Contents
1.1 Purpose of the Report
1.2 Structure of the
Report
2.1 Background
2.2 Works Programme and
Works Locations
2.3 Construction
Activities
2.4 Status of
Environmental Approval Documents
3.1 Cable Installation
Water Quality Monitoring
3.2 Marine Mammal
Observation
3.3 Coral Monitoring
3.4 Site Inspection and
Audit
5 Environmental
Non-Conformance
5.1 Summary of
Environmental Non-compliance
5.2 Summary of
Environmental Complaint
5.3 Summary of
Environmental Summon and successful prosecution
6.1 Key Issues for the
Next Reporting Period
6.2 Monitoring Schedule
for the Next Reporting Period
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Summary
of Landing Point Construction Activities Undertaken during the Reporting Period
Table 2.2 Summary
of Current Environmental Licensing, Notification and Permit Status
Table 6.1 Construction
Works to Be Taken For the Next Reporting Week
LIST OF ANNEXES
Annex A Proposed ASE Submarine Cable System (Layout Plan)
Annex B Location of ASE Landing Point and Terrestrial Cable Route
Annex C Completed Site Inspection Log
Annex D Photographic Record
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
NTT Com Asia (NTTCA) proposes to install a
telecommunication cable (Asia Submarine-cable Express (ASE) cable) of
approximately 7,200 km in length, connecting Japan and Singapore with branches
to the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) and Malaysia. A Project Profile (PP-452/2011) which
includes an assessment of the potential environmental impacts associated with
the installation of the submarine telecommunications cable system was prepared
and submitted to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) under section 5.(1)(b) and 5.(11) of the Environmental Impact Assessment
Ordinance (EIAO) for the application for Permission to apply directly for
Environmental Permit (EP). The
Environmental Protection Department, subsequently issued an Environmental
Permit (EP-
433/2011).
This
is the Third Weekly Site Inspection
Report that presents the findings of the site inspection and other EM&A activities undertaken during the period from 15 to 21 October 2012.
Environmental Site Inspection
A
weekly joint environmental site inspection was carried out by the
representatives of the Contractor and the Environmental Team (ET). Environmental performance complied with
the environmental requirements and all necessary mitigation measures were
properly implemented.
Marine Mammal Observation
Daily
marine mammal exclusion zone monitoring started on 15 October 2012 when the
cable installation barge entered Zone C.
Every day prior to the start of cable installation, the qualified
observer scanned the 250 m exclusion zone for at least 30 minutes to ensure no
cetaceans in the exclusion zone. During the reporting period, no cetaceans were
reported to have been observed within 250 m exclusion zone.
Environmental Complaints,
Non-compliance & Summons
No
non-compliance with PP recommendations, EP conditions and other requirements
associated with the construction of the Project was recorded in the reporting
period.
No
environmental complaint was received in this reporting period.
No environmental summons
was received in this reporting period.
Upcoming Works for the Next
Reporting Period
Works
to be undertaken in the coming monitoring period include cable laying works east
of Zone C until the boundary of HKSAR waters, seawall duct work, land duct
laying works, beach manhole construction and backfilling and restatement.
Potential
environmental impacts arising from the above construction activities are mainly
associated with marine water quality, dust, construction noise and waste
management.
ERM-Hong Kong, Limited
(ERM) was appointed by NTT Com Asia (NTTCA) as the Environmental Team to conduct
regular site inspections and audit the implementation of all environmental
monitoring and mitigation measures recommended in the Project Profile (PP) (Register
No. PP ¡V 452/2011) for the Proposed Asia Submarine-cable
Express (ASE) ¡V Tseung Kwan O (the Project).
This is the Third Weekly Site Inspection Report (the
Report), which summarises the inspection findings for the period from 15 October 2012 to 21 October 2012 and the implementation status of the EM&A
recommendations on environmental protection and pollution control mitigation
measures and monitoring.
The structure of the Report
is as follows:
Section 1
: Introduction
Details the scope and structure of the
Report.
Section 2 : Project
Information
Summarises background and scope of the Project, site
description, construction programme, the construction works undertaken and the
status of Environmental Permits/Licenses during the reporting period.
Section 3 : Environmental
Monitoring
Summarises
the monitoring programmes as recommended in the PP and the monitoring undertaken
during the reporting period.
Section 4
: Site Inspection Results
Summarises the findings of the weekly
site inspection undertaken within the reporting period.
Section 5 : Environmental Non-conformance
Summarises any exceedances of
environmental performance standard, environmental complaints and environmental
summons received within the reporting period.
Section 6 : Upcoming
Works for the next Reporting Period
Summarises the impact
forecast and monitoring schedule for the next reporting week.
Section 7 : Conclusions
NTT
Com Asia (NTTCA) proposes to install a telecommunication cable (Asia
Submarine-cable Express (ASE) cable) of approximately 7,200 km in length,
connecting Japan and Singapore with branches to the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR
(HKSAR) and Malaysia. NTTCA is
responsible for securing the approval to land the ASE cable in Tseung Kwan O,
Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR). The proposed
landing site will be at a new Beach Manhole (BMH) and ultimately connect with a
Data Centre in Tseung Kwan O (TKO) Industrial Estate which is scheduled for
completion in 2012. From Tseung
Kwan O, the cable will extend eastward approaching the Tathong Channel. Near to Cape Collinson, the cable is
approximately parallel to the Tathong Channel until north of Waglan Island
where the cable travels eastward to the boundary of HKSAR waters where it
enters the South China Sea. The
total length of cable in Hong Kong SAR waters is approximately 33.5 km. A map of the proposed cable route is
presented in Annex A.
A
Project Profile (PP-452/2011) which includes an assessment of the potential
environmental impacts associated with the installation of the submarine
telecommunications cable system was prepared and submitted to the Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) under section 5.(1)(b) and
5.(11) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) for the
application for Permission to apply directly for Environmental Permit
(EP). The Environmental Protection
Department, subsequently issued an Environmental Permit (EP-
433/2011).
Under the requirements of Condition
2.4 of the EP, an EM&A programme as set out in the revised Environmental
Monitoring and Audit Manual (EM&A Manual) is required to be
implemented. The EM&A programme
includes water quality monitoring, marine mammal observation, coral monitoring
and weekly site inspection.
The location of the cable
installation works within the boundary of Hong Kong SAR waters is shown in Annex A, while the location of the landing point (ie
new Beach Manhole (BMH) in TKO Industrial Estate) is shown in Annex B.
The preliminary construction programme of the Project is given in Figure 2.1.
Figure
2.1 Preliminary
Construction Programme
Submarine
Cable Installation
The
submarine-cable installation works started on 8 October 2012. By the end of the reporting period (ie 21 October 2012), cable installation works in Zone A,
Zone B and Zone C had been finished and moved outside Zone C on 16th
Oct 2012 in the evening. The cable protection
work will be performed for Zone A and Zone B at the later construction stage.
Landing
Point Construction
The
construction works of the landing point commenced on 4 October 2012 and are temporarily scheduled to be completed in early
December of 2012. A summary of the major
construction activities undertaken on the landing point during the reporting
period is shown in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1 Summary of Landing Point Construction
Activities Undertaken during Reporting Period
Construction Activities Undertaken |
¡P
Excavation of seawall materials ¡P
Installation of GI Pipe at seawall ¡P
Lay the land duct at seawall side ¡P
Install of Steel Mould for concreting |
A
summary of the relevant permits, licences, and/or notifications on
environmental protection for this Project is presented in Table 2.2.
Table 2.2 Summary
of Current Environmental Licensing, Notification and Permit Status
Permit/ Licences/
Notification |
Reference |
Validity Period |
Remarks |
Environmental
Permit |
EP-433/2011 |
Throughout
the construction and operation of the Project |
Permit
granted on 20 December 2011 |
Construction
Noise Permit |
GW-RE0774-12 |
18 Sep 2012 ¡V 31 Jan 2013 |
Permits
granted on using of registered powered mechanical equipment for 07:00-23:00
hrs on general holidays (including Sundays) and 19:00-23:00 hrs on any day
not being a general holiday for Sub-marine cable laying works of the Project |
Baseline
water quality monitoring was completed by the end of September 2012. Baseline Water Quality Monitoring
Reports for Zone A, Zone B and Zone C were submitted on 19 September 2012, 25
September 2012 and 1 October 2012, respectively.
Daily
Impact water quality monitoring was conducted on 15 October 2012 and 16 October
2012 and ceased from 17 October 2012 onwards as the cable installation barge
moved outside Zone C by the end of 16 October 2012. Details of the monitoring results are presented
in the Second Weekly Impact Water Quality
Monitoring Report.
Daily
marine mammal exclusion zone monitoring is required to be conducted during the
cable installation works taking place in daylight hours along the sections
outside Zone A to Zone B (ie Zone C and from C to the boundary of HKSAR
waters).
This
monitoring started on 15 October 2012 when the cable installation barge entered
Zone C. Every day prior to the
start of cable installation, the qualified observer scanned the 250 m exclusion
zone for at least 30 minutes to ensure no cetaceans in the exclusion zone. Otherwise, cable installation works
should be delayed until they leave the exclusion zone. During the reporting period, no
cetaceans were reported to have been observed within the 250 m exclusion
zone.
Baseline
coral monitoring was completed in September 2012. The Baseline Coral Monitoring Survey
Report was submitted on 28 September 2012.
Post-project coral monitoring will be conducted within one month after
completion of the jetting works, with the Post-project Coral Monitoring Survey
Report to be submitted within one month after completion of the marine
works. Impact monitoring for coral
during cable installation works is not required under the Project.
In
the week of 8 October 2012 when the cable installation barge passed the
identified coral communities as presented in the Baseline Coral Monitoring Survey Report, the nearest distances
between the barge and the identified coral communities in Zone A and Zone B
were 230m and 270m respectively, indicating the cable alignment of more than 180m
away from the identified coral communities as required in the Environmental Permit
(EP- 433/2011).
In
accordance with the revised EM&A Manual, a weekly site inspection should be
undertaken at the landing point (ie new Beach Manhole (BMH) in TKO Industrial
Estate) to ensure that the appropriate environmental protection and pollution
control mitigation measures are properly implemented in accordance with the
Project Profile (PP-452/2011). Results
of the site inspection in the reporting period are provided in Section 4.
The weekly site inspection is
required to be carried out by the representatives of the Contractor and the
Environmental Team (ET). A Site
Inspection Log is completed by the ET representative to record
whether the Contractor is compliant with environmental regulations in terms of
noise, water quality and housekeeping etc (Annex C).
During the reporting
period, the site inspection was conducted on 19 October 2012 by the
representatives of the Contractor and the ET. There was no non-compliance recorded
during the site audit. Major
findings and recommendations are summarised as follows:
(i) A
copy of EP was displayed conspicuously at the vehicular site entrance in
accordance with the requirement of Condition 1.5 of the EP.
(ii)
A
silt curtain was employed around the seawall area in order to reduce the
dispersion of sediments from the landing site (Annex D Photo No. 1).
(iii)
Fences
to restrict construction activities within the construction site were erected
along both sides of the land duct alignment so that disturbances caused by the
Project to proximate areas would be minimised (Annex D Photo No. 2).
(iv) Rubbish bin has been provided by the Contractor (Annex D Photo No. 3) and the construction site was found to be largely
clean and tidy with rubbish seldom seen on site.
(v) Tarpaulin sheets, which should be used to cover excavated
materials and open stockpiles to prevent dust generation or erosion, were
observed to be missing on the construction site (Annex D Photo No. 4). The Contractor was reminded to cover the stockpiles
properly to prevent excessive dust generation. Also, the Contractor was advised to spray
water to all exposed earth surfaces within the construction site regularly for
the purpose of dust suppression.
Follow-up actions by the Contractor will be checked in the next week¡¦s
site inspection.
No non-compliance of PP/
EM&A/ EP/ legislative requirements was recorded during the reporting
period.
No complaint was received
during the reporting period.
No summons was received
during the reporting period.
Works to be taken for the next
reporting period are summarised in Table
6.1.
Table 6.1 Construction Works to Be
Taken For the Next Reporting Week
Work to be taken |
Submarine Cable Installation ¡P
Cable laying works to the east of Zone C
until the boundary of HKSAR waters Landing Point
Construction ¡P
Seawall duct work ¡P
Land duct laying works ¡P
Beach manhole construction ¡P
Backfilling and reinstatement |
Potential environmental
impacts arising from the above construction activities are mainly associated
with marine water quality, dust, construction noise and waste management.
Impact water quality
monitoring will cease in next week and resume when hand jetting is conducted in
Zone A, Zone B and Zone C.
Next weekly site inspection
is temporarily scheduled on 26 October 2012.
This Third Weekly Site Inspection Report presents the findings of the
site inspection and other EM&A activities
undertaken during the period from 15
to 21 October 2012, in accordance with
the PP (Register No. PP ¡V 452/2011), revised EM&A Manual
and the requirements of Environmental
Permit (EP- 433/2011).
Submarine-cable
installation works/ jetting works were conducted in Zone C and from Zone C
eastward to the boundary of HKSAR waters during the reporting period. Impact water quality monitoring was
carried out when the cable installation works proceeded in Zone C on 15
October 2012 and 16 October 2012 and ceased from 17 October 2012 onwards as the
cable installation barge moved outside Zone C. Details of the monitoring results are
presented in the Second Weekly Impact
Water Quality Monitoring Report.
Daily marine mammal
exclusion zone monitoring started on 15 October 2012 when the cable
installation barge entered Zone C.
Every day prior to the start of cable installation, the qualified
observer scanned the 250 m exclusion zone for at least 30 minutes to ensure no
cetaceans in the exclusion zone. During the reporting period, no cetaceans were
reported to have been observed within the 250 m exclusion zone.
A
weekly joint environmental site inspection was conducted on 19 October 2012
during the reporting period. It
confirmed that the environmental mitigation measures recommended in the PP were
properly implemented by the Contractor.
No
non-compliance event was recorded during the reporting period.
No complaint and
summons/prosecution was received during the reporting period.
The ET will keep track on
the construction works to confirm compliance of environmental requirements and
the proper implementation of all necessary mitigation measures.