lantau (NWL)

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2.4        Monthly Average Encounter Rates

 

Encounter rate (STG)        (no. of on-effort dolphin sightings per 100 km of survey effort)

Encounter rate (ANI)            (no. of dolphins from all on-effort sightings per 100 km of survey effort)

Primary   Lines Only

Both Primary and Secondary Lines

Primary   Lines Only

Both Primary and Secondary Lines

Northeast Lantau

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Northwest Lantau

2.4

1.8

6.5

4.7

Note: Overall dolphin encounter rates (sightings per 100 km of survey effort) from all four surveys are conducted in February 2022 on primary lines only as well as both primary lines and secondary lines in Northeast and Northwest Lantau.

 

2.2                               Environmental Licenses and Permits

The status of environmental licensing and permit is summarized in Table 2.5 below.

                                 


Table 2.5        Summary of Environmental Licensing and Permit Status

License/ Permit

License or Permit No.

Date of Issue

Date of Expiry

License/ Permit Holder

Remarks

Environmental Permit

EP-354/2009/DF

13 March 2015

Throughout the Contract

HyD

Application for VEP on 3 March 2015 to supersede EP-354/2009/C

Notes:

HyD = Highways Department

VEP = Variation of Environmental Permit

 

 


2.3                               Summary of Exceedances of the Environmental Quality Performance Limit

One limit level exceedance was observed for the quarterly dolphin monitoring data between December 2021 to February 2022.

Cumulative statistics are provided in Appendix D.

2.4                               Summary of Complaints, Notification of Summons and Successful Prosecutions

No environmental complaint was received in this reporting period.

No environmental summons was received in this reporting period.

Statistics on complaints, notifications of summons and successful prosecutions are summarized in Appendix D.  

 

 

                                 

3                                    Future Key Issues

3.1                               Monitoring Schedule for the Coming Month

The tentative schedule for environmental monitoring in March 2022 is provided in Appendix B.

 

4                                    Conclusions and recommendations

4.1                               Conclusions

This Sixth EM&A Report presents the findings of the monitoring works undertaken during the period from 1 to 28 February 2022, in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual and the requirements of EP-354/2009/D.

Operational phase dolphin monitoring was carried out in this reporting month.

One limit level exceedance was observed for the quarterly dolphin monitoring data between December 2021 to February 2022.

Three groups of eight Chinese White Dolphins were sighted in the two sets of surveys in February 2022. The dolphin sightings were made in NWL, while none was sighted in NEL. The dolphin sightings were made during on-effort search and were made on primary lines. The dolphins were not associated with any operating fishing vessel.

No environmental complaint was received in this reporting period.

No environmental summons was received in this reporting period.

In order to fulfil the EP’s and EM&A Manual’s requirements for TM-CLKL Project, Agreement No. HMWSD 1/2021 (EP) took over the responsibility for implementation of operational phase dolphin monitoring from Contract No. HY/2012/08 from 1 September 2021 to 31 May 2022.



([1]) Seven of the eight dolphin sighted during surveys in February 2022 were identified as known individuals.  Photo records are presented in Appendix C