THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT,

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Penang State Government proposes to build a new highway that will connect the Gurney Drive area in the northern part of the island to in the south. It will form a second north-south spine road that will provide relief to the Tun Dr. (LCE) Expressway.

1.1 Project Title

This Environmental Impact Assessment study is prepared for the “Proposed Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1) Highway, Penang”. Henceforth, it shall be referred to as the PIL1 Project.

1.2 PROJECT PROPONENT AND CONSULTANTS i. Project Proponent

The proponent for the PIL1 Project is the Penang State Government. The contact details are as follows:

PENANG STATE GOVERNMENT Level 25, KOMTAR, 10503 Pulau Pinang. Tel: 604-261 5617 Fax: 604-261 8618 E-mail: [email protected] Contact Person: Dato’ Seri Farizan Bin Darus (Penang State Secretary)

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ii Project Delivery Partner The Project Delivery Partner is SRS Consortium. The contact details are as follows:

SRS CONSORTIUM 73-3A, Ideal @ The One, Jalan Mahsuri, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang. Tel: 604-641 6888 Fax: 604-641 1776 E-mail: [email protected] Contact Person: Mr. Andy Lee Choon Foh iii EIA Consultant

The consultant undertaking the EIA study is Wiranda (M) Sdn. Bhd. The contact details are as follows:

WIRANDA (M) SDN BHD No. 3374, Jalan 18/31, Taman Sri Serdang, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Tel: 03-8942 3413 Fax: 03-8948 5912 E-mail: [email protected] Contact Person: Mr. Shamsol Azhar bin Ismail (General Manager)

1.3 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

Based on the PIL1 Highway’s associated components (viaducts, tunnels and embankment) and the proposed alignment (which traverse through Penang Hills), the Project falls under “Prescribed Activity 20(c) First Schedule: “Construction of road, tunnel or bridge traversing or adjacent or near to environmentally sensitive areas” and “Prescribed Activity 13(b) Second Schedule: “Construction of road, tunnel or bridge traversing an area with slope greater than or equal to 350” of Subparagraph 3(1) and (4) of the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order, 2015. Hence the PIL1

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Project falls under the Second Schedule of the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order, 2015.

Therefore, an EIA report has been prepared for submission to the Department of Environment (DOE) Putrajaya for approval prior to the start of the project development.

1.4 CONFORMANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT’S DEVELOPMENT PLANS

The Penang State Government has carried out a comprehensive integrated study to improve the management of transportation in the State. Subsequently the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) was produced in May 2011. Following some enhancements, the PTMP was adopted by the Penang State Exco on 16 Dec 2015. The PTMP has proposed the rationalization of new highways with existing ones to form a series of strategic National, State and District highways that would connect with the National highway network and to local destinations. The Pan Island Link 1 (PIL1) Highway is a new highway recommended in the enhanced PTMP. Thus it is in line with the State Government’s development plans.

Among the key physical infrastructure initiatives in the 11MP period include concerted measures to enhance connectivity across transport modes and regions by implementing need-based transport infrastructure in the form of “Multimodal Transport Networks” to improve travel efficiency, increase productivity and enhance logistics. The proposed PIL1 Highway – a needs-based highway to improve road hierarchy in and function as a crucial strategic bypass for traffic dispersal on Penang Island, is therefore in line with the 11MP objectives.

2.0 STATEMENT OF NEED

Efficient road systems play a critical role in economic development by providing economic and social opportunities and benefits that results in positive multiplier effects such as better accessibility to markets, employment and additional investments. Unfortunately, many major roads and highways in Penang experience peak-period congestions. Based on the traffic volume forecasts summarized in the PTMP, the traffic congestion situation on the Island will worsen in the future if nothing is done. For example, the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (LCE) which is a key North-South road on Penang Island currently experience peak-period congestions and there are only limited opportunities to create more capacity on this expressway due to the surrounding developments. What is needed is a new well

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designed bi-directional North-South highway that would improve local and regional traffic circulation on Penang Island.

The proposed PIL 1 Highway will provide a second North–South spine road that will allow for better traffic dispersal and improve accessibility to various areas along the north-south corridor of Penang Island. It will be constructed as a dual 3–lane purpose built limited access highway that will ensure certainty in speed and significantly shorten north–south travel time to only 15 minutes from Gurney Drive to the Penang International Airport compared with the current time of 45 minutes. It would also provide relief to the currently congested north-south roads on eastern Penang Island other than LCE.

Some other benefits of the proposed new highway are:

 It would be a strategic bypass segregating regional traffic from local traffic – for better traffic dispersal and also improve accessibility from North to South of the Island;

 Have six interchanges to connect the main hubs on the Island, the Penang Second Bridge, the Penang International Airport, Bayan Lepas, , , Tg Bungah and also lead to George Town;

 Be built beyond the developed area of the city, to disperse traffic rather than forcing it to converge in the extended city; and

 Enhance accessibility and open up opportunities for development on the west and south side of the island and help to decentralize growth from George Town.

3.0 PROJECT OPTION

 Alignment Option

Three (3) alignment options were considered in the selection of the PIL 1 Highway alignment. All 3 alignments have common sections. Option 2 differs from Option 1 at the start section where starting from Gurney Drive, the alignment heads in a north-westerly direction and crosses road and a cemetery to Youth whereas in Option 1, the alignment moves from Gurney Drive through Jalan Bagan Jermal and Jalan Gottlieb to Youth Park. Option 3 differs is similar to Option 1

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except at the Sg. Ara, where after exiting Tunnel 4, the alignment moves along a steep ravine near Regency Heights condominium and a temple before joining onto the alignment for Option 1. Option 1 was selected since it has lesser encumbrances and is relatively cheaper to construct compared to Option 2 and has lower environmental impacts when compared to Option 3.

 Elevated Structure vs At-Grade Option

Constructing the proposed highway at grade along the proposed alignment will present numerous technical, social and environmental issues. Therefore, the elevated highway plus tunnelling option was selected when considering the same key factors.

 Tunneling Option

Three tunneling methods were considered which are the Drill & Blast method, Cut and Cover method and the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) method. Based on geological, economic and sociological considerations, the Drill and Blast method was selected for use in tunneling in the PIL1 Project.

 No-Project Option

The no project option will intensify traffic problem currently experienced on Panang island. An inefficient transportation system would not be able to facilitate orderly economic growth in the State. With the No-Project Option, traffic conditions will deteriorate further in years to come, causing distress to day-to-day life of road users, and eventually hamper economic growth of the State as existing investors may pull out and new investors will look for other more conducive environment to invest.

4.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The 19.5 km long PIL1 Highway is a dual 3-lane non-tolled highway and consists of viaduct sections (7.6 km), tunnel sections (10.1 km) and an embankment road section (1.8 km). Six interchanges (IC) have been proposed at key locations along the Highway viz. the LCE IC, Tun Awang IC, Relau IC, IC, Utama IC and the Gurney IC (Figure 4.1)

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The Project is expected to commence in Early 2018 after all regulatory approvals have been obtained. It is scheduled for completion in End 2023 / Early 2024 over a construction period of 60 months.

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Figure 4.1. PIL 1 Highway - Overall Layout

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4.1 PROJECT COMPONENTS

The typical viaduct will have a lane width of 3.5m with a central median of 1.6m and a shoulder width of 0.5 m. The standard span for the viaduct shall be around 30 - 40 m. At specific sensitive locations, longer deck spans (cable stayed bridge and box girders) will be adopted. The tunnel section will have three lanes for each direction. The “Drill and Blast” method will be used for the construction of the tunnels. A short embankment section will be constructed between the 3rd and 4th tunnels.

5.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT

Topography

The highest contour in the project site is 440 m and the lowest is 1 m above the Mean Sea Level (Table 5.1). About 61.7% of the area falls into Class 1 (0-15o) slope classification (mainly between Gurney Drive to Air Itam and between Sg. Ara to the LCE at Bayan Lepas). In the Penang Hills section, the slopes fall mainly into Class 2 (15-25o) (20.9%) and Class 3 (25-35o) (14.3%) category. No construction work will be done in areas containing slopes of more than 35° (Class 4) (3%).

Table 5.1. Elevations of the Proposed PIL 1 Highway Section Existing No (Slope Class) Location Elevation Remark (m) 1 Section 1 Gurney Expressway to Youth Park 1- 50 Viaduct (Mainly Class 1) Youth Park to Air Itam (near Kek Lok 50 - 290 Tunnel 1 Si) Kek Lok Si Temple to Emerald Height 76 - 187 Tunnel 2

Emerald Height to Paya Terubong 43-78 Viaduct 2 Section 2 Indah (Class 2-Class Paya Terubong to Relau 68 - 440 Tunnel 3 3) Relau Section 83-139 Embankment Relau to 72-120 Tunnel 4 3 Section 3 Sungai Ara to Lim Chong Eu 1 - 72 Viaduct (Mainly Class 1) Expressway

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Land Use

The project area traverses the District of Timur Laut and the District of Barat Daya. The land use along the proposed Highway alignment contains residential, educational, commercial, religious, and industrial premises and recreational land. From the Gurney roundabout to Youth Park, the land use is dominated by mixed developments along Jalan Bagan Jermal to Jalan Gottlieb (residential, educational, commercial land use). From Youth Park to Sg. Ara, most of the land use consists of secondary forest land (about 80%) with some mixed developments. From Sg. Ara to Bayan Lepas, the land is subjugated by river reserves with residential, parkland, commercial, religious, and industrial premises next to the river.

Geology

Penang Island is underlain mainly by granitic rocks and alluvium. Granitic rock is classified into two major plutons i.e. the North Penang pluton and South Penang pluton. The northern area of the proposed alignment is underlain by a subdivide of the North Penang pluton namely Tanjung Bunga granite. In the south, the alignment is underlain by granite which is a subdivide of the South Penang Pluton. The upper alluvium layer varies in thickness (7m to >50m depth depending on the location).

Three main types of deformation zones (faults) have been identified in the study area. Three (3) prominent sets of joints are in the North Penang Pluton and six (6) sets of joints are observed in the South Penang Pluton. The proposed PIL1 tunnel alignment in the Penang Hills may run into these deformation zones. The groundwater elevation varies depending on the topography of the area.

Meteorology

The general climate in the study area is characterized by high annual rainfall and relatively uniform high humidity and temperature (MMD station, Bayan Lepas). The annual average 24-hour mean temperature is 27.4C. The annual 24-hour mean relative humidity is about 81.3%. The annual mean rainfall for Bayan Lepas is about 2,383.5 mm with an annual mean rain days of 178 days. The dominant wind blows from the North (16.7%) with a percentage of calm conditions of about 23.3% of the time.

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Traffic Management

It is observed that the , LCE and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah currently experience traffic crawls (LOS F) when approaching George Town daily during peak periods. The Traffic Impact Assessment study was performed based on modelled year 2030 and assumed the worst case scenario i.e. when all PSR developments are fully completed and occupied. The results are summarized as follows: i. Total peak hour traffic approaching/departing the Gurney IC via the Gurney Expressway is expected to be a maximum of 5,800 pcu/hr and 3,400 pcu/hr southwest and northwest of the interchange respectively. Therefore, at least a dual-three lane highway is needed on the southeast segment and a dual-two highway is needed on the northwest segment. ii. Jalan Utama towards/from the Utama IC in between Jalan Kebun Bunga and Jalan Macallister link road facilitates traffic going to and coming from the southern side of the Island. It is estimated that a maximum of 1,700 pcu/hr will use this link. Certain segments along this route will need to be widened to a single carriageway 4-lane road. iii. The link road to/from Paya Terubong IC from Jalan Paya Terubong and Thean Teik Highway is proposed as a dual-2 road based on the maximum projected traffic of 3,400 pcu/hour. iv. The design for the link road – PIL 2 to/from Relau IC from , and the proposed PSR development will be a dual-2 highway based on the maximum traffic projection of 3,400 pcu/hr. v. The link road to/from the Awang IC – Jalan Tun Dr. Awang in between Jalan Tengah – Jalan Bayan and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah is expected to carry a maximum of 7,100 pcu/hr per direction. Therefore, the link road will require at least a dual-4 roadway. vi. The link road to/from the LCE IC–Bayan Lepas Expressway to/from the Penang Second Bridge from/to Queensbay is expected to carry a maximum of 4,500 pcu/hr per direction. Therefore, the link road will require at least a dual-2 (with motorbike lane) highway.

In view of the constraints to carry out road widening works in many areas, the initial priority should be on upgrading of junctions to support the smooth flow of traffic, increase capacity

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and relieve congestion. In addition, contraflow lanes can also be introduced on selected roads to extend the capacity of the roads for morning and evening rush hours.

The Network Performance analysis is centered on Year 2030 at average highway speed and based on a Do Minimum (DM) without PIL 1 and Do Something 1 with PIL 1 (DS01) scenarios. Compared to the DM scenario, there will be increase of speed in all sectors ranging from 1% to 32% during the AM peak hour and from 7% to 39% during the PM peak hour with PIL 1 (Table 5.2).

Table 5.2. AM & PM Peak Hour Average Highway Speed in Differing Parts of the State.

AM PM

Area/ Average Speed DM DS01 Improvement Improvement (No (With DM DS01 (within Sector) from DM from DM PIL) PIL) within George Town 23.8 27.9 17% 19.8 27.0 37% within Other Built-Up areas 24.9 32.9 32% 21.2 28.5 34% on Penang Island within the Remainder of 26.3 34.0 29% 22.4 29.6 32% Penang Island within Butterworth 23.6 23.9 1% 21.5 28.6 33% within the Remainder of 28.8 29.0 1% 25.4 27.3 7% the Mainland on Penang Island 24.9 32.5 30% 21.5 29.9 39% on Penang Mainland 25.8 26.1 1% 23.4 26.9 15% within Whole State 27.3 30.4 11% 23.8 29.4 24%

Another analysis performed in the traffic study is Capture Rate Analysis. The analysis was carried out by having 3 screen lines namely as SL 1, SL 2 and SL 3 in between LCE and PIL 1 as shown in Figure 5.1. The results show a capture rate of 19-30% and 18-28% for AM and PM hours respectively. Thus by having the PIL1 Highway, the captured traffic will not be released onto the existing congested road network on Penang Island.

Significant quantities of construction materials and wastes will have to be transported to and from the PIL1 Project sites, the waste disposal area and the support facilities. This will result in a large number of vehicles using the public roads over the construction period.

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Careful planning of transport routes will be required. The emphasis is on control and management of transportation related elements – Site-Specific TMPs (traffic and safety control); Vehicle Control (type of vehicle, vehicle maintenance, driver training); Routes to/from Destinations (based on approved Work Plan, travel times, speed control, approved waste dump sites); and Regulatory and Permit requirements (load factors, emissions factors, covers over haulage).

Figure 5.1. PIL1 Traffic Capture Rate

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Hydrology and Impact on the Coastal Environment

The viaduct from the south portal of Tunnel 4 runs along the banks of Sg. Ara and Sg. Kluang to the LCE Interchange. Some of the piers lie on the river reserve of Sg. Ara and Sg. Kluang and 3 piers are located in the Sg. Kluang conveyance at the estuary. The concern is that the when the piers encroach into the river conveyance system, it could affect the river conveyance capacity and cause flooding in the area. The JPS has requested that all piers should be outside of the river channel with at least 6 m maintenance access at both sides of Sg Ara and Sg Kluang. Subsequently, in the final design, certain stretches of river realignment has been proposed to harmonize with JPS requirements. The river bank section near the airport Flight path will be restored with L-shaped drains.

A Hydraulic Modelling study has been carried out to determine the impact(s) of the final design on the river hydraulics. The results show that the proposed river diversion and improvement works and the construction of the 3 piers in Sg. Kluang at the estuary will not cause any impediment to the river conveyance in Sg. Ara and Sg. Kluang. The said works will also not cause any flooding put side by side with existing conditions. River flow velocities in Sg. Ara will also not increase.

The study regarding the impact of placement of piers in the coastal waters at the LCE Interchange indicated the potential occurrence of erosion in this area. Several options to mitigate coastal erosion at the project site is presented.

Another concern during the construction stage is with regards to the adequacy of the existing drainage in the study area, particularly at the embankment and interchange (IC) locations. Some culverts may need to be improved to prevent localized flooding. It is recommended that they be examined with respect to their capacity to receive the additional run-off from the project work areas. If inadequate, the drainage capacities should be improved or on-site detention facilities be provided in collaboration with the JPS.

Soil erosion control systems during the construction of the viaducts, tunnels, embankment and interchange have been proposed. It is based on BMPs together with LD-P2M2 / ESCP measures.

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Air Quality

Air quality measurements carried out at 12 locations showed that the air quality parameter values in the study area are generally within the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Standards 3 3 (MAAQS) 2013 for IT-1 (2015). The PM10 level was good, ranging from 39 μg/m to 65 μg/m 3 and PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 0.25 to 0.7 μg/m . Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) was not detected except at A1: Near the (1 µg/m3). Carbon Monoxide (CO) was not detected (< 2 ppm). Noise and Vibration

48 sampling stations were selected for noise level measurements along the PIL Highway corridor. Most of the areas can be considered as areas with a high environmental noise climate where the baseline noise levels were higher than the permissible sound level limit.

Vibration levels were also measured at the same 48 locations. Generally, the measured overall peak vibration levels were considerably low to cause any structural damage and human annoyance. Only a few stations namely, V1, V2, V25, V34 and V47 recorded high peak P.P.V. values for very short periods. They are not considered to potentially cause any damage to nearby structures.

Water Quality

The concern is mainly on soil erosion and subsequent impacts on water quality during the construction stage. Typical soil erosion and water pollution control strategies have been recommended for the construction of the viaducts, tunnel portals, ICs and embankment road. They are focused on the BMPs associated with the ESCP and LD-P2M2 control measures.

Twenty (20) river water quality monitoring stations were established in the study area. The results indicate that the WQI of the water bodies fall into Class II and Class III category. Generally the water bodies have high ammonia nitrogen concentrations and E.coli counts. In certain areas, the heavy metal concentrations are high due natural and/or anthropogenic origin.

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Flora and Fauna

The flora and fauna study was focussed in the Penang Hills area. The floristic composition recorded 375 species of plants from 267 genera and 98 families. The most abundant plants are the Euphorbiaceae, Leguminosae, Annonaceae and Anacardiaceae. In terms of conservation status, none of the species recorded were high in conservation value.

A total of 21 species of mammals were recorded comprising Orders Chiroptera, Dermoptera, Primates, Scandentia, Rodentia, Artiodactyla and Carnivora. Four species are listed as Protected (e.g. Dusky Leaf Monkey Trahypithecus obscurus), 2 species as Totally Protected (e.g. Black Giant-squirrel Ratufa bicolor) and 15 are listed as Not Protected.

A total of 83 bird species from 41 families has been observed in the study area. A total of 38 species of reptilians were recorded comprising 11 families such as Bataguridae, Agamidae, Scincidae, Colubridae and Elapidae. A total of 17 species of amphibians were recorded comprising six families such as Bufonidae, Ranidae, and Rhacophoridae.

The construction activities are not anticipated to cause adverse impacts to the fauna populations in the area because the animals would move away from the work sites when construction activities start (due to noise and clearing of the habitat). Furthermore, only small areas would be disturbed (portal area of the tunnels) for the Project development.

6.0 Potential Significant Impacts & Mitigating Measures.

The activities in the pre-construction stage include topographical surveys, soil investigations and baseline environmental monitoring. These activities are not expected to cause any significant impacts on the existing environment in the project corridor.

However, land and property acquisition which involves compensation and relocation issues need to be resolved before any construction work can take place.

Socio-economy

 The social survey interviewed 3,000 respondents in the study area. The majority of the respondents (58%) agree with the proposed PIL1 Highway project development. The principal reason for supporting the proposed PIL1 Highway Project is the feeling that the new Highway will provide an alternative to the Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu

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Expressway which is nearly always congested. It will also improve travel from the north to the south of Penang Island, vice-versa, with many added benefits (shorter travel time, cost savings, smoother and safer journey, less stress).

 About 35% of the respondents did not agree with the proposed Project. Among the reasons given include their worries about traffic disruptions during the construction stage, damage to the environment and also because they do not concur to land or property acquisition for the Project.

 About 7% of the respondents were uncertain.

 Although more than half of the participants in the FGD sessions in all community zones (Zone 1 – Zone 5) agree with the proposed Project, about 28% - 39% in the different zones disagree due to a variety of reasons (Figure 6.4.8). For example, about 36% of the participants in Zone 4 disagree because they are worried about land/property acquisition, potential loss of business, public safety, and environmental concerns (traffic disruption, noise and dust pollution); they also asked that the alignment of the new Highway be changed to avoid the stretch from the Gurney Drive round-about to Jalan Bagan Jermal and Jalan Gottlieb.

 About 234 premises would be affected by the construction of the PIL 1 Highway Project. Of these, about 28 are located at Paya Terubong Interchange area. The potential socio-economic impacts include:

- Loss of property and business. - Displacement of people. - Loss of holy site (shrine/temple)

Some of the mitigating measures proposed include:

 Provide due notice, information and assistance to the affected parties, giving them ample time to make alternative plans and minimize inconveniences.  Ensure a fair and equitable valuation of land or properties that will be acquired.  Prompt disbursement of compensation funds and any other type of assistance.  Set up avenue for public-project proponent (PP) dialogue/interaction, e.g. PIC.  Initiate and support formation of an Inter-Agency group (e.g. Working Committee in Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang-PP-LKIM) which function to provide advice, assistance, confirm ground data and to discuss remedial action plans to the affected

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parties in Sg. Kluang (fishermen and tour boat operators). This is to ensure that the affected parties get proper guidance and be well informed about the procedures involved in the relocation exercise.

Pier / Viaduct / Interchange / Support Facility Construction

The impacts due to the construction of the piers, viaducts, interchange and project support facilities are of concern communities living adjacent (in the zones of impact) to the project corridor, particularly in the residential areas (Jln. Baga Jermal, Jln. Gottlieb, in the hillsides in Air Itam, Paya Terubong and Relau, Kg. Sg. Ara), along the banks of Sg. Ara and Sg. Kluang and in Bayan Lepas. The most significant impacts would be during piling and pier construction works which is expected to last for 3-4 months in each km length of the proposed alignment. The construction of the interchange (IC) and support facilities would take a longer time and the impacts would be focused in the respective area(s). Construction of the IC and support facilities would involve modification(s) to portions of the existing land between the IC/support facility and the existing roadways. The Paya Terubong IC is expected to generate more impacts since it involves more space, longer road lengths, elevated road links and ramps, and land/property acquisition.

Public feedbacks in the FGD sessions has proposed that the PIL1 alignment be changed to avoid Jln. Baga Jermal and Jln. Gottlieb (i.e. avoid land/property acquisition); to take steps to control vehicle speeds to prevent potential road accidents particularly at the Penang Chinese Girls High School, SJKC Phor Tay and other schools in the area; to maintain ingress/egress to residential and business premises along the Project work sites; avert nuisance (noise, vibration and air pollution) and implement proper traffic control to prevent traffic congestion. Concerns have also been raised about potential impacts to the Kek Lok Si Temple.

Overall, the major concerns expressed relate to traffic congestion, public safety, noise, vibration and dust pollution. It is evident that traffic control is an significant concern among the public particularly on local roads which contain heavy traffic at all times of the day (e.g. Jln. Utama for the Utama IC; Jln. Paya Terubong, Jln. Bukit Bendera and Thien Tek Highway for the Paya Terubong IC; Jln. Paya Terubong and Jln. for the Relau IC; Jln. Tun Awang for the Awang IC and LCE for the LCE IC, etc.).

Apart from traffic impacts, other significant impacts would relate to public safety, noise, vibration and dust pollution. Measures recommended to prevent, control and minimize the potential adverse environmental impacts during the construction are summarized in Table

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6.1.

Tunnel Construction

The PIL1 Project involves moderate earthworks since the major part of the highway is elevated. The major earthworks will be at the construction of the access roads, tunnel portals and the short length of embankment road. The main tunnel construction activities will employ the Drill and Blast method.

The construction of tunnels may cause a deformation of the soils that may trigger a collapse and subsidence. Areas that intersect with fault zones are highly fractured and vulnerable to collapse. This can damage both, the work under construction and existing nearby structures such as condominiums, the Kek Lock Si Temple, the air Itam Dam and the Bukit Bendera complex.

Noise generated during tunneling works will primarily be from blasting operations, earth moving equipment (dozers, tractors), and heavy vehicles (lorries, trucks). However, with few exceptions, these noise sources are generally quite far from residential premises. Critical areas include: houses near the portal areas such as at Emerald Height and Taman Sg. Ara.

Vibration induced damage and fly rock induced damage to property during blasting operations is not expected to occur since no open blasting will be carried out and low vibration construction methods will be employed. Nonetheless, blasting mats will be used at the face of the tunnels as a preventive measure against fly rock and to suppress fugitive dust emissions (from the tunnel) during blasting operations.

There is possibility of increased dust/fugitive dust levels in the vicinity of the project area during the construction period; however, the nearest Air Sensitive Receptors will not be significantly affected by the natural dispersion of air contaminants from this point emission as the blasting activity will be intermittent in nature.

The LD-P2M2 / ESCP plan shall be prepared for all work sites in the Penang Hills area. The measures proposed include wash troughs, concrete bunding, proper diversion of surface runoff into sedimentation pits before discharging to the nearest storm drain/stream, silt fences and temporary containment by sandbags.

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A temporary site specific TMP shall be prepared for each work site in the Penang Hills area to minimize disruptions to free flow traffic on nearby local roads at the egress-ingress road to the work sites.

In summary, the potential significant impacts from tunnel construction works include soil erosion and sedimentation, risks due to geology (faults), increased dust/fugitive dust levels, increased noise levels and traffic congestion.

Measures recommended to prevent, control and minimize the potential adverse environmental impacts during tunnel construction are summarized in Table 6.1.

Detailed Examination of Impacts

Modelling studies had been carried out for some specific environmental aspects such as noise, air, hydrology and traffic.

Noise

Ambient noise levels are already exceeding the regulatory limits for noise for AM and PM hours at many locations. The modeling studies indicate that the noise levels during the operational phase of the PIL1 Highway would exceed 70 dB(A) at 20 m from the road boundary. Residents in multi-storey houses, apartments and condominiums near (20-100m away) the PIL 1 Highway alignment would be affected by the traffic noise daily. Appropriate mitigation measures are necessary.

Vibration

Ground-borne vibrations from road traffic is unlikely to cause damage to buildings. It is possible that ground-borne vibrations can cause disturbance to nearby residents where the sub-grade is soft, the road surface is uneven and/or when dwellings are within a few metres of the carriageway. Air Quality

The air quality during the operations phase of the PIL 1 Project was studied using the

CALINE4 air quality model. From the simulations, the predicted concentrations of PM2.5, NO2 and CO are within the MAAQS 2013 (2020). No adverse impacts are anticipated.

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Traffic

The traffic studies indicate that many junctions on some major roads and highways in Penang Island are already operating at LOS D to LOS F (Year 2015). The situation would worsen if nothing is done. When the proposed PIL 1 Highway is completed, it is estimated that the travel time between the LCE IC and the Gurney IC will only take 15 minutes at a driving speed of 80 km/h. Due to the high speed and high capacity of the Highway, it is expected that there will be an increase of traffic in the vicinity of the PIL 1 interchanges.

Some traffic mitigation measures has been proposed to accommodate the increase in traffic volume based on 20abeled year 2030.

Network Performance Analysis (with and without PIL 1) indicate that there will be increase of speed in all parts of the State ranging from 1% to 32% during the AM peak hour and from 7% to 39% during the PM peak hour with the presence of PIL 1.

Another analysis i.e. the Capture Rate Analysis that was carried out using 3 screen lines in between the LCE and PIL 1 show capture rates ranging from 19-30% (AM hours) and 18- 28% (PM hours) from the LCE to PIL1 (Table 6.1.). Without PIL1, the captured traffic will be released onto the existing already congested road network on Penang Island. Therefore, it can be summarised that PIL 1 is needed and serves as an important link for future the Penang road network.

Table 6.1. “Capture Rate” Analysis Results (PIL1 – LCE). Peak Hour Traffic Volume Capture Capture Rate Morning Between 5,700 pcu & 7,900 pcu 19-30% Evening Between 7,500 pcu & 8,100 pcu 18-28%

7.0 RESIDUAL IMPACTS

The residual impacts of the Project are those impacts that could potentially persist in the long-term even after all practicable mitigation measures have been implemented. Although the Project Proponent/PDP and his contractors shall prepare and implement the Site- Specific TMPs, it is anticipated that traffic congestion could occur along some busy roads especially during peak periods and will likely affect their LOS throughout the duration of the construction period (few months to 2-3 years, depending on location).

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

Localized traffic congestion can also be anticipated to occur on some existing roads/expressways where traffic from PIL1 at the Interchanges drive into these roads e.g. near the interchange at Jln. Air Hitam, Jln. Paya Terubong, Jln. Ara and Jln. Kuari. These issues will be addressed in the TIA report. Junction upgrade will be proposed where necessary.

Although noise levels from the PIL1 Highway can be adequately mitigated, illegal racing and speeds beyond the legal limits may become a nuisance. Proper monitoring/surveillance and control is critical to keep this potential residual impact as low as possible.

The land/property acquisition would result in displacement of the affected residents. The concerns were raised in almost all the stakeholders’ engagement sessions (FGDs). The impacts are worse for older/retired residents, business premise owners and long term tenants. For those who are able to relocate near to their previous address, the impacts of the losses may be less significant. However, those who have to relocate far from their current homes will suffer the impacts (e.g. to adjust) for a longer time.

The existence of the PIL1 Highway may result in changes in property values at some sections of the alignment, depending on circumstances related to proximity to the Highway, and noise and traffic conditions. The impact(s) could be positive or negative.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

Table 7.1. Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures for the PIL1 Highway.

PRE- CONSTRUCTION STAGE

PROJECT ACTIVITY / POTENTIAL IMPACTS MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE AND DURATION OF IMPACT Topographical surveys, soil None Low None Section 7.2 investigations and Short-term Section 8.1 baseline environmental monitoring

Socio-economic Issues Socio-economic impacts  Ref. National Land Code (Penang and Malacca Section 8.1.1 Titles) Act, 1963, Act 2 of 1963: As Amended by the Land/property acquisition -Loss of land/property. High National Land Code (Penang and Malacca Titles) (property owners, Permanent (Amendment) Act, 1965 (Act 55 of 1965). tenants, food stall -Loss of religious and  Set up PIL1 Information Centre (PIC) to register and High operators, residents) business premise. coordinate actions on all socio-economic issues and Permanent public complaints. Resettlement (fishermen, -Loss of income. High  Provide PIL1 Project information and maintain tour boat operators, Permanent communication with affected parties. squatters).  Start discussions with affected parties early in the -Disproportionate High project planning phase. compensation. Permanent  Negotiations shall involve arbitrators if necessary.

 Fair and equitable valuation of land or property. A one-time payment is recommended.

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PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT -Uncertainties about High  Draw up a Social Impact Management Plan to Section 8.1.1 resettlement. Long term address resettlement process. Explain to affected parties. Monitor progress.

 Provide advice and/or special assistance wherever

necessary.

Work site/area close to -Public complaints Moderate  Publicise the PIL Information Centre (PIC) to Section 8.1.1 Sensitive Receptors. to register and coordinate all actions on all socio- High economic issues and public complaints.  Provide assurance w.r.t safety and environmental Temporary control concerns to all stakeholders.  Special briefing sessions to affected people.  Attend to specific complaints in timely manner. Proceedings to be recorded and verified by PIC.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

CONSTRUCTION STAGE

Site Preparation

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE LD-P2M2 / ESCP / MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT

Utility relocation -Public safety Moderate  Notify public before commencement of the works. Section 8.1.2 -Accidents concerns  All safety requirements must be complied to with esp. school children. regards to electrocution, fire hazards and working in -Impact on traffic flow confined space. -Dust and noise  Usage of appropriate signboards during relocation pollution - Dust, noise and water works with implementation of Traffic Management pollution. Plan if required.  Closed coordination with utility provider.

-Removal of paved -Public safety Moderate to  Closed coordination with affected schools. Section 8.2.1 materials and biomass; -Impact on traffic flow High.  Use flagmen to control all traffic in front of the -Road diversion, closure schools in Jln. Bagan Jermal and Jln. Gottlieb during -Removal of structures; and lane reduction. Approx. 1 – 4 morning, afternoon and evening peak hours. -Restricted access to months -Platform grading;  Provide assurance w.r.t safety and environmental house or business depending on control concerns to all stakeholders. premise. location. -Access road construction;  Earthwork activities shall be avoided during the -Disturbance to soil rainy season (Nov. – Feb.) and during heavy rainfall -Placement of materials strata and erosion. and equipment; events where possible.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

-Run-off from work site  Clear affected area only and stabilize as soon as -Construction of can lead to water practicable. Section 8.2.9 ESCP/LD-P2M2 control pollution, sedimentation  Exposed areas to be covered with plastic or measures; and localized flooding. tarpaulin.

-Clogged drains  Maintain corridors of vegetation as buffer zones to -Health/visual issue due entrap sediment along drainage system. to fugitive dust/disease  Design retention pond, silt trap and drainage system vectors. to sufficient size. -Disease vector breeding  Construct perimeter bunds, site drainage to control sites. drainage as per LD-P2M2 and ESCP design.

 All LD-P2M2 / ESCP instruments must be inspected

regularly, especially after heavy rain and desilted

when the functional capacity is reduced.

 Topsoil shall be stockpiled away from steep slopes

and water bodies.

 Clear all roadside drains and other waterways of

debris to allow free flow of run-off -Placement of road and Section 8.2.3  Implement traffic control / TMP traffic diversion furniture.  Compliance with all health and safety requirements. Section 8.2.14  All work sites shall be kept clean and dry at all times.

It is recommended that they be fogged once every

week.

 All waste soils and construction materials (e.g. sand, aggregates, etc.) stored on site must be properly

protected from weather elements and removed

from the work site to the waste disposal area asap.  Maintain good housekeeping practices.  Employ competent EO and Safety & Health

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personnel at work site. -Transportation of wastes.  Prepare and implement Site Specific Traffic Section 8.2.2 Management Plan at the different work sites. - Environmental pollution - Air - Dust  Entrance to the work sites shall be equipped with a Section 8.2.6 Section 8.2.7 - Water washing bay and the access road stabilized. Section 8.2.10  Enforce strict washing of vehicle tyres when leaving - Noise the work sites to move onto public roads.  Control heavy vehicles from blocking traffic at the work sites.  Enforce all road diversions, lane reductions following the TMP only, executed by trained staffs.  Ensure that all barricades at the project work sites

are flexibly placed and not to block ingress/egress to

public premises.

Night work -Glaring lights/noise  All night work activities must comply with the Section 8.2.13 during night work. Approval Conditions in the corresponding Work -Public complaints. Permits upon approval of the Night Work Plan by the relevant authorities.  All site preparation works shall follow approved

working hours.

 Put up notices to inform the public in affected areas about the Project’s Work Schedule via the PIL1 Information Centre (PIC).

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CONSTRUCTION STAGE

Piers and Viaducts (Section A + Section C) NOTE: All mitigation measures during Site Preparation also apply where relevant and applicable.

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT Socio-economy Medium to High.

Employment Precedence towards employing suitably qualified Section 8.3.6 opportunities locals and local companies.

Bore piling/hand dug caisson. -Public Safety: - Approx. 2 - 4  All earthwork activities shall be avoided during the Section 8.2.9 Construction vehicles months rainy season (Nov. – Feb.) and during heavy rainfall Construction of pile caps. in/out from work sites. depending on events where possible. location.  Erect full hoarding of sufficient height around all (Staged: Construction of piers. -Disturbance to traffic Pier support – work sites (for public safety, dust control, noise, flow (congestions): Pier Column – visual intrusion). Construction of viaducts. - near project site Viaduct)  Prepare and implement Site Specific Traffic Section 8.2.4 - route to disposal Management Plan at the different work sites. Use Construction of area/stockpile/batching trained personnel to operate the TMP. temporary structures plant etc. (e.g. bridges, storage  Use designated approved routes for disposal of Section 8.2.3 areas, beam casting -Traffic congestion : excavated/waste materials (following the Work

areas, storage of i)Jln. Bagan Jermal, Jln. Plan prepared by the Contractor). Scheduled Waste storage Gottlieb;

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

site, etc.) ii)Jln. Bukit Bendera , Jln.  Traffic diversion plans to be vetted and approved Section 8.2.3 PayaTerubong) by the Local Authority and carefully implemented iii)Jln. Sg. Ara, Jln. Tun at the work sites where necessary. Awang, Jln. Bayan Lepas  Transport of materials and wastes to be controlled

to avoid peak hour traffic and to use approved

-Road diversion, closure routes only to/from the designated locations. and lane reduction  Lane reductions shall be clearly marked and traffic cause confusion to road to be controlled at the affected locations during users. peak hours.

Safety – Dangers to Medium to  Use flagmen to control all traffic in front of the school children. High. schools in Jln. Bagan Jermal and Jln. Gottlieb during Section 8.2.14 morning, afternoon and evening peak hours.

 Put up Safety Signs and Plastic Barriers where

Restricted access to Approx. 2 - 4 appropriate to protect pedestrians. house or business months  Hoardings and traffic cones shall not block access premises. depending on to private property and business premises. location. (Staged:  Low vibration bore piling or Hand dug caisson to be

Pier support – used depending on geological, soil and Bore Piling works - use Pier Column – topographical conditions on site. of high noise equipment Viaduct)  Soils from the bore piling works: and machinery. Section 8.2.10

- Space constraint (Jln. Bagan Jermal, Jln. Gottlieb)– place in mobile containers and transfer Slurry from pile cap construction works – out to disposal area when full. - If space available – temporary stockpile; protect water pollution, dust pollution. from weather elements, away from water courses and transfer out to disposal site asap.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

- Slurry to be diverted to a silt trap in the work site prior to discharge to adjacent drains (LD-P2M2). - Noise  Erect temporary noise barriers cum hoardings at - Vibration work sites that are close to (30-50m) residential Section 8.2.7

premises.  Monitor noise and vibration levels at work sites  that have public complaints. Implement remedial control measures where and when necessary.  Limit work hours following the approved Work Permits.  Use quieter machine and methods.  On-site machines and equipment should be well maintained and regularly serviced.

Sedimentation - clogged Medium to  Clear all drains and other natural waterways in the Section 8.2.2 drains and waterways. High. vicinity of the highway corridor of rubbish and Flash flood. accumulated sediments. Section 8.2.10

 Improve the capacity of the existing drainage

Approx. 2 - 4 systems in the vicinity of the highway corridor in months order to prevent flash flood occurrence if depending on necessary. location.  (Staged: All waste soils and construction wastes (e.g. sand, Section 8.2.9

Pier support – aggregates, etc.) temporarily stored on site must Pier Column – be properly protected from weather elements and Viaduct) removed from the work site to the waste disposal

area asap.

-Construction works  Design for the Highway along Sg. Kluang shall Section 8.2.8 near/in river banks may conform to JPS requirements and following the

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

affect river outcome of the hydraulic 30abeled30 studies. conveyance; -Flash flood – danger to  Buffers (10 – 20m) shall be established alongside pedestrians. existing waterways (Sg. Ara, Sg. Kluang) where

possible. -Water pollution (BOD,  Entrance to the work sites shall be equipped with a Section 8.2.10 COD, NH3, NO3, P, Esch. washing bay and the access road stabilized. Coli).  Proper storage of diesel and fuel in skid tank on hard standing ground surface with bunded perimeter at the maintenance yard.  Proper storage of Scheduled Waste in 30abeled

drums on hard standing ground surface in covered

shed at the maintenance yard.  Regular collection and disposal of solid wastes at all support facilities sites.  Provide adequate temporary sanitary facilities in the work site(s) away from water bodies.

 The sanitary facilities at the CLQ and other

Support Facility site must meet specification set by

SPAN and any effluent discharge must comply with

the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations

2009.

 Sediment basin/traps and other practicable BMPs

should be installed in the work site (ESCP/LD-

P2M2).

 After earthworks are completed, any exposed area Section 8.2.9 -Soil erosion on river banks. should be close turfed or stabilized asap.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

 Install silt curtain at work sites along Sg. Ara and Sg. Kluang to protect water quality.  Topsoil shall be stockpiled away from steep slopes

and water bodies.

-Fugitive dusts.  Spilled earth or soil on public road laeding to the Section 8.2.6 work site must be removed and cleaned immediately.

 Provide tyre washing facility at the egress point at the work site.

 Carry out regular surface damping or wetting on bare surface, route used by construction vehicles and stockpiled materials when necessary.  Enforce speed restriction (30 km/h) for construction vehicles operating within the work site or on access roads to the site.

 Open burning is strictly prohibited.  Periodic maintenance and service of construction

vehicles to control black smoke emission.  Monitor air quality at the work site during Section 8.2.2 -Wastes construction.

 Recycle construction spoil when/where possible.

 Carry out regular collection and disposal of wastes by licensed solid waste disposal contractors.  No burning of wastes is allowed.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

 Maintain good housekeeping practices within the work sites.  Biomass wastes to be disposed by licensed

contractor to the nearest approved disposal site.

Night work. -Glaring lights/noise  All night work activities must comply with the Section 8.2.13 during night work. Approval Conditions in the corresponding Work -Public complaints. Permits.

Health/visual issues due  All work sites shall be kept clean and dry at all to fugitive dust/disease times. It is recommended that the work sites be vectors. fogged once every week.

Flora & Fauna Clearing of tunnel portal  Remove trees in affected portal area only. Section 8.2.15 area will remove  Check silt traps and monitor streams to ensure

vegetation and habitat. minimal silt and pollutants entering waterways.

 Close supervision of movement of construction Safety and social concerns. -Potential accident. vehicles with limits on timing and speed. Section 8.2.14 -Import of  Adequate sinage to alert road users. communicable diseases.  Provide flag man to control traffic during peak -Socio-cultural tension. hours.

 Foreign labor must be approved by immigration

authorities and screened by health authorities.  Provide liaison and communications to locals to

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

disseminate information and deal with complaints via PIL1 Information Centre (PIC).

CONSTRUCTION STAGE

Tunnels (Section B) NOTE: All mitigation measures during Site Preparation and Construction of Viaduct also apply where relevant.

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT

Construction of main Tunneling Works – Medium to  Earthwork activities shall be avoided during the Section 8.2.2, tunnels. (Drill-Blast public complaints. High. rainy season (Nov. – Feb.)and during heavy rainfall 8.2.6, method). - Noise events where possible. Plan the construction works 8.2.7,

- Dust accordingly. 8.2.9, - Fly-rock Approx. 6 - 12 8.2.10, Storage areas - Safety months  Publicise the PIL1 Information Centre (PIC) to 8.2.12, equipment; depending on register and coordinate all actions with respect to location. Temporary wastes public complaints. 8.2.13,

storage; etc.  Provide assurance w.r.t safety and environmental 8.2.14, control concerns to all stakeholders. 8.2.15  Special briefing sessions to the public in the Penang Hills area.  Attend to specific complaints in timely manner. Proceedings to be recorded and verified by PIC.  Inform the public about the schedule of blasting works.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

Safety issue due to Medium to  Carry out detailed studies on fault lines in the existence of faults in High. tunnel alignment in the hills area in order to refine hills area. the tunnel design to obtain a safe route for the

highway.

Increase in traffic and disturbance to traffic  Prepare and implement Site Specific Traffic Section 8.2.3 flow Management Plan at the work sites. Use trained -near project site personnel to operate the TMP.

-route to disposal  Use designated approved routes for disposal of area/stockpile/batching excavated/waste materials (following the Work plant, etc. Plan prepared by the Contractor).

 Traffic diversion plans to be vetted and approved

by the Local Authority and carefully implemented

at the work sites where necessary.

 Transport of materials and wastes to be controlled to avoid peak hour traffic and to use approved routes only to/from the designated locations.

 Lane reductions shall be clearly marked and traffic

to be controlled at the affected locations during peak hours. Soil erosion due to exposed land during  Earthwork activities shall be avoided during the Section 8.2.9 work progress. rainy season (Nov. – Feb.)and during heavy rainfall

events where possible. Sedimentation from earthworks and  Buffers (10 – 20m) shall be established alongside excavation works existing waterways.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT

Pollution of water Entrance to the work sites shall be equipped with a courses washing bay and access road stabilized.

Safety / Annoyance  Hold special briefing sessions to the public in the Section 8.2.14 issues from Drill & Blast Penang Hills area concerning tunneling works operations. (fly rock, especially blasting operations. noise, vibration)  Attend to specific complaints in timely manner. Proceedings to be recorded and verified by PIC. Risk of Explosion from  Inform the public about the schedule of blasting Explosives Stores. works.  Adhere to Permit conditions for siting, storage and Risks from transportation of explosives (as issued by the Police transportation of and JMG). explosives through  Use designated approved routes and times for urban/residential areas. transportation of explosives.

 Adopt controlled blasting technique to minimize Noise from blasting Section 8.2.7 noise during blasting operations where necessary. operations.

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PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT Health/visual issue due  Install efficient exhaust ventilation system for the to fugitive dusts. tunnelling works. The vented air shall be directed to the nearest vegetated area at the tunnel portal to prevent dust from settling to residential areas

located downslope of the tunnel areas.  Adopt DOSH regulations concerning workers exposure to dust during tunnelling operations.  Supply PPE to workers and enforce its usage.

Dengue  All work sites shall be kept clean and dry at all Section 8.2.14 times. It is recommended that the work sites be

fogged once every week.

Damage to nearby  Carry out a dilapidation survey of surrounding Section 8.2.7 buildings due to buildings prior to commencement of tunnelling vibration. works.  Implement monitoring of vibration levels during

the blasting operations.

 All wastes and construction materials (e.g. sand, Section 8.2.1, Waste soils from aggregates, etc.) stored on site must be properly 8.2.2 development of tunnel protected from weather elements and removed portals – sedimentation from the work site to the waste disposal area asap. in nearby streams.

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

 All run-off must be captured into a silt trap before discharge to nearby water course as per LD-P2M2 / ESCP design. Rocks from blasting works stored on site –  After earthworks are completed, any exposed area fugitive dusts, should be close turfed or stabilized asap. contaminated run-off.  Recycle or reuse blasted rocks where/when possible.

Risk of landslides in the  Cut slopes near the tunnel portal area must follow hills area due to specifications (Arahan Teknik JKR). Section 8.2.9 tunneling and viaduct  Monitor stability of slopes during the construction construction works. period.

Night work.  All night work activities must comply with the Approval Conditions in the corresponding Work Permits.

PROJECT:

Critical Locations: Monitor potential adverse impacts / public concerns – - Kek Lok Si Temple, Sg. Publicize PIC offices near Kek Lok Si Temple and in Ara, Sg. Kluang. Taman Jajar, Sg. Ara and Sg. Kluang.

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CONSTRUCTION STAGE

Interchange (Section A + Section B + NOTE: All mitigation measures during Site Preparation and Construction of Viaduct also apply where relevant. Section C)

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT

Construction of the Ics Sedimentation from Medium to  Earthwork activities shall be avoided during the Section 8.2.2 would involve earthworks and High. rainy season (Nov. – Feb.) and during heavy rainfall 8.2.10 modifications to portions excavation works. events if possible. Plan the construction works of the existing land Clogged drains. accordingly. between the interchange Potential flash floods. Approx. 2 - 4  Buffers (10 – 20m) shall be established alongside months and the existing existing drainage systems/waterways. roadways. Water pollution. depending on  Entrance to the work sites shall be equipped with a location. washing bay and access road stabilized.

Dust pollution.  Sediment basin/traps and other practicable BMPs Involves land/property should be installed during site preparation. Section 8.2.11 acquisition. Noise pollution.  All waste soils and construction materials (e.g. sand, aggregates, etc.) stored on site must be

Involves demolition of properly protected from weather elements and existing structures. Section 8.2.14 removed from the work site to the waste disposal area asap.

Piling works - use of  Space constraint – place in mobile containers and

high noisy equipment transfer out to disposal area when full. and machinery.  Space available – temporary stockpile; protect - piling slurry

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

from weather elements, away from water courses and transfer out to disposal site asap.  Slurry to be diverted to a silt trap in the work site prior to discharge to adjacent drains. Section 8.2.9 8.2.10  Erect temporary noise barriers cum hoardings at work sites that are close to (30-50m) residential premises.  Monitor noise and vibration levels at work sites that have public complaints. Implement remedial control measures where and when necessary.  Use water sprays to minimize fugitive dust

dispersion at the work sites.  Regularly wash down the work areas at the end of the work day to reduce dust dispersion.  Enforce strict washing of vehicle tyres when leaving the work sites to move onto public roads.  Sediment basin/traps and other practicable BMPs should be installed concurrently with the site

preparation activities.  Check that all ESCP and LD-P2M2 control

instruments are in place and working properly.  Clear all roadside drains and other waterways of debri to allow free flow of run-off.

 After earthworks are completed, any exposed area should be close turfed or stabilized asap.

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PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE LD-P2M2 / ESCP / MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT

Traffic congestion at IC  Prepare and implement Site Specific Traffic Section 8.2.3 areas: Management Plan at the different work sites. Use i) Gurney Drive trained personnel to operate the TMP. ii) Jln. Utama; iii) Jln. Bukit Bendera ,  Use designated approved routes for disposal of

Jln. PayaTerubong; excavated/waste materials (following the Work iv) Jln. Balik Pulau Plan prepared by the Contractor).

v) Jln. Tun Awang  Traffic diversion plans to be vetted and approved

vi) LCE by the Local Authority and carefully implemented

at the work sites where necessary. Increase in traffic and disturbance to traffic  Transport of materials and wastes to be controlled flow to avoid peak hour traffic and to use approved -near project site routes only to/from the designated locations. -route to disposal  Road diversions and lane reductions shall be area/stockpile/batching clearly marked and traffic to be controlled using plant. flagmen at the affected locations during peak

hours.  Control heavy vehicles from blocking traffic at the

work sites.

Health/visual issues.  All work sites shall be kept clean and dry at all times. It is recommended that the work sites be

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

fogged once every week.

 All night work activities must comply with the Section 8.2.13 Night work. Approval Conditions in the corresponding Work Permits.

Public complaints – PR campaign.  Monitor potential adverse impacts / public concerns – publicize PIC offices near/ adjacent to the IC construction locations.

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CONSTRUCTION STAGE

Construction of Support Facilities/Utilities: NOTE: All mitigation measures during Site Preparation and Construction of Viaduct also apply where relevant.

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT

- Casting Yards -Traffic congestion Earthwork activities shall be avoided during the rainy Section 8.2.2 - Batching Plant -Public safety season (Nov. – Feb.) and during heavy rainfall events to - Crusher Yards -Noise pollution where possible. Section 8.2.14

- Waste Storage -Dust pollution - Stockpile Yard -Water pollution Mitigation measures similar to those cited above for

- CLQ -Waste management similar potential impacts. -Health impacts

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

OPERATIONS PHASE

PROJECT ACTIVITY / SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES REFERENCE IMPACT SOURCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND DURATION OF IMPACT Highway Commissioning Vehicles movements - Residual  Control vehicle speeds. Section 8.3 and noise annoyance.  Scheduled maintenance of road surfaces. Operation  Maintain noise barriers along the Highway.

 Maintenance of tunnel ventilation system, high Morning mist / visibility intensity lighting, visible (lighted) warning signs. problem.

Road intrusion by  Protection of highway alignment (fencing). animals

 Scheduled maintenance of drainage systems. Potential flash floods

Abnormal incidents  Provision of emergency services; slope monitoring Section 8.3.3 (stalled vehicle; and maintenance; maintain communication system accidents; chemicals along highway; rock fence. spillage; fire; slope

failure; falling rocks; )

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THE PROPOSED PAN ISLAND LINK 1 HIGHWAY PROJECT, PENANG

Slope stability in Penang hills area  Category B inspection by geotechnical engineer when something unusual is observed and at least every 5 years. Surface erosion  Any exposed bare earth shall be immediately close-turfed.

Blockage of drainage system due to litter. Debris should be regularly removed and disposed.

Highway performance Ensure optimum Perform monitoring and auditing checks. Section 9.1 functioning of the Implement efficient reporting system. to highway and regular Section 9.5 monitoring of maintenance needs.

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8.0 CONCLUSION

Experience in many countries has shown that roads, highways and residential developments can be compatible, provided that real and imagined adverse environmental impacts are recognized and controlled.

Potential problems which can arise are usually related to adverse impacts on socio- economy, water quality, air quality, noise and visual intrusion. The magnitude of such problems varies and is dependent upon a number of factors including project design, operational efficiency, socio-economic level of the population and an individual’s degree of adaptation to the particular stimulus produced by the proposed new road.

The findings of this Study indicate that, for the most part, the construction and subsequent operation and maintenance of the proposed PIL 1 Project is not expected to impose any significant irreversible adverse residual environmental impacts on the surrounding environmental resources and human habitats (except for noise levels).

It is important that a Public Relations-Awareness-Communication Programme be developed/established for this project prior to the construction of the PIL 1 Highway. This will pacify negative perceptions which the public could have on this Project, and to provide pragmatic solutions to any complaints raised by the public.

9.0 PERFORMANCE MONITORING (PM) & COMPLIANCE MONITORING (CM)

The Project Proponent/PDP shall apply Environmental Mainstreaming Tools for the Project operation. This Project will apply all necessary pollution prevention and mitigation measures in order to avoid disturbance to the environment in the project area as well as to conserve the environment. Performance Monitoring (PM) shall be applied to monitor the effectiveness of the LD-P2M2/ESCP measures while Compliance Monitoring (CM) will be used to monitor the effluent discharges, noise levels and air emissions. Table 9.1 and Table 9.2 summarizes the description of the PM and CM parameters.

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Table 9.1. Performance Monitoring Descriptors P2M2 PERFORMANCE RECOMMENDED MONITORING FREQUENCY TOOL MONITORING LIMITS LOCATION (PM) PARAMETER Silt TSS 50 mg/L *Proposed Silt Monthly Trap Trap locations Turbidity 50 NTU as shown in LD-P2M2 conceptual drawings (Attachment 1)

Table 9.2. Compliance Monitoring Descriptors ACTIVITY REGULATED APPLICABLE MONITORING FREQUENCY PARAMETER STANDARD LOCATION

Air PM10 150 µg/m3 12 monitoring Quarterly Quality stations PM2.5 75 µg/m3 *Location of 3 Sox 105 µg/m sampling Nox 75 µg/m3 stations in Chapter 6 CO 35 mg/m3 (page 6-56) Noise Laeq Schedule 1, 48 monitoring Quarterly Maximum stations.

Permissible Sound *Location of Lmax Level (Leq) by sampling Receiving Land Use stations in

for Chapter 6 Lmin Planning and New (page 6-56) Development, Annex A of the Planning Guidelines for Environmental Noise Limits and Control (Department of Environment, 2007)

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Total Suspended 50 mg/L 20 water Monthly Water Solids (TSS) quality Quality Biochemical 3 mg/l stations. Oxygen Demand 2 Marine (BOD) water pH 6.0~9.0 sampling stations. Turbidity 50 Dissolved 5~7 mg/L *Location of Oxygen (DO) sampling Chemical 25 mg/L stations in Oxygen Demand Chapter 6 (COD) (page 6-75)

10.0 IMPACT MONITORING Impact Monitoring will apply to observe the conditions of the project site. The descriptions of the parameters that shall be monitored are shown in Table 10.1.

Table 10.1. Impact Monitoring Descriptors IMPACTS MONITORING MONITORING FREQUENCIES PARAMETERS LOCATIONS

Water quality Total Suspended As in the CM Monthly Solids (TSS) program. Water level

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) pH Turbidity Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Air Quality PM10 As in the CM Monthly program. PM2.5 Noise Laeq As in the CM Monthly program.

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11.0 DOE TOR Approval Conditions

Table 11.1 shows the DOE TOR Endorsement conditions. The following items/issues are highlighted in the TOR Approval Letter.

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Table 11.1. DOE TOR Endorsement Conditions No. Item Condition Rujukan Dalam Laporan EIA

2 i) Kajian EIA bagi cadangan projek Kajian tersebut hendaklah merangkumi huraian Chapter 1. Section 1.4. Conformance with the lebuhraya Express bermula dari projek lengkap, jelas dan terperinci, konsep projek, Government’s Development Plan Page 1-11 Gurney Drive dan berakhir di kajian impak dan cadangan langkah-langkah Chapter 2, Section 2.3 Scope of Project Page 2-2 persimpangan Lebuhraya LCE kawalan yang berkesan. Chapter 5 Project Description. Page 5-1 dengan panjang jajaran 19.5 KM. Chapter 5, Section 5.1 Project Concept. Page 5-1 Chapter 7, Section 7.1 Identification and Prediction of Impacts. Chapter 8 Mitigation Measures: - Section 8.1 During Pre-Construction Phase. Page 8-2 - Section 8.2 During Construction Phase Page 8-7 - Section 8.3 During Operations phase Page 8-80

ii) Kajian EIA hendaklah Langkah-langkah kawalan pencemaran yang Chapter 8. dijalankan secara kuantitatif, dicadangkan perlu dijelaskan dengan spesifik dan - Section 8.2.9 Soil Erosion & LD-P2M2 Measures. komprehensif terperinci bagi isu-isu kritikal yang dikenalpasti Page 8-57 - Section 8.2.8. Hydrological Impacts & Impact on seperti berikut: - Coastal Processes. Page 8-54 - Section 8.2.10 Water Quality. Page 8-68 a. Hakisan Tanah dan Langkah Mitigasi (LDP2M2) - Section 8.2.7. Noise & Vibration. Page 8-41 b. Banjir, Sumber Air dan Pemendapan - Section 8.1.1. Land/property Acquisition Page 8-2 c. Permodelan Kualiti Air - Section 8.2.11. Socio-Economy. Page 8-70 d. Permodelan Impak Bunyi - Section 8.2.2 Traffic Management Page 8-11 e. Penilaian Impak Gegaran f. Status sosio-ekonomi, dan g. Penilaian aliran trafik

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No. Item Condition Rujukan Dalam Laporan EIA iii) Pelan Struktur Negeri atau Cadangan pembangunan perlu selaras dengan Pelan Rancangan Tempatan Pelan Struktur Negeri atau Pelan Rancangan Chapter 1. Section 1.4 Conformance with the (Local Plan) Tempatan (Local Plan) bagi kawasan berkenaan Government’s Development Plans Page 1-11. yang hendaklah dirujuk dan dinyatakan di dalam Laporan EIA.

i) Lokasi setiap stesen persampelan garis dasar Chapter 6. Air Quality, Noise Level and Water Quality hendaklah ditunjukkan dengan jelas. Sampling Stations - Figure 6.1.15 (a) to Figure 6.1.15 (e). ii) Guna tanah semasa di sekitar tapak cadangan Page 6-56 to Page 6-60 hendaklah dihuraikan dengan jelas dan menyertakan:- Chapter 6. Landuse Map – Figure 6.1.4(a) Page 6-10

a. Pelan guna tanah terkini yang jelas, terperinci dan lengkap bersaiz A3 atau lebih Landuse Map (as stipulated) – Figure 6.1.4(a) Page 6- besar dalam lingkungan 5 km dengan 10 ditunjukkan radius bagi setiap 250m, 500m dan seteruskan kedudukan penempatan Landuse Map Sensitive Receptors – Figure 6.4.2 Page 6- penduduk, kedudukan sungai, kawasan 108 ; Figure 6.4.4 Page 6-114 ; Figure 6.4.5 Page 6-116. pertanian berhampiran dan penerima sensitif alam sekitar yang terlibat. b. Kedudukan kawasan sensitif alam sekitar lain seperti water intake point yang Downstream of water intake points. berdekatan perlu diambilkira di dalam kajian EIA.

iii) Data yang digunakan dalam kajian EIA hendaklah terkini. In compliance.

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No. Item Condition Rujukan Dalam Laporan EIA

iv) Stesen-stesen pensampelan Lokasi stesen-stesen pensampelan bagi Chapter 6. Air Quality, Noise Level and Water Quality pengukuran garis dasar untuk kesemua parameter Sampling Stations - Figure 6.1.15 (a) to Figure 6.1.15 (e). yang akan dikaji hendaklah ditunjukkan dengan Page 6-56 to Page 6-60 jelas di dalam pelan/peta. Pengukuran garis dasar bunyi bising bagi waktu siang hendaklah dijalankan dari 7.00 pagi hingga 10.00 malam manakala bagi waktu malam hendaklah dijalankan dari 10.00 malam hingga 7.00 pagi.

v) Peta guna tanah dan peta Peta guna tanah hendaklah disertakan dengan peta Chapter 6. topografi topografi yang jelas menunjukkan topografi, Landuse Map and Affected Communities – Figure 6.4.2 terrain dan river basin di kawasan kajian. and 6.4.3 in Chapter 6 Page 6-108-109. Topograpical Map – Figure 6.1. – 6.1.3. Page 6-1 to 6-6. Hydrology Map – Figure 6.1.14. Page 6-44 to 6-45. vi) Pelan guna tanah Laporan EIA hendaklah menyertakan pelan guna Landuse Map Sensitive Receptors – Figure 6.4.2 Page 6- tanah terkini, terperinci dan lengkap serta jelas 108 ; Figure 6.4.4 Page 6-114 ; Figure 6.4.5 Page 6-116. menunjukkan penerima sensitif di sepanjang cadangan jajaran. vii) Komitment pemaju projek Komitment daripada pemaju projek untuk Pledge by Project Proponent – Implementation of mengadakan langkah-langkah kawalan (mitigating effective mitigation measures as stated in the PIL1 EIA measures) yang berkesan dan terbukti dapat Report. meminimakan impak negatif kepada alam sekitar.

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No. Item Condition Rujukan Dalam Laporan EIA

viii) Pengurusan sisa pepejal dan Penjelasan mengenai jumlah dan kaedah Chapter 8. sisa bahan binaan pengurusan sisa pepejal dan sisa bahan binaan daripada aktiviti cadangan projek ini yang merangkumi sisa biomas akibat kerja-kerja pembersihan hutan di kawasan yang melibatkan pembinaan terowong dan sisa bahan kerukan dari kerja-kerja bawah tanah yang dijalankan.

ix) Langkah-langkah kawalan Kesemua langkah kawalan yang dinyatakan di Chapter 9 EMP dalam laporan EIA termasuklah komponen LDP2M2 bagi kawalan air larian permukaan, Attachment 1: ESCP / LD-P2M2 plan drawings. hakisan & kelodakan dan pengairan yang perlu dikaji bagi setiap impak kritikal yang dijangkakan dan hendaklah project specific dan jelas supaya ianya boleh diterjemahkan di dalam Pelan Pengurusan Alam Sekitar (Environmental Management Plan, EMP) kelak untuk dilaksanakan secara berkesan dari segi pemantauan dan sebagainya. x) Komitmen pemaju projek Komitmen daripada pemaju projek untuk Pledge by Project Proponent – Implementation of untuk memasang alat kawalan memasang alat kawalan pencemaran (pollution pollution control equipment and erosion control pencemaran control equipment) hakisan dan kelodakan yang measures. berkesan dan terbukti perlu dijelaskan supaya dapat meminimakan impak negatif kepada alam Chapter 8 Proposed Content of ERP sekeliling. Penyediaan dokumen ‘Emergency Response Plan’

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No. Item Condition Rujukan Dalam Laporan EIA

(ERP) juga perlu dirancang diperingkat penyediaan Laporan EIA.

xi) Rujukan garispanduan Rujukan garispanduan - garispanduan yang Chapter 8. berkaitan hendaklah berpandukan kepada Reference section. garispanduan yang terkini terbitan Jabatan ini dan garispanduan-garispanduan terbitan Agensi lain yang berkaitan.

xii) Jadual Pelaksanaan Projek Jadual Pelaksanaan Projek hendaklah disertakan. Chapter 5. Section 5.7. Project Schedule. Figure 5.7.1. Page 5-89. Jabatan ini juga ingin menarik perhatian pihak tuan bahawa pengesahan ke atas Bidang Application Letter for Extension of TOR for 3 months Rujukan ini hanya sah diterima pakai dalam tempoh satu (1) tahun dari tarikh surat ini submitted to DOE Putrajaya on 16 November 2017. dikeluarkan dan akan terbatal sekiranya Kajian EIA tidak dilaksanakan dalam tempoh tersebut.

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