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 Month
5.2 Impact Prediction for the Next Month
5.3 Works and Monitoring Schedule for the Next 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 January 2009
Table 2.3 Summary
of Environmental Licensing, Notification and Permit Status
Annex B Water Quality Monitoring
Stations, Water Quality and Ecological Sensitive Receivers
Annex C Monitoring Schedule for the
Reporting Period and Next Month
Annex D Cumulative Complaints Statistics
Annex E Implementation Programme of Mitigation Measures
Annex F QA/QC Results of Laboratory Testing for Suspended
Solids
Annex G Impact
Water Quality Monitoring Results
Annex H Monitoring Results and QA/QC Reports of Laboratory
Testing for POPs
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The construction
works for the Permanent Aviation Fuel Facility resumed on 9 July 2007. This twenty-seventh
monthly Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) report presents the
EM&A work carried out during the period from 1 January to 31 January 2009 in accordance with the EM&A Manual.
Breaches of all Action and Limit Levels
No exceedances of
any Action and Limit Levels applicable to the project were observed during the
reporting period.
Complaint Log
No environmental
complaints were received during the reporting period.
Notifications of any Summons
and Successful Prosecutions
No environmental summons or prosecutions were received in this reporting
period.
Reporting Changes
There was no reporting changes in the reporting
period.
Future Key Issues
·
Dust
release and suppression.
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-seventh EM&A Report which
summarizes the monitoring results and audit findings for the EM&A programme
during the reporting period from 1
January to 31 January 2009.
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
January 2009. 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 January 2009
|
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 2008 to 31 January 2009 |
|
|
Contaminated Mud |
0 |
|
Uncontaminated Mud |
149,147 |
Daily water quality monitoring during dredging activities
was recommenced on 1 September 2008. The
monitoring schedule for January 2009 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 |
|
|
EP/MD/09-039 |
1
December 2008 to 31 January 2009 |
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.
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 7, 15 and 20 January 2009. Site inspection was not conducted in the last
week of January as the site was not in operation due to public holidays. 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:
Water Quality
·
On 7 January 2009, a stagnant water pool was observed inside the
chemical storage area. The Contractor
was reminded to arrange ad hoc water
clearances as necessary.
Waste Management
·
On 15 January 2009,
general wastes near the operation building were observed to be full. The Contractor was recommended to arrange
collection of general wastes by a licensed Contractor as soon as possible.
·
On 20 January 2009,
oil sheens were observed on the floor in the chemical storage area near the
operational building. The Contractor was
recommended to clear spillages and to provide suitable spillage control
measures as soon as possible.
·
On 15 and 20
January 2009, some lubricant oil containers were stored outside workshop
without proper receptacle and not sealed.
The Contractor was reminded to replace bins and lids for temporary
storage as soon as possible.
·
On 20 January 2009,
construction waste and paper waste were piled up together without proper sorting
and receptacle bins near the operation building. The Contractor was reminded to replace bins
for temporary storage as soon as possible.
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 10 January 2009 for POPs analysis.
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 appeared to be habilitated by vegetation which
was grown during the project suspension period.
The transplanted trees appeared to be 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 3 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 CLG,
carrying out design audit, and monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants
during construction of the Project. A
revised EM&A Manual has been
verified by the IEC and was submitted to EPD on 2 December 2008. Further comments were received from the EPD
on 16 January 2009 and the ET will revise the Manual in the next reporting month.
The Final Baseline Monitoring Report was submitted to the EPD on 20
February 2008 and placed under the EIAO register.
Key issues to be
considered in the next month will be:
·
Dust
release and suppression.
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 month includes jetty platform works (non-piling) and land-based site
works (construction works for tank farm, operational and fire services
buildings, pump platform, drainages, bund wall, security wall etc). Weekly site inspections will be undertaken.