Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po Environmental Assessment
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IMPACTMONITORINGREPORT REPORT ExecutiveSummary ShaLoTungDevelopmentCompanyLtd PilotProjectforPublic-Private PartnershipConservationScheme, ShaLoTungValley,TaiPo EnvironmentalAssessmentReport- ExecutiveSummary August2008 EnvironmentalResourcesManagement 21/FLincolnHouse TaikooPlace979King'sRoad IslandEastHongKong Telephone22713000 Facsimile27235660 www.erm.com Deliveringsustainablesolutionsinamorecompetitiveworld Pilot Project for Public – Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po Environmental Assessment CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background....................................................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose of the Project ...................................................................................................1 1.3 Objectives and Scope of the Environmental Assessment..............................................2 1.4 Approach to the Study ...................................................................................................4 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 6 2.1 The Project ....................................................................................................................6 2.2 Ecological Reserve ........................................................................................................6 2.2.1 Conservation Management Plan.......................................................................6 2.2.2 Ecological Benefit .............................................................................................7 2.3 Development Site...........................................................................................................7 2.3.1 Master Plan of the Development Site................................................................7 2.4 Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement...................................................................................8 2.4.1 Alignment of the Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement ...........................................8 2.5 Works Programme.........................................................................................................9 3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 11 3.1 Ecology........................................................................................................................11 3.2 Water Quality ...............................................................................................................12 3.2.1 Environment and Water Quality Sensitive Receivers......................................12 3.2.2 Ecological Reserve .........................................................................................12 3.2.3 Development Site............................................................................................12 3.2.4 Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement....................................................................13 3.3 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................14 3.3.1 Ecological Reserve .........................................................................................14 3.3.2 Development Site............................................................................................14 3.3.3 Road Improvement Works ..............................................................................14 3.4 Noise............................................................................................................................15 3.5 Waste Management.....................................................................................................15 3.5.1 Ecological Reserve .........................................................................................15 3.5.2 Development Site............................................................................................15 3.5.3 Road Improvement Works ..............................................................................16 3.6 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment..................................................................16 3.6.1 Landscape Impacts for the Development Site.................................................16 3.6.2 Landscape Impacts for the Sha Lo Tung Road Upgrade Works.....................17 3.6.3 Visual Impacts for the Development site.........................................................18 3.6.4 Visual Impacts for the Sha Lo Tung Road Upgrade Works.............................18 3.7 Sewerage Impact Assessment.....................................................................................19 3.8 Tree Assessment.........................................................................................................19 3.8.1 Development Site............................................................................................19 3.8.2 Road Improvement Works ..............................................................................20 3.9 Environmental Monitoring and Audit ............................................................................20 3.10 Overall Conclusion.......................................................................................................20 3.10.1 Environmental Outcomes................................................................................20 3.10.2 Environmental Benefit.....................................................................................20 EA REPORT - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SHA LO TUNG DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD JULY 2008 I Pilot Project for Public – Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po Environmental Assessment LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Three Components of the Project: Ecological Reserve, Development Site and Sha Lo Tung Road Improvement Figure 2 Master Plan EA REPORT - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SHA LO TUNG DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD JULY 2008 II Pilot Project for Public – Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po Environmental Assessment 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The Pilot Project for Public-Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po is proposed to be one of the pilot projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme. This Project establishes the framework for a public-private partnership to conserve the Sha Lo Tung Valley in Tai Po. Endorsement of the Project will ensure long-term active conservation management of the ecologically sensitive areas currently located on private land owned by the Sha Lo Tung Development Company (SLTDC). More importantly, the Project will provide a source of funds to sustain such conservation action. The Project is fully in line with Government’s policy intentions for conserving high priority sites such as Sha Lo Tung, by packaging long term conservation action with sustainable, compatible commercial activities within the conservation area and suitable development on adjoining land. With appropriate development concessions granted in non-sensitive areas (as identified as the Development Site) adjoining the Conservation Area, the capital and ongoing costs of establishing and managing conservation operations and infrastructure in the Valley are assured. This balance between development and conservation expectations will enable the Valley to become a unique nature attraction and educational resource for both locals and tourists, which can be achieved quickly and without Government funding. 1.2 Purpose of the Project This Project responds directly to the former Environment, Transport and Works (ET&W) (now Environment) Bureau’s invitation to submit proposals for areas selected as potential “pilot projects” for “Public-Private partnership” schemes under the Government’s Conservation Policy announced in November 2004. The conservation objectives espoused in the Project are directed at conservation, ecological enhancement, sustainable use and education. The landowner’s commitment to these objectives is achieved through management and funding obligations provided by development concessions located in non-sensitive parts of the statutory plan area. With 96% of the private land within the Valley owned by the SLTDC, the commitment of Green Power and co-operation of Government, such a partnership can be established immediately to establish early conservation action within the Valley and ensure its sustainability over the long term. This Project identifies the steps necessary in such a partnership, especially the institutional arrangements of the key stakeholders, namely the landowner (SLTDC), Government and the NGO (Green Power). The Project identifies three critical reasons for endorsement of a pilot priority project within the Sha Lo Tung Valley under the new conservation policy, namely:- 1. The Valley Is Accorded High Priority for Nature Conservation and Management In the announcement of the Conservation Policy on 12 November 2004, the Environment, Transport & Works Bureau (ETWB) (now Environment Bureau) identified that the Sha Lo Tung Valley scored 2.7 out of 3.0 on the Bureau’s scoring of ecologically important sites in Hong Kong. This places the Valley as No.2 in the ranking of the twelve most ecologically important sites in Hong Kong. The streamcourse and riparian habitats have been the subject of many local and international specialist studies and the ecological significance of the area is reflected in EA REPORT - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SHA LO TUNG DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD AUGUST 2008 1 Pilot Project for Public – Private Partnership Conservation Scheme, Sha Lo Tung Valley, Tai Po Environmental Assessment the Outline Zoning Plan (No. S/NE-SLT/4) which states “the primary