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Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System |
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Construction Phase
Monthly EM&A Report No.2 |
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Chapter Title
Tables
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Locations of Key Construction Activities in this reporting period |
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Locations of Air and Noise Monitoring Stations and Chek Lap Kok Wind Station |
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Appendices
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Environmental Mitigation Implementation Schedule (EMIS) for Construction Phase |
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Calibration Certificates |
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Monitoring Schedule |
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Monitoring Results |
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Status of Environmental Permits and Licences |
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Cumulative Statistics on Exceedances, Environmental Complaints, Notification of Summons and Status of Prosecutions |
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Data of SkyPier HSF Movements to/from Zhuhai and Macau (between 1 and 29 February 2016) |
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The “Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System” (the Project) serves to meet the future air traffic demands at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). On 7 November 2014, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report (Register No.: AEIAR-185/2014) for the Project was approved and an Environmental Permit (EP) (Permit No.: EP-489/2014) was issued for the construction and operation of the Project.
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) commissioned Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited (MMHK) to undertake the role of Environmental Team (ET) for carrying out the Environmental Monitoring & Audit (EM&A) works during the construction phase of the Project in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual.
This is the 2nd Construction Phase Monthly EM&A Report for the Project which summarizes the monitoring results and audit findings of the EM&A programme during the reporting period from 1 February 2016 to 29 February 2016.
Key Construction Activities in the Reporting Month
The key construction activities of Contract P560(R) Aviation Fuel Pipeline Diversion Works (Contract P560(R)) in the reporting period involved required site preparation works, erection of site hoarding, construction of temporary concrete footings. This will be followed by construction plant mobilization and installation before any drilling works would begin. Dust suppression measures including wheel washing, watering, covering of excavated materials and establishment of site hoarding have been implemented. Construction of site drainage is also in progress for better management of site runoff.
EM&A Activities Conducted in the Reporting Period
The monthly EM&A programme was undertaken in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual of the Project. During the reporting period, the ET conducted thirty-six sets of air quality measurements, twenty sets of construction noise measurements, as well as five environmental site inspections and waste monitoring for the Project’s construction works.
On the implementation of the Marine Travel Routes and Management Plan for High Speed Ferries of SkyPier (the SkyPier Plan), the situation has been considerably improved in February 2016 by undertaking of workshop training, ferry movement monitoring/audit and implementation of preventive measures. Potential deviations from SkyPier Plan were first identified by the automatic identification system (AIS) monitoring system and notices were issued to concerned ferry operators. Ferry operators had to provide further information and valid reasons for the deviations. The deviation case were reviewed by ET and checked by IEC against the SkyPier Plan. The prevailing speeds of SkyPier HSFs in the Speed Control Zone (SCZ) were all within 15-knot in February 2016. Deviations were only found in the instantaneous speed recorded across the SCZ. Regarding the reason(s) for speeding, the concerned ferry operators advised that most of the cases were related to local strong water current, including those associated with head-on large vessels such as container and ocean-going vessels, as well as anchored vessels. In those cases, the HSF captains considered that speeding up or overtaking for a short duration was necessary for public safety. The remaining few over speeding cases and route deviations were followed up with preventive measures to be implemented by the concerned operators for continuous improvement. The daily movements of all SkyPier HSFs in February 2016 were within the maximum daily cap number. The implementation and monitoring requirements stipulated in the SkyPier Plan were fully complied with.
Results of Impact Monitoring
All scheduled 1-hour total suspended particulate (TSP), noise and waste monitoring were completed in the reporting period for the relevant construction activities. No exceedance of the Action/ Limit Levels was recorded.
Summary of Upcoming Key Issues
Major site activities anticipated in the next reporting period for the Project are expected to be associated with the continuation of site preparation works under the Contract P560(R) and these will include:
¡ Continuation of site establishment including erection of the hoarding;
¡ Continuation of construction of temporary concrete footings;
¡ Construction plant mobilization and installation;
¡ Setup of site office; and
¡ Topographic survey at Sha Chau.
The key environmental issues will be associated with dust and noise generation, surface runoffs and construction waste management and the implementation of required mitigation measures by the Contractor will be monitored by the ET.
Summary of Other Key Environmental Issues
The progress of other related environmental surveys and baseline monitoring in this reporting month are as follows:
Completed:
¡ The Egretry Survey Plan was prepared based on the pre-construction survey and was submitted to EPD on 19 February 2016 in accordance with EP Condition 2.14 to update the latest boundary of the Egretry with a view to confirming the daylighting location for the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) works on Sha Chau island;
On-going:
¡ Baseline monitoring of Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) was on-going during the reporting period;
Fore-coming:
¡ A baseline water quality monitoring programme is scheduled to be commenced in April 2016.
Summary Table
The following table summarizes the key findings of the EM&A programme during the reporting period from 1 to 29 February 2016:
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Yes |
No |
Details |
Analysis / Recommendation / Remedial Actions |
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Breaches of Limit Level^ |
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ü |
No exceedance of project-related limit level was recorded. |
Nil |
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Breaches of Action Level^
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ü |
No exceedance of project-related action level was recorded. |
Nil |
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Complaints Received |
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ü |
No construction activities related complaints were received. |
Nil |
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Notification of any summons and status of prosecutions |
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ü |
Neither notifications of summons nor prosecution were received. |
Nil |
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Changes that affect the EM&A |
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ü |
There were no changes to the construction works that may affect the EM&A |
Nil |
Remarks: ^ only exceedance of action/ limit level related to Project works will be highlighted
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1
Introduction
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1.1
Background
On 7 November 2014, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report (Register No.: AEIAR-185/2014) for the “Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System” (the Project) was approved and an Environmental Permit (EP) (Permit No.: EP-489/2014) was issued for the construction and operation of the Project.
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) commissioned Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited (MMHK) to undertake the role of Environmental Team (ET) for carrying out the Environmental Monitoring & Audit (EM&A) works during the construction phase of the Project in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual (the Manual) submitted under EP Condition 3.1. The Manual is available on the Project’s dedicated website (accessible at: http://env.threerunwaysystem.com/en/index.html). AECOM Asia Company Limited (AECOM) was employed by AAHK as the Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) for the Project.
The Project covers the expansion of the existing airport into a three-runway system (3RS) with key project components comprising land formation of about 650 ha and all associated facilities and infrastructure including taxiways, aprons, aircraft stands, a passenger concourse, an expanded Terminal 2, all related airside and landside works and associated ancillary and supporting facilities. The existing submarine aviation fuel pipelines and submarine power cables also require diversion as part of the works.
Construction of the Project is to proceed in the general order of diversion of the submarine aviation fuel pipelines, diversion of the submarine power cables, land formation, and construction of infrastructure, followed by construction of superstructures. The land-based construction works of the Contract P560(R) Aviation Fuel Pipeline Diversion Works (Contract P560(R)) commenced on 28 December 2015 on the airport island.
All marine works, including the submarine power cable diversion and land formation, will only commence after completion of the gazettal process required under the Foreshore and Sea-bed (Reclamations) Ordinance (FSRO). The overall phasing programme of all construction works and the contract information of Contract P560(R) can be referred to Appendix A of the Construction Phase Monthly EM&A Report No. 1. Any changes/ updates of the construction programme and contract information will be reported in the Monthly EM&A report when necessary.
1.2
Scope of this
Report
This is the 2nd Construction Phase Monthly EM&A Report for the Project which summarizes the key findings of the EM&A programme during the reporting period from 1 to 29 February 2016.
1.3
Project Organisation
The Project’s organization structure remained unchanged during the reporting month. The Project’s organization structure and the contact details of the key personnel can be referred to Appendix B and Table 1.1 respectively of the Construction Phase Monthly EM&A Report No.1.
1.4
Summary of
Construction Works
During the reporting period, construction works under the Contract P560(R) Aviation Fuel Pipeline Diversion Works (Contract P560(R)) involved site preparation works including the erection of hoarding and construction of temporary concrete footings at the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) launching site located at the west of the airport. The erection of site hoarding was also undertaken by the P560(R) Contractor at the stockpile area located near Chun Ming Road adjacent to Tradeport Logistic Centre on the airport island. Site office setup has been commenced at a vacant site near the Chek Lap Kok Fire Station at Catering Road East. The HDD launching site and stockpile area are around 3 km and 900 m away respectively from the nearest air and noise sensitive receivers in Tung Chung and the villages in North Lantau. No Construction and Demolition (C&D) material was generated during the reporting period. The locations of the P560(R) works areas and site office are presented in Figure 1.
1.5
Summary of
EM&A Programme Requirements
As presented in the Updated EM&A Manual, the environmental aspects of interest for the Project include air quality, noise, water quality, waste management, land contamination, terrestrial ecology, marine ecology, fisheries, landscape and visual, sewage and sewerage, and hazard to human life. The overall EM&A programme generally covers the following measurements and audit activities for the key environmental aspects, where applicable:
¡ Baseline monitoring;
¡ Impact monitoring;
¡ Monitoring of compliance;
¡ Undertaking remedial actions in accordance with the relevant Event and Action Plans in cases the specific criteria as presented in the Updated EM&A Manual were exceeded;
¡ Logging and keeping records of monitoring results; and
¡ Preparation and submission of Monthly and Final EM&A Reports.
The status for all environmental aspects is presented in Table 1.1. The EM&A requirements remained unchanged during the reporting period and details can be referred to Table 1.2 of the Construction Phase Monthly EM&A Report No. 1.
Table 1.1: Summary of status for all environmental aspects under the Updated EM&A Manual
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Parameters |
Status |
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Air Quality |
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Baseline Monitoring |
The baseline air quality monitoring result has been reported in Baseline Monitoring Report (Version 1) and submitted to EPD on 14 December 2015 under EP Condition 3.4. |
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Impact Monitoring |
On-going |
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Noise |
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Baseline Monitoring |
The baseline noise monitoring result has been reported in Baseline Monitoring Report (Version 1) and submitted to EPD on 14 December 2015 under EP Condition 3.4. |
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Impact Monitoring |
On-going |
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Water Quality |
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General Baseline Water Quality Monitoring for reclamation, water jetting and field joint works |
Baseline water quality monitoring programme is scheduled to be commenced in April 2016. |
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Parameters |
Status |
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General Impact Water Quality Monitoring for reclamation, water jetting and field joint works |
To be commenced with the relevant construction works |
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Initial Intensive Deep Cement Mixing (DCM) Water Quality Monitoring |
To be commenced with the relevant construction works |
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Regular DCM Water Quality Monitoring |
To be commenced with the relevant construction works |
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Waste Management |
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Waste Monitoring |
On-going |
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Land Contamination |
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Supplementary Contamination Assessment Plan (CAP) |
To be submitted with the relevant construction works |
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Contamination Assessment Report (CAR) |
To be submitted with the relevant construction works |
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Terrestrial Ecology |
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Pre-construction Egretry Survey Egretry Survey Plan |
A pre-construction egretry survey at Sha Chau was conducted between April and July 2015. The Egretry Survey Plan was submitted to EPD on 19 February 2016 under EP Condition 2.14. |
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Ecological Monitoring |
To be commenced with the relevant construction works |
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Marine Ecology |
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Pre-Construction Phase Coral Dive Survey |
A pre-construction phase dive survey for corals along the northern and northeastern seawall of the airport island and at the daylighting location on Sha Chau was undertaken and completed on 29 January 2016. |
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Chinese White Dolphins (CWD) |
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Vessel survey, land-based theodolite track and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) |
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Baseline Monitoring |
On-going |
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Impact Monitoring |
To be commenced with the relevant construction works |
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Landscape and Visual |
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Baseline Monitoring |
The baseline landscape and visual monitoring result has been reported in Baseline Monitoring Report (Version 1) and submitted to EPD on 14 December 2015 under EP Condition 3.4. |
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Impact Monitoring |
On-going |
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Environmental Auditing |
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Regular site inspection |
On-going |
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Skypier High Speed Ferries (HSF) implementation measures |
On-going since 28 December 2015 |
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Construction and Associated Vessels Implementation measures |
To be commenced with the relevant construction works |
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Complaint Hotline and Email channel |
On-going |
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Environmental Log Book |
On-going |
Taking into account the nature of the land-based construction works involved in
the P560(R) Contract, the required impact monitoring focused on those
environmental aspects including air quality, noise and waste management that
are relevant to the land-based construction works as recommended in the Updated
EM&A Manual.
In addition to air quality, noise and waste monitoring, the EM&A programme focusing on the P560(R) Contract also involved weekly site inspections and related auditing conducted by the ET for checking the implementation of the required environmental mitigation measures recommended in the approved EIA Report.
The EM&A programme followed the recommendations presented in the approved EIA Report and the Updated EM&A Manual. A summary of implementation status of the environmental mitigation measures for the construction phase of the Project during the reporting period is provided in Appendix A.
2
Air
Quality Monitoring
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2.1
Monitoring
Stations
Air quality monitoring was conducted at two representative monitoring stations in the vicinity of air sensitive receivers in Tung Chung and villages in North Lantau in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual of the Project. Table 2.1 describes the details of the monitoring stations. Figure 2 shows the locations of the monitoring stations.
Table 2.1: Locations of Impact Air Quality Monitoring Stations
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Monitoring Station |
Location |
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AR1A |
Man Tung Road Park |
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AR2 |
Village House at Tin Sum |
2.2
Monitoring
Requirements and Schedule
In accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual, baseline 1-hour total suspended particulate (TSP) levels at the two air quality monitoring stations were established as presented in the Baseline Monitoring Report (Version 1 dated December 2015). Impact 1-hour TSP monitoring was conducted for at least three times every 6 days. The Action and Limit Levels of the air quality monitoring are provided in Table 2.2. The air quality monitoring schedule involved in the reporting period is provided in Appendix C.
Table 2.2: Action and Limit Levels for 1-hour TSP
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Monitoring Station |
Action Level (mg/m3) |
Limit Level (mg/m3) |
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AR1A |
306 |
500 |
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AR2 |
298 |
2.3
Monitoring
Equipment
Portable direct reading dust meter was used to carry out the 1-hour TSP monitoring. The brand and model of the equipment are given in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3: Air Quality Monitoring Equipment
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Equipment |
Brand and Model |
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Portable direct reading dust meter (Laser dust monitor) |
SIBTA LD-3B-002 (Serial No. 974350) |
2.4
Monitoring
Methodology
2.4.1
Measuring
Procedure
The measurement procedure involved in the impact 1-hr TSP monitoring can be summarised as follows:
a. The portable direct reading dust meter was mounted on a tripod at a height of 1.2 m above the ground.
b. Prior to the measurement, the equipment was set up for 1 minute span check and 6 second background check.
c. The one hour dust measurement was started. Site conditions and dust sources at the nearby area were recorded on a record sheet.
d. When the measurement completed, the “Count” reading per hour was recorded for result calculation.
2.4.2
Maintenance and
Calibration
The portable direct reading dust meter is calibrated every year against high volume sampler (HVS) to check the validity and accuracy of the results measured by direct reading method. The latest calibration certificates of the portable direct reading dust meter are provided in Appendix B. The corresponding calibration record of the HVS is also given in Appendix B.
2.5
Analysis and
Interpretation of Monitoring Results
The monitoring results for 1-hour TSP are summarized in Table 2.4. Detailed impact monitoring results are presented in Appendix D.
Table 2.4: Summary of 1-hour TSP Monitoring Results
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Monitoring Station |
1-hr TSP Concentration Range (mg/m3) |
Action Level (mg/m3) |
Limit Level (mg/m3) |
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AR1A |
66- 149 |
306 |
500 |
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AR2 |
14- 197 |
298 |
No exceedance of the Action /Limit Level was recorded at all monitoring stations in the reporting period.
General meteorological conditions throughout the impact monitoring period were recorded. Wind data for each monitoring day including wind speed and wind direction was collected from the Chek Lap Kok Wind Station.
3
Noise
Monitoring
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3.1
Monitoring Stations
Noise monitoring was conducted at five representative monitoring stations in the vicinity of noise sensitive receivers in Tung Chung and villages in North Lantau in accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual of the Project. Figure 2 shows the locations of the monitoring stations and these are described in Table 3.1 below. As described in Section 4.3.3 of the Updated EM&A Manual, monitoring at NM2 will commence when the future residential buildings in Tung Chung West Development become occupied.
Table 3.1: Locations of Impact Noise Monitoring Stations
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Monitoring Station |
Location |
Type of measurement |
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NM1A |
Man Tung Road Park |
Free field |
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NM2(1) |
Tung Chung West Development |
To be determined |
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NM3A |
Site Office |
Facade |
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NM4 |
Ching Chung Hau Po Woon Primary School |
Free field |
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NM5 |
Village House in Tin Sum |
Free field |
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NM6 |
House No. 1, Sha Lo Wan |
Free field |
Note: (1) As described in Section 4.3.3 of the Updated EM&A Manual, noise monitoring at NM2 will only commence after occupation of the future Tung Chung West Development.
3.2
Monitoring Requirements and Schedule
In accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual, baseline noise levels at the noise monitoring stations were established as presented in the Baseline Monitoring Report (Version 1 dated December 2015). Impact noise monitoring was conducted at least once per week in the form of 30-minute measurements of Leq, L10 and L90 levels recorded at each monitoring station between 0700 and 1900 on normal weekdays. The Action and Limit levels of the noise monitoring are provided in Table 3.2. The construction noise monitoring schedule involved in the reporting period is provided in Appendix C.
Table 3.2: Action and Limit Levels for Construction Noise
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Monitoring Stations |
Time Period |
Action Level |
Limit Level, Leq(30mins) dB(A) |
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NM1A, NM2, NM3A, NM4, NM5 and NM6 |
0700-1900 hours on normal weekdays |
When one documented complaint is received from any one of the sensitive receivers |
75 dB(A)(i) |
Note: (i) reduce to 70dB(A) for school and 65dB(A) during school examination periods.
3.3
Monitoring
Equipment
Noise monitoring was performed using sound level meter at each designated monitoring station. The sound level meters deployed comply with the International Electrotechnical Commission Publications 651:1979 (Type 1) and 804:1985 (Type 1) specifications. Acoustic calibrator was used to check the sound level meters by a known sound pressure level for field measurement. The brand and model of the equipment are given in Table 3.3.
Table 3.3: Noise Monitoring Equipment
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Equipment |
Brand and Model |
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Integrated Sound Level Meter |
B&K 2238 (Serial No. 2684503) B&K 2238 (Serial No. 2800932) |
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Acoustic Calibrator |
B&K 4231 (Serial No. 3003246) |
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3.4
Monitoring
Methodology
3.4.1
Monitoring
Procedure
The monitoring procedure involved in the noise impact monitoring can be summarised as follows:
a. The sound level meter was set on a tripod at a height of 1.2 m above the ground for free-field measurements at monitoring stations NM1A, NM4, NM5 and NM6. A correction of +3 dB(A) was applied to the free field measurements.
b. Façade measurements were made at the monitoring station NM3A.
c. Parameters such as frequency weighting, the time weighting and the measurement time were set.
d. Prior to and after each noise measurement, the meter was calibrated using the acoustic calibrator. If the difference in the calibration level before and after measurement was more than 1 dB(A), the measurement would be considered invalid and repeat of noise measurement would be required after re-calibration or repair of the equipment.
e. During the monitoring period, the Leq, L10 and L90 were recorded. In addition, site conditions and noise sources were recorded on a record sheet.
f. Noise measurement results were corrected with reference to the baseline monitoring levels.
g. Observations were recorded when high intrusive noise (e.g. dog barking, helicopter noise) was observed during the monitoring.
3.4.2
Maintenance and
Calibration
The maintenance and calibration procedures are summarised below:
a. The microphone head of the sound level meter was cleaned with soft cloth at regular intervals.
b. The meter and calibrator were sent to the supplier or laboratory accredited under Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) to check and calibrate at yearly intervals.
Calibration certificates of the sound level meters and acoustic calibrators used in the noise monitoring are provided in Appendix B.
3.5
Analysis and
Interpretation of Monitoring Results
The construction noise monitoring results are summarized in Table 3.4 and the detailed monitoring data are provided in Appendix D.
Table 3.4: Summary of Construction Noise Monitoring Results
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Monitoring Station |
Noise Level Range, dB(A) Leq (30 mins) |
Limit Level, dB(A) Leq (30 mins) |
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NM1A(i) |
70- 72 |
75 |
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NM3A |
57- 63 |
75 |
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NM4(i) |
62- 66 |
70(ii) |
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NM5(i) |
53- 64 |
75 |
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NM6(i) |
68- 74 |
75 |
Note: (i) +3 dB(A) Façade correction included;
(ii) Reduced to 65 dB(A) during school examination periods.
As the construction activities were small in scale during the reporting period and far away from the monitoring stations, major sources of noise affecting the monitoring stations observed during the construction noise impact monitoring were aircraft noise at NM3A and NM5, aircraft noise and helicopter noise at NM6, road traffic noise at NM1A and school activities at NM4 in this reporting month.
No exceedance of the Action/ Limit Level was recorded at all monitoring stations in the reporting period.
4
Waste
Monitoring
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4.1
Monitoring Requirements
In accordance with the Updated EM&A Manual, the waste generated from construction activities was audited at least once per week to determine if wastes are being managed in accordance with the Waste Management Plan (WMP) prepared for the Project, contract-specific WMP, and any statutory and contractual requirements. All aspects of waste management including waste generation, storage, transportation and disposal were assessed during the audits. The Action and Limit levels of the construction waste are provided in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1: Action and Limit Levels for Construction Waste
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Monitoring Stations |
Action Level |
Limit Level |
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Construction Area |
When one valid documented complaint is received |
Non-compliance of the WMP, contract-specific WMPs, any statutory and contractual requirements |
4.2
Waste Management Status
Weekly monitoring of the Project construction works were carried out by the ET on 1, 3, 12, 19 and 24 February 2016 to check and monitor the implementation of proper waste management practices during the construction phase.
The P560(R) Contractor has implemented waste management practice on-site. No C&D material was generated during the reporting month.
The P560(R) Contractor was advised to properly maintain a recording system, maximize the reuse of C&D materials and properly maintain the site tidiness.
No chemical waste was generated during the reporting period. However, the Contractor was reminded that chemical waste containers should be properly handled and stored temporarily in designated chemical waste storage area on-site in accordance with the Code of Practise on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical Wastes.
No exceedances of the Action and Limit Levels were recorded in the reporting period.
5
Environmental
Site Inspection and Audit
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5.1
Weekly Environmental Site Inspection
Weekly site inspections of the construction works were carried out by the ET on 1, 3, 12, 19 and 24 February 2016 to monitor the implementation of proper environmental pollution control and mitigation measures for the Project. The site inspection on 24 February 2016 was conducted by the ET in the presence of EPD’s inspectors when they visited the Project site. Bi-weekly site inspections were also conducted independently by the Project’s IEC on 3 and 19 February 2016. Observation has been recorded in the site inspection checklist and passed to the Contractor together with the appropriate recommended migration measures where necessary.
The key observations from site inspection and associated recommendations were related to the requirements of displaying non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) label on an excavator used onsite, establishing tree protection zone for the existing trees to be retained at the stockpiling area, and fixing a broken temporary hoarding at the HDD launching site. All the observations have been rectified and closed out within 1 week. Dust suppression measures including wheel washing, watering, covering of excavated materials and establishment of site hoarding have been implemented. Construction of site drainage was also in progress for better management of site runoff.
A summary of implementation status of the environmental mitigation measures for the construction phase of the Project during the reporting period is provided in Appendix A.
5.2
Audit of Route
Diversion and Speed Control of the SkyPier High Speed
Ferries
The Marine Travel Routes and Management Plan for High Speed Ferries of SkyPier (the SkyPier Plan) has been submitted to the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) for comment and subsequently submitted to and approved by EPD in November 2015 under EP Condition 2.10. The approved SkyPier Plan is available on the dedicated website of the Project. In the SkyPier Plan, AAHK committed to implement the mitigation measure of requiring high speed ferries (HSFs) of SkyPier travelling between HKIA and Zhuhai / Macau to start diverting the route with an associated speed control across an area (i.e. Speed Control Zone (SCZ) with high Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) abundance by the end of 2015. The route diversion and speed restriction at the SCZ have been implemented since 28 December 2015.
During the initial implementation period, the SkyPier HSFs encountered occasional difficulties in strictly observing the 15-knot speed limit throughout the journey. In accordance with the SkyPier Plan, further training workshops for the SkyPier operators were held in January 2016 to ensure their full understanding of and adherence to the routing and speed control requirements.
The situation has been considerably improved in February 2016 by undertaking of workshop training, ferry movement monitoring/audit and implementation of preventive measures. Potential deviations from SkyPier Plan were first identified by the monitoring system and notices were issued to concerned ferry operators. Ferry operators had to provide further information and valid reasons for the deviations. The deviation case were reviewed by ET and checked by IEC against the SkyPier Plan. The prevailing speeds of SkyPier HSFs in the SCZ were all within 15-knot in February 2016. Deviations were only found in the instantaneous speed recorded across the SCZ. Data of SkyPier HSF Movements to/from Zhuhai and Macau (between 1 and 29 February 2016) is provided in Appendix G.
The following two graphs plotted by using data from automatic identification system (AIS) monitoring system are typical examples of instantaneous speeding of HSFs across the SCZ. Regarding the reason(s) for speeding, the concerned ferry operators advised that most of the cases were related to local strong water current, including those associated with head-on large vessels such as container and ocean-going vessels, as well as anchored vessels. In those cases, the HSF captains considered that speeding up or overtaking for a short duration was necessary for public safety. The remaining few over speeding cases were followed up with preventive measures to be implemented by the concerned operators for continuous improvement.
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Key audits findings for the SkyPier HSFs travelling to/from Zhuhai and Macau against the requirements of the SkyPier Plan during the reporting period are summarizes in Table 5.1. The daily movements of all SkyPier HSFs in February 2016 were within the maximum daily cap number. Status of compliance with annual daily average of 99 movements will be further reviewed in the annual EM&A Report. The implementation and monitoring requirements stipulated in the SkyPier Plan were fully complied with.
In total, 786 ferry movements between HKIA SkyPier and Zhuhai / Macau were recorded. Three deviations of diverted routes were also recorded on 6, 14 and 22 February 2016 and the investigation results are presented as follows:
· For the case on 6 February 2016, one SkyPier HSF not leaving the SCZ through the Gate Access Points was recorded. Notice was sent to the Ferry Operator and investigation has revealed that the deviation was due to giving way to a large container vessel.
· For the case on 14 February 2016, one SkyPier HSF was found using the old route to the north of the HKIA instead of the diverted route. Notice was sent to the Ferry Operator and the vessel captain claimed that due to low visibility and adverse weather, he decided to travel along the waters to the north of HKIA with a slow speed for the interest of public safety. Weather data supported that the visibility was decreased during the concerned period of the incident. Investigation results also showed that although this HSF did not travel the SCZ through Gate Access Points, the vessel had followed the 15-knot speed restriction during the whole journey to the north of the HKIA waters.
· Another deviation case recorded on 22 February 2016 was also related to safety reason. The HSF entered the Marine Prohibited Zone after leaving the Gate Access Points of the SCZ. Notice was sent to the Ferry Operator and investigation has revealed that the HSF was required to give way to other vessels by entering the Marine Prohibited Zone and that the vessel had travelled within the SCZ through Gate Access Points and followed the 15-knot speed restriction during the whole journey in the SCZ.
Table 5.1: Summary of Key Audit Findings against the SkyPier Plan
|
Requirements in the SkyPier Plan |
1 February to 29 February 2016 |
|
Total number of ferry movements recorded and audited |
786 |
|
Use diverted route and enter / leaving SCZ through Gate Access Points |
One deviation of not using gate access point for exit due to giving way to a large container vessel One deviation of not using the diverted route due to low visibility and adverse weather One deviation of entering the marine prohibited zone due to giving way to other vessels |
|
Speed control in speed control zone |
1. The prevailing speeds of SkyPier HSFs in SCZ were all within 15 knots. 2. Deviation records for instantaneous speeding: ≤ 5 knots - 46 cases > 5 and ≤15 knots - 4 cases >15 knots – 1 case 3. Reasons for 48 deviations include local strong water current and giving way to other vessels. Three deviations were due to unclear gate demarcation for the SCZ that required further training for familiarisation of the entrance / exit points for the speed control. |
|
Daily Cap (including all SkyPier HSFs) |
87 to 97 movements within maximum daily cap |
5.3
Status of
Submissions under Environmental Permits
The current status of submissions under the EP up to the reporting period is presented in Table 5.2.
Table 5.2: Status of Submissions under Environmental Permit
|
EP Condition |
Submission |
Status |
|
2.1 |
Complaint Management Plan |
Accepted / approved by EPD |
|
2.4 |
Management Organizations |
|
|
2.5 |
Construction Works Schedule and Location Plans |
|
|
2.7 |
Marine Park Proposal |
Submitted to ACE for comment |
|
2.8 |
Marine Ecology Conservation Plan |
|
|
2.9 |
Marine Travel Routes and Management Plan for Construction and Associated Vessels |
Accepted / approved by EPD |
|
2.10 |
Marine Travel Routes and Management Plan for High Speed Ferries of SkyPier |
|
|
2.13 |
Fisheries Management Plan |
Submitted to ACE for comment |
|
2.14 |
Egretry Survey Plan |
Submitted to EPD |
|
2.16 |
Spill Response Plan |
Accepted / approved by EPD |
|
2.19 |
Waste Management Plan |
|
|
3.1 |
Updated EM&A Manual |
|
|
3.4 |
Baseline Monitoring Report |
5.4
Compliance with
Other Statutory Environmental Requirements
During the reporting period, environmental related licenses and permits required for the construction activities were checked. No non-compliance with environmental legislative requirements was recorded during the reporting period. The environmental permits, licenses, and/or notifications on environmental protection for this Project which applied or approved under this Project during the reporting month is presented in Appendix E.
5.5
Analysis and
Interpretation of Complaints, Notification of Summons and Status of
Prosecutions
5.5.1
Complaints
During the reporting period, no construction activities related complaints were received.
5.5.2
Notifications of
Summons or Status of Prosecution
During the reporting period, neither notifications of summons nor prosecution were received.
5.5.3
Cumulative
Statistics
Cumulative statistics on complaints, notifications of summons and status of prosecutions are summarized in Appendix F.
6
Future
Key Issues and Other EIA & EM&A Issues
|
6.1
Construction Programme for the Coming Reporting Period
Major site activities anticipated in the next reporting period for the Project are expected to be associated with the continuation of site preparation works under the P560(R) Contract and these will include:
¡ Continuation of site establishment including erection of the hoarding;
¡ Continuation of construction of temporary concrete footings;
¡ Construction plant mobilization and installation;
¡ Set up of site office; and
¡ Topographic survey at Sha Chau.
6.2
Key Environmental Issues for the Coming Reporting Period
The key environmental issues for the Project in the coming reporting period are expected to be associated with the implementation of the P560(R) Contract and these include:
¡ Generation of dust from construction works;
¡ Noise impact from operating equipment and machinery on-site;
¡ Generation of site surface runoffs and wastewater from activities on-site;
¡ Management of stockpiles;
¡ Sorting, recycling, storage and disposal of general refuse and construction waste; and
¡ Management of chemicals and avoidance of oil spillage on-site.
6.3
Monitoring
Schedule for the Coming Reporting Period
A tentative schedule of the planned environmental monitoring work in the next reporting period is provided in Appendix C.
6.4
Other EIA / EM&A Issues
6.4.1
Completed Survey
The Egretry Survey Plan was prepared based on the pre-construction survey and was submitted to EPD on 19 February 2016 in accordance with EP Condition 2.14 to update the latest boundary of the Egrety with a view to confirming the daylighting location for the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) works on Sha Chau island.
6.4.2
On-going and Fore-coming
Baseline Monitoring
Baseline monitoring of CWD by vessel surveys, land-based theodolite tracking and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) are ongoing. The baseline monitoring results will be presented in a separate Baseline Monitoring Report for the marine works.
A baseline water quality monitoring programme is scheduled to be commenced in April 2016.
7
Conclusions
and Recommendation
|
The key construction activities of the Contract P560 Aviation Fuel Pipeline Diversion Works in the reporting period involved site preparation works, including erection of site hoarding at the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) launching site and stockpile area, and construction of temporary concrete footings at the launching site. Dust suppression measures including wheeling washing, watering, covering of excavated materials and establishment of site hoarding have been implemented. Construction of site drainage is also in progress for better management of site runoff.
Construction dust, noise and waste monitoring were carried out in the reporting period. No breach of the Action or Limit Levels in relation to the air quality, construction noise and waste monitoring were recorded in the reporting month. Environmental weekly site inspections were carried out during the reporting period by the ET. All site observations made by the ET were recorded in the site inspection checklists and passed to the Contractor together with the recommended follow-up actions.
On the implementation of the SkyPier Plan, the situation has been considerably improved in February 2016 by workshop training, ferry movement monitoring/audit and implementation of preventive measures. The prevailing speeds of SkyPier HSFs in the SCZ were all within 15-knot in February 2016. Deviations were only found in the instantaneous speed recorded across the SCZ. Regarding the reason(s) for speeding, the concerned ferry operators advised that most of the cases were related to local strong water current, including those associated with head-on large vessels such as container and ocean-going vessels, as well as anchored vessels. In those cases, the HSF captains considered that speeding up or overtaking for a short duration was necessary for public safety. The remaining few over speeding cases and route deviations were followed up with preventive measures to be implemented by the concerned operators for continuous improvement. The daily movements of all SkyPier HSFs in February 2016 were within the maximum daily cap number. The implementation and monitoring requirements stipulated in the SkyPier Plan were fully complied with.