Public Comments on EIA Report Submitted in February 2011 And

Consideration of Public Comments received on the previous EIA Report submitted in February 2011 and responded by Project Proponent No. Comments Proponent’s Response EIA Report Ref. ,ᐒढጥ෻ ES 4ٽ੡ጵޣᛩေઔߒ௅ᖕπᛩቼᐙ᥼ေ۷යࠏρ֗πᛩቼᐙ᥼ေ۷࿓ݧݾ๬ໂݱᙕρऱ૞ڻΖ ਢ܂਍ᥛ࿇୶ֱ૿ՠױPC001 ᛩቼݝ૤ຂᛩቼঅᥨΕ౨ᄭΕ ೴ࢬᖄીऱีᗨ ES 5 andچᣂڶ࿇୶ႈؾኙהՠ࿓ႈؾፖࠡءਔץᣂऱᛩቼᐙ᥼Δڶڶঅᥨ९੊ႯΛ ๻ਜၞ۩ᛩေΔေ۷ࢬڇڶᜰڼᛩቼݝ ऱᒷᇞൻਜ underٽආ࠷ᔞנኪΕནᨠΕ֮֏ᙊข࿛Ζᛩေٍسᐙ᥼Δᒤ໮ො።ᕳଃΕ़௛ΕֽᔆΕᐒढΕ யΖ variousګႈᒷᇞൻਜऱٺᒔঅא൷࠹ֽؓΔ֗৬ᤜᛩቼ጑ኘፖᐉுૠቤΔױሒ۟ױᒔঅኙᛩቼऱᐙ᥼א parts of EIA ֆᕲ 3,000 ֲޢរ࿇୶ԫଡ๠෻౨Ժሒچቔ੊ऱԳՠ୾ࠟଡف֢॰མ࠿֗੆ᔣڇᛩေઔߒਢ௅ᖕڻਢ Reports ऱ๻ਜۖၞ۩Ζ ౨ᙇܿΔေ۷ԱԿଡൣནΚױᛩေઔߒ௅ᖕࠟଡڻਢ ᐒढጥ෻๻ਜΙٽֆᕲऱጵ 3,000 ֲޢ׽࣍མ࠿ᙇܿ࿇୶ԫଡ๠෻౨Ժሒ ᐒढጥ෻๻ਜΙ֗ٽֆᕲऱጵ 3,000 ֲޢቔ੊ॵ२ऱԳՠ୾Ղ࿇୶ԫଡ๠෻౨Ժሒف׽࣍ ൣउαΖژᐒढጥ෻๻ਜΰࠀٽֆᕲऱጵ 3,000 ֲޢ࿇୶ԫଡ๠෻౨Ժሒ۞ٺ౨ᙇܿױࠟଡڇ ֏ऱྡ֏๻ਜΔආ࠷٣ၞऱݾ๬֗ᔞᅝऱᒷᇞൻਜ৵ΔՂ૪זរᘋ৬෼چՂ૪ࠟଡڇΔق᧩ܫᛩေ໴ ൷࠹ΖאױᛩቼՂຟਢڇԿଡൣན PC002 I am a journalist from a news website covering the low carbon economy. I focus on the green For the information about the Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), public can visit the web site: General activities in China. You may review our website through this link: http://www.ecoseed.org/ http://www.iwmf.hk/index/index.html to obtain detailed information. Enquiry and is not under I am interested to find out more details regarding the integrated waste management facility that will The Environmental Impact Assessment Study for IWMF is completed and is available for public inspection the be built near the Shek Kwu Chau. at this web site www.eia.hk. jurisdiction of EIAO Would you be open for a Skype interview? If not, would you kindly refer me to someone I can speak Regarding the interview request mentioned, it was followed up separately. to regarding the facility. Hoping to hear from you soon. Please and thank you. PC003 Based on the statistics from Environmental Protection Department, and the Executive Summary and The EIA study on IWMF has assessed the potential cumulative environmental impacts arising from the ES 4, some parts of full EIA report of IWMF, in my opinion, TTAL site is preferred IWMF location. In Project and other developments, covering noise, air, water, waste, ecology, landscape and cultural heritage ES 5 and addition, the Government should have long-term planning of municipal solid wastes related to and was conducted in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance and the Technical under incineration and landfill. Memorandum on EIA Process. The EIA has proposed appropriate mitigation measures to ensure that the various impact on the environment can be alleviated to an acceptable level, and has also recommended parts of EIA According to paragraph 1.1.1.3 of the Executive Summary, three strategic landfills are now projected environmental monitoring and audit programmes to ensure the effective implementation of various Reports to approach their capacity in 2014 (SENT), 2016 (NENT) and 2018 (WENT) respectively. In Tables mitigation measures. The EIA study was conducted based on the development of an IWMF with a ES2 and ES3 in the Executive summary, IWMF in TTAL will commence on August 2016 whereas treatment capacity of 3,000 tonnes per day at the two potential sites, i.e. TTAL site in Tuen Mun and the IWMF in SKC will commence on May 2018. The Government tends to build IWMF in SKC. So, artificial island near SKC. there is not more landfill site after the commencement of IWMF. However, if IWMF is built in TTAL, we have 2 years earlier for the MSW not to be disposed of at landfill. Hence, there will Three scenarios are examined based on the two potential sites in the EIA study: extend the life-span of strategic landfill sites. x developing an IWMF with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per day at the TTAL site; x developing an IWMF with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per day at the artificial island at SKC; and In addition, the capacity of the proposed IWMF is just 3,000 tpd whereas, in 2009, the rate of MSW x developing an IWMF with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per day at each of the two potential sites at landfill is 8,963 tpd. From 1991 to 2009, the quality of MSW disposed of at landfill is ranged (co-existing scenario). from 2-3 million tones a year. So, landfill is also a major method to treat MSW. I suggest the Government and general public to have a long term plans for the MSW. Moreover, according to The EIA report indicates that the construction of modern incineration facilities at the above two sites and Tables 6a.8 and 6b.8 of the full EIA Report, about 923 tpd (~30.8% of the capacity of treating MSW under all three scenarios is environmentally acceptable, provided that advanced technologies are adopted and Page 1 No. Comments Proponent’s Response EIA Report Ref. in IWMF) of the waste generated in the operation of the proposed IWMF will be disposed to WENT appropriate mitigation measures are implemented. landfill site. As a result, the need of landfill sites does still exist. To minimize and mitigate the potential ecological and fisheries impacts at SKC site, the following measures ES:4.3.5 are recommended: Comparing the ecological and fisheries impacts of the proposed IWMF in TTAL and SKC, TTAL has x Government making firm commitment to seek to designate an appropriate area of waters of about 700 fewer ecological and fisheries impacts than SKC, and so fewer mitigation measures will be needed. hectares between Shek Kwu Chau and Soko Islands as a marine park, in accordance with the statutory The construction phase of IWMF in SKC will affect the habitat of Finless Porpoise, the 198 coral process stipulated in the Marine Parks Ordinance. A marine park study would be conducted to identify colonies, and permanently loss of 31 hectares of fishing ground and 15.9 hectares of fisheries the location and coverage of the park area and to determine suitable marine ecology enhancement pawning and nursery ground. measures such as deployment of artificial reef and release of fish fry to be implemented within the proposed marine park. x Adopt measures to avoid or reduce adverse impact on the marine water quality due to the site ES:4.3.3 Comparing the health impacts of the proposed IWMF in TTAL and SKC, although both highest reclamation and submarine cable laying works. This would include use of non-dredge method for site & EIA : incremental (excess) cancer risk arising from the IWMF in TTAL and SKC are within the screening reclamation, building coffer dams around the marine area prior to commencement of reclamation S5b.8 level of 1x10-5 adopted by USEPA, the figure shown in TTAL (9.87x10-7) is lower than the figure filling, employment of silt curtains, control on dredging and filling rates shown in SKC (2.76x10-6). These figures may imply that the IWMF at TTAL may be more safe than SKC. x Avoidance of noisy works during peak Finless Porpoise season In conclusion, IWMF in TTAL will commence about 1.5 years earlier than IWMF in SKC and may x Monitoring of exclusion zone, adoption of regular marine traffic route, and limitation of vessel speed to help to extend the life-span of the existing strategic landfill site. Also, IWMF in TTAL has fewer ten knots at areas with high Finless Porpoise sighting density. ecological and fisheries impacts than IWMF in SKC and so fewer mitigation measures are needed. Moreover, IWMF in TTAL shows fewer health impacts than IWMF in SKC. So, the IWMF at x While the rate of water intake for water supply at the desalination plant of the IWMF is slow, the TTAL is preferred. Besides this, the long term plan of treating MSW related to incineration and potential impact from impingement and entrainment of fisheries resources would be further minimized landfill is needed. by provision of screen at the seawater intake With the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, the residual impact for proposed two sites would be acceptable. The incremental (excess) cancer risk arising from the IWMF at both sites are within the screening level of ES:4.4.3 1x10-5 and thus the Project shall not present an unacceptable risk at both sites. PC004 The beautiful stretch of water between Hong Kong and Macau must see more tourists pass through it The proposed artificial island near Shek Kwu Chau (SKC) (south west side of SKC) is outside the waterway, ES 4, than any comparable stretch of water in the world. I had a letter published in these columns about 25 Adamasta Channel. Marine transportation has been adopted for efficient and environmental friendly ES 5 and years ago when I suggested that in order to protect the waterway, the city should declare the area a transportation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Hong Kong for about 20 years. The MSW is compacted under Marine Park. Nothing happened of course. Now, with 25 years accumulation of rubbish collection into sealed containers at three existing Refuse Transfer Stations (i.e. Island East Transfer Station, Island West various points and other eyesores along the waterway, they are going to add an incinerator and a garbage Transfer Station and West Kowloon Transfer Station) and transported by dedicated vessels to the waste parts of EIA recycling plant, with all the barges carrying the garbage to the site as well. What can I say? disposal site. Contingency plans for typhoon, rough seas and foggy conditions have been developed and Reports implemented without any adverse problem. The existing vessels for MSW transport already use clean ultra-low sulphur diesel so as to reduce pollutant emission and avoid black smoke.

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