Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System Environmental Impact Assessment Report 7. Noise Impact 7.1 Introduction 7.1.1.1 This section presents the assessment of potential noise impact associated with the construction and operation phases of the project, which has been conducted in accordance with Annexes 5 and 13 of EIAO-TM as well as the technical requirements stipulated in Clause 3.4.5 and section I of Appendix C of the EIA Study Brief (ESB-250/2012). 7.2 Noise Legislation, Standards and Guidelines 7.2.1 Aircraft Noise 7.2.1.1 The principal legislation for controlling aircraft noise in Hong Kong is the Civil Aviation (Aircraft Noise) Ordinance (Cap. 312) and Civil Aviation (Aircraft Noise) (Certification) Regulations. In line with the international practice in phasing out noisier aircraft, the Ordinance stipulates that all subsonic jet aircraft flying in and out of Hong Kong shall meet the noise standard specified in Chapter 3 of Annex 16 Volume I, Part II to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The Regulations require all subsonic jet aircraft departing or landing in Hong Kong to be certified in accordance with international established procedures. 7.2.1.2 On the other hand, the EIAO provides the fundamental legislation with established noise criteria for evaluating noise impact of designated projects and these include aircraft noise. Annex 5 of the EIAO-TM published under the EIAO sets out the criteria for evaluating the noise impact of designated projects. It prescribes the appropriate noise metrics and noise planning criteria for various types of noise sources and land uses. For aircraft noise, Annex 5 specifies the use of the Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) metric for evaluating noise impact. Table 7.2.1 presents the noise criteria for various land uses, considering NEF in noise contour increments of 25 or 30 NEF. Table 7.2.1: Aircraft Noise Standards for Planning Purposes Common Uses NEF All domestic premises including temporary housing accommodation 25 Hotel and hostels 25 Offices 30 Educational institutions including kindergartens, nurseries and all others where unaided voice 25 communication is required Places of public Worship and courts of laws 25 Hospitals, clinics, convalescences and homes for the aged, diagnostic rooms, wards 25 Notes: 1. The above standards apply to uses which rely on opened windows for ventilation. Source: Adapted from Table 1A of Annex 5 in EIAO-TM. 7.2.2 Fixed Noise 7.2.2.1 For the fixed noise impact assessments, the Acceptable Noise Levels (ANLs) for the Noise Sensitive Receivers (NSRs) are determined with consideration of the Area Sensitivity Rating (ASR), which is defined in the Technical Memorandum for the Assessment of Noise from Places other than Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction Sites (IND-TM) issued under the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO). The ASR depends on the type of area and the degree of impact 308875/ENL/ENL/03/07/D May 2014 P:\Hong Kong\ENL\PROJECTS\308875 3rd runway\03 Deliverables\07 Final EIA Report\Ch 7 - Noise Impact.doc 7-1 Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System Environmental Impact Assessment Report that Influencing Factors (IFs) have on the NSRs as illustrated in Table 7.2.2. Industrial areas, major roads (i.e. North Lantau Highway with annual average daily traffic flow in excess of 30,000) or the area within the boundary of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) shall be considered to be an IF. Table 7.2.2: Area Sensitivity Rating Degree to which NSR is affected by IF Type of Area Containing NSR Not Affected (c) Indirectly Affected (d) Directly Affected (e) (i) Rural area, including country parks (a) A B B or village type developments (ii) Low density residential area A B C consisting of low-rise or isolated high- rise developments (iii) Urban area (b) B C C (iv) Area other than those above B B C Definitions: (a) "Country park" means an area that is designated as a country park pursuant to section 14 of the Country Parks Ordinance. (b) "Urban area" means an area of high density, diverse development including a mixture of such elements as industrial activities, major trade or commercial activities and residential premises. (c) "Not Affected" means that the NSR is at such a location that noise generated by the IF is not noticeable at the NSR. (d) "Indirectly Affected" means that the NSR is at such a location that noise generated by the IF, whilst noticeable at the NSR, is not a dominant feature of the noise climate of the NSR. (e) "Directly Affected" means that the NSR is at such a location that noise generated by the IF is readily noticeable at the NSR and is a dominant feature of the noise climate of the NSR. 7.2.2.2 Fixed noise sources excluding aircraft taxiing and auxiliary power units (APUs) noise, are controlled under the NCO and shall comply with the ANLs laid down in the Table 2 of the IND-TM. For a given ASR, the ANL is given by Table 7.2.3 below: Table 7.2.3: Acceptable Noise Level for Fixed Noise Source Area Sensitivity Rating Time Period A B C Day (0700 to 1900 hours) 60 65 70 Evening (1900 to 2300 hours) Night (2300 to 0700 hours) 50 55 60 7.2.2.3 As stipulated in Annex 5 of the EIAO-TM, the noise standard for planning purposes for fixed noise source are (a) 5 dB(A) below the appropriate ANL, or (b) the prevailing background noise levels (For quiet areas with level 5 dB(A) below the ANL). 7.2.2.4 In addition, it is noted that while Annex 13 of the EIAO-TM specifies that fixed noise sources include airport facilities and hence the noise criteria set out in the EIAO-TM have also been applied to ground running of aircraft (taxing), engine run-up facilities and APU in the current fixed noise impact assessment, it should be noted that aircraft noise, including nuisance caused by aircraft and aircraft engines on aerodromes, are under the control of the Civil Aviation (Aircraft Noise) Ordinance in airport operation. Section 10 of the Civil Aviation (Aircraft Noise) Ordinance specifies that regulations made under the Ordinance may regulate the conditions under which noise and vibration may be caused by aircraft or aircraft engines on aerodromes. On the other hand, while 5 dB(A) below the appropriate ANL or prevailing background noise level (For quiet 308875/ENL/ENL/03/07/D May 2014 P:\Hong Kong\ENL\PROJECTS\308875 3rd runway\03 Deliverables\07 Final EIA Report\Ch 7 - Noise Impact.doc 7-2 Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System Environmental Impact Assessment Report areas with 5dB(A) below ANL) has been adopted in assessing the potential noise impact from planned fixed noise sources including new ground noise sources, the ANL stipulated in the IND- TM has been adopted in the evaluation of potential cumulative fixed noise impact assessment from existing and new fixed noise sources. Similar approaches have been adopted in for example the approved Lamma Power Station Units L4 & L5 Flue Gas Desulphurization Plant Retrofit Project EIA report (Register No.: AEIAR-098/2006). Ground-borne Noise from Automated People Mover (APM) 7.2.2.5 Since ground-borne noise is transmitted through the building structure and will affect the NSR inside building, ground-borne noise assessment should be carried out at an internal location representative of normal occupancy of the building of interest. Hence, the proposed ground- borne noise criteria adopted in assessing the potential noise impact from the planned / cumulative APMs shall be 10 dB(A) less than the planned airborne fixed noise criteria as stipulated in Annex 5 of the EIAO-TM / the cumulative airborne fixed noise criteria (i.e. the ANL stipulated in the IND- TM), respectively. 7.2.3 Construction Noise 7.2.3.1 Control over the generation of construction noise from designated projects under EIAO in Hong Kong is governed by the EIAO and the NCO. The NCO is to provide statutory controls to the carrying out of construction work using powered mechanical equipment and prescribed construction works during the restricted hours and the noise standards for daytime construction activities in Table 1B of EIAO-TM for construction noise of DP shall be met as far as practicable. The TMs applicable to the control of noise from construction activities of proposed construction works are: ° TM on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIAO-TM) ° TM on Noise from Construction Work other than Percussive Piling (GW-TM) These TMs prescribe the maximum permitted noise levels for the use of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME) and certain construction activities and processes, according to the type of equipment or activity, the perceived noise climate of the area, and the working hours of equipment operation and usage. General Construction Activities during Non-Restricted Hours 7.2.3.2 Noise impact arising from general construction activities other than percussive piling during the daytime period (07:00-19:00 hours of any day not being a Sunday or general holiday) would be assessed against the noise standards tabulated in Table 7.2.4 below. Practicable direct mitigation measures will be evaluated and exhausted to maximise the protection of NSRs. Table 7.2.4: Noise Standards for Daytime Construction Activities Noise Sensitive Uses 0700 to 1900 hours on any day not being a Sunday or general holiday, Leq(30 min), dB(A) All domestic premises including temporary 75 housing accommodation Hotels and hostel 308875/ENL/ENL/03/07/D May 2014 P:\Hong Kong\ENL\PROJECTS\308875 3rd runway\03 Deliverables\07 Final EIA Report\Ch 7 - Noise