Contents
1.1 Purpose of the Report
2.1 Project Area
2.2 Environmental Sensitive Receivers
2.3 Major Construction Activities
2.4 Monitoring Schedule of The Reporting Month
2.5 Status of Environmental Approval Documents
2.6 Community Liaison Group Meeting
2.7 Summary of Non-Compliance With The Environmental Quality
Performance Limits
2.8 Summary of Environmental Complaints
2.9 Summary of Environmental Summons
3 Environmental Issues and Actions
3.1 Previous Environmental Deficiencies and Follow-up
Actions
3.2 Implementation Status on Environmental Protection
Requirements
4.1 Air and Noise
4.2 Water Quality
4.3 POPs Monitoring
4.4 Waste Management
4.5 Cultural Heritage
4.6 Landscape and Visual
4.7 Land Contamination, Hazard to Life and Fuel Spill
Risk
4.8 Ecology
4.9 EM&A Manual
4.10 Baseline Water Quality Monitoring
5.1 Key Issues for the Next One Month
5.2 Impact Prediction for the Next One Month
5.3 Works and Monitoring Schedule for the Next One Month
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Summary of Works Undertaken
During the Reporting Period
Table 2.2 Cumulative
Quantity of Excavated Marine Sediments up to 31 October 2008
Table 2.3 Summary
of Environmental Licensing, Notification and Permit Status
LIST OF ANNEXES
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The construction
works for the Permanent Aviation Fuel Facility resumed on 9 July 2007. This twenty-fourth
monthly Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) report presents the
EM&A work carried out during the period from 1 October to 31 October 2008
in accordance with the EM&A Manual.
Breaches of all Action and Limit Levels
No exceedance of depth-averaged Turbidity, depth-averaged
Suspended Solids (SS) and depth-averaged Dissolved Oxygen (DO) was recorded
during the monitoring month.
Complaint Log
No environmental
complaints were received during the reporting period.
Notifications of any Summons
and Successful Prosecutions
No environmental summon or prosecutions were received in this reporting
period.
Reporting Changes
There were no reporting changes in the reporting period.
Future Key Issues
·
Dust
release and suppression;
·
Operation
of dredging activities; and
·
Water
quality monitoring and dolphin monitoring during the dredging activities.
Leighton
Contractors (
The construction works for PAFF commenced in November
2005 based upon the previous EIA (EIAO
Register Number AEIAR-062-2002) conducted and the Environmental Permit EP-139/2002 granted on the 28th
August 2002. Due to minor changes to the
detailed layout of the site and the site boundary, application for Variation to
the Environmental Permit (VEP) (VEP-133/2004)
was submitted to the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) for
approval. The variation to the EP (EP-139/2002/A) was granted by the EPD in
February 2004.
The decision by
the EPD to grant the above Environmental Permit was, however, subject to a
Judicial Review. The Judicial Review
sided in the favour of the DEP, as did the subsequent Judgement from the Court
of Appeal from the High Court for Judicial Review in March 2005. However, the DEP’s
decision to grant the EP was quashed by the Judgement of the Court of Final
Appeal of July 2006.
The construction
works were stopped following the Judgement of the Court of Final Appeal of July
2006. As such, in order to continue with
the construction of the project, the project went through the statutory
procedures under the EIAO again with a new design in order to obtain an
environmental permit. The revised EIA
was submitted in 2007 and the environmental permit (EP-262/2007) was granted in May 2007. EP-262/2007
has been amended to EP-262/2007/A and
issued by the EPD on 30 November 2007. A
further Variation to the Environmental Permit has been approved to allow
dredging works to continue until March 2008.
As such, EP-262/2007/A has
been amended to EP-262/2007/B and
issued by the EPD on 27 February 2008.
The construction works and EM&A requirements were
resumed on 9th July 2007 following the latest requirements of the EP-262/2007/B and EM&A Manual. Details
regarding the EM&A requirements and changes should refer to the updated EM&A Manual. For the marine works, all piling activities
were completed before the previous suspension of construction works in 2006.
This is the twenty-fourth EM&A Report which
summarizes the monitoring results and audit findings for the EM&A programme
during the reporting period from 1
October to 31 October 2008.
The project area
is in Area 38 of Tuen Mun
and the pipelines are located in
No air and noise
sensitive receivers were identified close to the project area. However, water sensitive receivers and
ecological sensitive receivers were identified in the EIA study, and are shown
in Annex B.
A summary of the
major works undertaken in this reporting period is shown in Table 2.1.
Dredging operation was suspended from 1 April to 31 August 2008 and
resumed on 1 September 2008. Table
2.2 presents the cumulative quantity of excavated materials up to 31
October 2008. Daily and cumulative
dredging production rates are illustrated in Figure 2.1.
Table 2.1 Summary
of Works Undertaken During the Reporting Period
Area |
Works
undertaken |
Tuen Mun Area 38 |
Tank Farm, Roof Truss and Bund Wall
Construction Permanent Drainage Construction Operational & Fire Services Buildings
Construction Jetty Works (Non-piling) |
Submarine |
Dredging Operations |
Table 2.2 Cumulative
Quantity of Excavated Marine Sediments up to 31 October 2008
Type of Excavated Materials |
Cumulative Bulk Volume (m3) |
From
17 December 2007 to 31 March 2008 |
|
Contaminated
Mud |
105,974 |
Uncontaminated
Mud |
97,815 |
|
|
From
1 September to 31 October 2008 |
|
Contaminated
Mud |
0 |
Uncontaminated
Mud |
37,217 |
Daily water quality monitoring during dredging activities
recommenced on 1 September 2008. The
monitoring schedule for October 2008 is presented in Annex C.
A summary of the relevant permits, licences, and/or
notifications on environmental protection for this Project since July 2007 is
presented in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3 Summary
of Environmental Licensing, Notification and Permit Status
Permit/ Licenses/ Notification |
Reference |
Validity
Period |
Remarks |
Environmental
Permit |
EP-262/2007/B |
Throughout
Project |
Issued
on 27 February 2008 (EP-262/2007/A on
30 November 2007, EP-262/2007
issued on 31 May 2007, EP-139/2002
originally granted on 28 August 2002 and EP-139/2002/A
granted on 24 February 2004 were superseded) |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
Chemical
Waste Producer Registration |
WPN 5111-421-L2174-25 |
Throughout
Project |
Issued
on 10 November 2005 |
Notification
of Construction Works under Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust)
Regulation |
H2104/U1D/5542/DG/DH/PL |
Throughout
Project |
Notification
on 6 July 2007 |
Construction
Noise Permit |
GW-RW0676-07 |
21
December 2007 to 19 June 2008 |
For
land-based works including air compressors, breakers, excavators, wheeled loaders,
mobile cranes, concrete lorry mixers, hand-held pokers, bar benders/cutters,
wood saws, grinders, submarine water pump, lorries with crane, dump trucks,
rollers, ventilation fans and generators |
|
GW-RW0677-07 |
21
December 2007 to 29 February 2008 |
For
marine dredging operation including grab dredger, tug boat, split hopper
barge and motor sampan |
|
GW-RW0678-07 |
21
December 2007 to 18 June 2008 |
For
marine jetty works including concrete pump derrick barges, hand-held
grinders, generators, air compressors, boring machines, water pumps, tug
boat, grout mixers and grout pumps |
|
GW-RW0094-08 |
1
March to 31 March 2008 |
For
marine dredging operation including grab dredger, tug boat, split hopper barge
and motor sampan |
|
GW-RW0312-08 |
04
July 2008 to 22 December 2008 |
For
marine jetty works including concrete pump derrick barges, hand-held
grinders, generators, air compressors, boring machines, water pumps, tug boat,
grout mixers and grout pumps |
|
GW-RW0313-08 |
04
July 2008 to 19 December 2008 |
For
land-based works including air compressors, breakers, excavators, wheeled
loaders, mobile cranes, concrete lorry mixers, hand-held pokers, bar
benders/cutters, wood saws, grinders, submarine water pump, lorries with
crane, dump trucks, rollers, ventilation fans and generators |
|
GW-RW0373-08 |
1
August 2008 to 20 January 2009 |
For
land-based works including air compressors, breakers, excavators, wheeled loaders,
mobile cranes, concrete lorry mixers, hand-held pokers, bar benders/cutters,
wood saws, grinders, submarine water pump, lorries with crane, dump trucks,
rollers, ventilation fans, generators, stirrer, jet chisel, water jet machine
and dehumidifier |
|
GW-RW0368-08 |
1
September to 30 November 2008 |
For
marine dredging operation including grab dredger, tug boat, split hopper
barge and motor sampan |
Marine
Dumping Permit |
EP/MD/08-064 |
13
December 2007 to 29 February 2008 |
For
Type 1 – Open Sea Disposal |
|
EP/MD/08-065 |
13
December 2007 to 12 January 2008 |
For
Type 1d & Type 2 marine disposal |
|
EP/MD/08-071 |
13
January 2008 to 12 February 2008 |
For
Type 1d & Type 2 marine disposal |
|
EP/MD/08-090 |
3
March to 31 March 2008 |
For
Type 1d & Type 2 marine disposal |
|
EP/MD/08-091 |
3
March to 31 March 2008 |
For
Type 1 – Open Sea Disposal |
|
EP/MD/09-018 |
1
September to 30 September 2008 |
For
Type 1d & Type 2 marine disposal |
|
EP/MD/09-032 |
1
October to 31 October 2008 |
For
Type 1d & Type 2 marine disposal |
|
EP/MD/09-017 |
1
September to 30 November 2008 |
For
Type 1 – Open Sea Disposal |
Wastewater
Discharge License |
EP760/421/011399/l |
15 March 2006 to 31 March 2011 |
Issued
on 15 March 2006 |
According
to the EP requirements, a Community Liaison Group (CLG) shall be established
within three months after commencement of construction of the Project. The major duty of the CLG is to advise on and
monitor the proper design, construction and operation of the Project. The CLG comprises representatives from
Airport Authority, members of Tuen Mun community and academics.
The
details of the CLG (including Membership and its Terms of Reference) can be
found on the Project website (http://www.paffhk.com).
No environmental
non-compliance was recorded during the reporting period.
No environmental
complaints were received during the reporting period. A summary of environmental complaints since
project commencement is presented in Annex D.
No summons was
received in this reporting period. A
summary of legal proceeding since project commencement is presented in Annex D.
As no
environmental complaint was received over the last reporting period, no
follow-up action was required.
Weekly site
inspections were carried out by the ET on 2, 10, 15, 24 and 30 October
2008. Overall, the site was in good
orderly manner and no non-compliances were found. Environmental deficiencies and follow-up
actions/mitigation measures were identified during the inspections, as follows:
Air Quality
·
Water tankers were used regularly to wet the road surface to minimize
dust emission.
·
Site entrance was paved and wheel-washing facility was provided to avoid
dust deposit on the public road.
·
Main access road within the site (between site office and exit) was
paved to avoid dust emission. Other
sections of the major access road in the construction area were paved with
stones.
·
On 24 October 2008, open sand piles were observed outside the operation
building. On 30 October 2008, open sand
and soil piles were observed near the tank farms and surcharge area. The Contractor was reminded to cover open
piles with impervious sheets in non-working hours.
Noise
·
No noisy activities that generated excessive noise were observed during
the audit.
·
All air compressors inspected on site were operated with a valid noise
label.
Water Quality
·
Site toilets were provided on site.
A soil soakaway system with holding tanks was
installed to treat the sewage from the toilets.
No effluent discharge out of the site was observed during the audits.
·
During the site inspection on 2 October 2008, silt curtains were not
properly installed in the dredging area.
The Contactor was recommended to ensure silt curtains were properly
installed prior to all dredging activities.
·
During the site inspections on 15 October 2008, sediment plumes were
observed in the water at the discharge outlet near the operation building. The Contractor was recommended to check the
efficiency of sedimentation facilities and to review the effluent discharge
arrangements in the tank farm area.
·
During the site inspections on 24 October 2008, oil sheen was observed
on the edge of the dredging barge deck.
A hose nearby was observed to be leaking, and part of the oil sheen was
flushed onto the sea surface. The
Contractor was recommended to arrange clearance of the oil sheen as soon as
possible.
·
During the site inspection on 30 October 2008, the oil interceptor and
the car washing facility was observed to be filled with sediments. The Contractor was recommended to clear the
sediments in the respective facilities as soon as possible.
Waste Management
·
During the site
inspection on 2 and 9 October 2008, chemical wastes were stored on the deck of
the barge without spillage preventive measures.
On 15 October 2008, the chemical waste storage area on the dredging
barge was observed to be full. Drums of
chemical wastes were placed on the deck of the dredging barge without spillage
preventive measures. The Contractor was
recommended to store chemical wastes in bunded areas
to avoid potential spillages and arranged collection as soon as the storage
area is full.
·
During the site
inspection on 15 October 2008, it was observed that wastes were piled up on
ground next to the operation building without refuse bin. The Contractor was recommended to replace
refuse bin for temporary storage of general refuse as soon as possible.
·
During the site
inspection on 2 and 10 October 2008, oil was observed on the floor behind the
workshop. On 24 October 2008, oil stains
were observed on the ground under a pile of unused oil hose outside the
operation building. The Contractor was
recommended to clear all oil stains as soon as possible.
·
During the site
inspection on 2 October 2008, waste drums in the chemical waste storage were
not labelled. On 15 October 2008,
chemical waste drums on the dredging barge were not labelled. The Contractor was recommended to label the
containers with proper stickers with reference to the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical
Wastes under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354).
·
During the site
inspection on 2 and 10 October 2008, machinery inside the workshop was placed
on the floor without drip trays. The
Contractor was recommended to provide drip trays for the temporary storage of
oily machines in works area.
·
On 2 October 2008,
water was observed in the chemical waste storage. The Contractor was recommended to clear the
water from the storage and dispose the collected wastewater properly.
Landscape and Visual
·
The transplanted
trees at the new site were in good and healthy condition; and,
·
The berm was habilitated by vegetation.
With the
exception of the above observations, the site was in a good orderly
manner. 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.
The
implementation status of environmental mitigation measures and requirements as
stated in the EIA Report, Environmental Permits and EM&A Manual during the reporting period is
summarized in Annex
E.
Air and Noise
monitoring is not required for the project.
In accordance to the EM&A Manual, water quality
monitoring recommenced on 1 September 2008 alongside dredging activities. QA/QC
reports for suspended solids testing are presented in Annex F. Monitoring
data and graphical presentations of the results are included in Annex
G.
Results of the monitoring demonstrated that all
measured turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and suspended solids (SS) levels of
all Impact Stations were compliant with the Action and Limit (AL) Levels
specified in the EM&A Manual.
Biweekly monitoring of POPs
in water samples was conducted on 8 and 22 October for POPs
analysis. At the time of this report,
results were available for total PCBs, total DDTs and
total PAHs on 8 October. All POPs parameters
were below detection limits. Monitoring
results and QA/QC reports for POPs testing are presented in Annex H.
The Watching Brief Report, verified by the
Independent Environmental Checker, was submitted to the EPD and AMO on 9 May
2008.
According to the EIA report and EM&A Manual, mitigation measures and site inspection are
required during the landscaping/planting works.
The berm/landscaping bund was habilitated by
vegetation which was grown during the project suspension period. The transplanted trees were in good and
healthy condition.
The weekly site
inspections included audits on landscape and visual issues to ensure that the
site was in orderly acceptable manner.
The ET and IEC
verified updated design audit plan was submitted to the EPD on 7 November 2007.
Weekly site
inspection covered the waste management aspects which included measures to
prevent land contamination by chemical wastes.
In accordance
with EM&A Manual, dolphin
monitoring has been undertaken during dredging activities since 1 September
2008. During the reporting period, a
total of 9 dolphin sightings were recorded.
Appropriate action was taken in accordance with the EM&A Manual. The
sighting locations and field records are presented in Annex I.
The EM&A Manual for the Project has been
updated by the ET to include the detailed arrangements of setting up a Community
Liaison Group, carrying out design audit, and monitoring of Persistent Organic
Pollutants during construction of the Project.
Further comments were received from the EPD on 22 January 2008. The ET will update the EM&A Manual which will be submitted to the EPD within the next
reporting month.
The Final Baseline Monitoring Report was submitted to the EPD on 20
February 2008 and placed under the EIAO register.
It should be
noted that dredging activities have been resumed from 1 September 2008. As such, the key issues to be considered in
the next one month will be:
·
Dust
release and suppression;
·
Operation
of dredging activities; and,
·
Water
quality monitoring and dolphin monitoring during the dredging activities
Provided that
environmental mitigation measures including good on-site practises are properly
implemented, it is not expected that unacceptable adverse impacts will arise.
Work programme
for the next one month includes jetty platform works (non-piling), site works
(construction works for tank farm, operational and fire services buildings,
pump platform, drainages, bund wall, security wall etc) and dredging
operations. Weekly site inspections will
be undertaken. Water quality and dolphin
monitoring will be undertaken in accordance with the EM&A Manual.