Chapter 5 Description of Existing Environment 5.1
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Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. CHAPTER 5 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 5.1 General Environmental Setting (5.1) The future transformation in line for the Proposed Project site is the change in use of an existing office block to a hotel with related facilities on 3,272 m2 (0.808 acres) of land. The project site lies close to the coastal zone whereby Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah forms the boundary in the north and Jalan Clove Hall forms the boundary to the west. The Mayfair Condominium occupies Lot 1238 located to the northeast of the project site. 5.2 Physical-Chemical Environment 5.2.1 Land Form And Topography (5.2) The project site is easily accessibly by taking Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah which provides linkages to Jalan Clove Hall which is the primary access to the Proposed project. (5.3) The Proposed Project lies on flat terrains of RL+ 4.10 m to RL+ 4.36 m above mean sea level as shown in the survey plan in Figure 5.1 and in Appendix B. There is no stream or river that transverses the site. Presently an office block of 25 storey high occupies the site of which AmBank is the major tenant occupying the building. Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah forms the northern boundary of the site whilst Jalan Clove Hall forms the boundary in the west. 5.2.2 General Geology (5.4) According to Ong (1993), the main island of Pulau Pinang can be divided morphologically into five slopes categories: 0-30, 30-100, 100-190, 200-300, and greater than 300. Alluvium, granite wash and residual soil overlying granitic bedrock with slopes of 0-10 0 are considered to be most stable. (5.5) However, tidal mud flats or marshy areas may present serious foundation problems, especially if they are not properly drained. However, as the project site is not located in a marshy or mud flat area, the project site can be designated to be stable. (5.6) The geological features of the project site and its relation to Penang Island is as shown in Figure 5.2, which is extracted from the Geological Map of Peninsular Malaysia (New Series L7010 part of sheet 28) published by the Department of Geological Survey Malaysia in 1994. The following provides the geological features of the project site and its surrounding areas. Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment For Page 5.1 Meridian Atlantic Sdn. Bhd. Proposed Hotel Development On Lot 1243 (Original Lots 236 & 1044), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Seksyen 13, George Town, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. Figure 5.1 Survey Plan Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment For Page 5.2 Meridian Atlantic Sdn. Bhd. Proposed Hotel Development On Lot 1243 (Original Lots 236 & 1044), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Seksyen 13, George Town, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. Figure 5.2 Geological Map Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment For Page 5.3 Meridian Atlantic Sdn. Bhd. Proposed Hotel Development On Lot 1243 (Original Lots 236 & 1044), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Seksyen 13, George Town, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. (5.7) Granite occupies the major part of the main island of Pulau Pinang, Pulau Jerejak and Pulau Rimau. According to Ong (1993), the granites of Pulau Pinang can be divided into two bodies, the North Pinang Pluton and the South Pinang Pluton. The North Pinang Pluton formed during the early Jurassic period was of the Mesozoic era while the South Pinang Pluton were formed during early Permian-Late Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era. (5.8) In the Northern part of the island, where the project site is located, orthoclase to intermediate microcline granite forms the North Pinang Pluton. The granite is fine to coarse grained, megacrystic biotite granite which is underlain by the orthoclase- microcline granite. Previous specimen tested by Ong (1993) revealed that the rock here is leucocratic and exhibits a fined-grained megacrystic texture. These megacrysts consists of quartz, feldspar and biotite. (5.9) The average grain size of the groundmass reported is less than 1mm in diameter whereas the megacrysts vary from 2 mm to 10 mm. Quartz-tourmaline veins are also observed here with the adjacent rocks often spotted to have pinkish feldspars stained by iron oxicles. This granite in this area is also reported according to Ong (1993) to have an isochron of 200+ 7 Ma indicates an Early Jurassic age in respective of Geological Succession in Penang Island as shown in Table 5.1. The granite occupying at this higher elevation is probably epizonal and is believed to be emplaced during Early Jurassic time. (5.10) North of the site, some minor igneous intrusions i.e. Aplite veins and dykes was reported (Ong 1993). The intrusion encountered include somewhere near to Bukit Padri and the coast near Tanjung Tokong where the Aplite is mainly leucocratic and fine grained in nature. (5.11) According to the two categories of faults, i.e. observed and conjectural, identified on the geological map reported by Ong (1993). The nearest and most spectacular fault identified is the fault extended for about 18 kilometres from Tanjung Bungah in the north to Bayan Lepas in the south (the Sungai Air Putih - Sungai Dondang fault). (5.12) The project site located near the coastline is anticipated to comprise mainly of unconsolidated marine clay, sand and gravel deposit of the coastal plain. Thus it is anticipated that there will not be any rocks at site that requires removal. 5.2.3 Surface Drainage (5.13) The project site is located close to the coastal zone of the North Channel. All stormwaters from the project site is channeled to the existing drains along the western boundary of the site which flows into the main drains along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah which then drains into the sea as shown in Figure 5.3. Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment For Page 5.4 Meridian Atlantic Sdn. Bhd. Proposed Hotel Development On Lot 1243 (Original Lots 236 & 1044), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Seksyen 13, George Town, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. Table 5.1 Geological Succession Name Description Age Superficial deposits: Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay Quaternary including Resent alluvium and marine onshore sediments Unconformity Minor igneous intrusive Dykes and veins of aplite, quartz, tourmaline and pegmatite Post-Jurassic (?) Biotite granite with predominant Fine to coarse grained and megacrystic Early Jurassic orthoclase and subordinate microcline Biotite-muscovite granite with Medium-coarse grained and megacrystic; fine grained and Early Permian- predominant microline non-megacrystic also present; muscovite as abundant as Late biotite; andalusite occurs as accessory mineral Carboniferous (?) Unconformity Mahang Formation Ferruginous spotted slate Early Devonian- Early Silurian Ref : Ong (1993) Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment For Page 5.5 Meridian Atlantic Sdn. Bhd. Proposed Hotel Development On Lot 1243 (Original Lots 236 & 1044), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Seksyen 13, George Town, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. Figure 5.3 Drainage Flow from Proposed Project Site Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment For Page 5.6 Meridian Atlantic Sdn. Bhd. Proposed Hotel Development On Lot 1243 (Original Lots 236 & 1044), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Seksyen 13, George Town, Daerah Timur Laut, Pulau Pinang Commercial In Confidence Enviro Services Sdn. Bhd. 5.2.4 Meteorology (5.14) All information pertaining to the meteorological conditions are enclosed in Appendix C of the report. Meteorology data for the site are obtained from the MMD (Malaysian Meteorology Department) in the Penang International Airport at Bayan Lepas. The meteorology data from 2012 to 2014 is given in Appendix C of the report. (5.15) The meteorological conditions of the site is a typical tropical humid climate. This climate type features high temperatures with daily as well as annual variations due to the high humidity and cloud cover but over short durations and precipitate almost throughout the year. The dry season under `Ar’ type climate is normally short. (5.16) The seasonal variation in Peninsular Malaysia is due commonly to monsoon seasons, which is attributed to the passage of the monsoon winds from the northeast and southwest, with two wetter seasons separated by two drier seasons in a year. (5.17) Malaysia is located to the north of the equator at latitude between 1° and 7° N and experiences a typical tropical humid climate via the `Ar' type under the climate classification system introduced by Trewartha (1980). (5.18) There are no meteorological data specific for the project area. Hence, records are taken from the nearest meteorological station located at the Bayan Lepas International Airport whereby the MMD (Malaysian Meteorological Department) keeps a record on a number of the meteorological aspects. 5.2.4.1 Humidity And Evaporation (5.19) The records of monthly relative humidity range from 67.6% to 82.7% with monthly temperatures ranging from 27.3 to 29.3ºC. The records of daily evaporation at the Penang International Airport station are shown in Appendix C. The monthly mean daily evaporation averaged from 2.8 to 5.2 mm. 5.2.4.2 Rainfall (5.20) Rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia is very much influenced by the seasonal monsoons, the northeast and the southwest monsoons. The north east monsoon is generally prevalent from November to March. This is followed by a transitional period in April and May. (5.21) The south west monsoon is generally prevalent from June to September followed by another transitional period in October. The monthly rainfall ranges from 13.6 to 495.2 mm per year.