On Wednesday, ten environmental groups made a final appeal to the Advisory Council on the Environment, urging it to veto the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a proposed technology hub in northern Hong Kong. They argue that the assessment for the San Tin Technopole project is the worst since EIA regulations were introduced in 1998.
The advisory council is set to discuss the EIA for the San Tin project next Monday. Afterward, it will provide its recommendations to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD).
Among the groups involved in the appeal is the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. Wong Suet-mei, the society’s senior conservation officer, criticized the assessment, comparing it unfavorably to previous ones over the last two decades. She said the EIA was insufficient in several key areas, including the ecological baseline survey, mitigation planning, and the level of public information provided.
Wong highlighted specific shortcomings, such as the failure to include two species of breeding birds and the omission of exact numbers of black-faced spoonbills in their survey. She also claimed the EIA violated at least 35 legal requirements and missed 27 important data points. Additionally, the assessment lacked a comprehensive wetland management plan to show that measures would be in place to offset the loss of wetlands.
In the past, when significant changes were made to a development plan, the government would typically resubmit the EIA, according to Wong.
In response, the Development Bureau stated that it had completed a 12-month ecological monitoring study that covered the project area and an area within 500 meters of its boundary. The bureau said the EIA had provided data on various species, including wild otters, and outlined mitigation measures, including the creation of the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park to boost biodiversity.
The Environmental Protection Department also defended the EIA process, emphasizing its professionalism, transparency, and objectivity. It said it would consider public comments and determine whether to approve the document, along with any conditions, in accordance with the law.
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