XN000022-1994-02-27 — Page 6

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1994

THE KAP SHUI MUN BRIDGE AND THE MA WAN VIADUCT, PART OF THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING, IS BEING BUILT BY KUMAGAI-MAEDA-YOKOGAWA- HITACHI JOINT VENTURE UNDER A $1.64 BILLION "DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT" CONTRACT AWARDED IN DECEMBER 1992. DESIGNER FOR THE CONTRACT IS GREINER INTERNATIONAL.

THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING IS ONE OF THE 10 PROJECTS IN THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME.

COMPLETED EIAS MADE PUBLIC

*

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY (SUNDAY) RELEASED A LIST OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS (EIAS) OF MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS COMPLETED SINCE 1993, AS WELL AS A LIST OF THOSE MAJOR EIAS WHICH WOULD BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

SIMILAR LISTS OF EIAS WOULD BE RELEASED EVERY THREE MONTHS.

"WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY ESSENTIAL STEP TOWARDS PROVIDING BETTER ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION. THE PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW, EPD'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MR RAYMOND CHAN, SAID.

UNDER EXISTING POLICY, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO DEPOSIT EIA REPORTS OF MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED AFTER JANUARY 1992, FOR WHICH THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE, AT THE RELEVANT DISTRICT OFFICES FOR PUBLIC REFERENCE.

PROPONENT DEPARTMENTS ARE, IN ADDITION, NOW REQUIRED TO PLACE EIA REPORTS AT UC RE PUBLIC REFERENCE LIBRARIES IN CITY HALL, HEADQUARTERS AND THE OMLEGCO LIBRARY.

"THERE IS AT PRESENT NO LAW REQUIRING THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DO LIKEWISE BUT SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN LARGELY

11 CO-OPERATIVE, MR CHAN SAID.

"IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR PROJECT PROPONENTS TO MAKE THESE EIA REPORTS AVAILABLE.

"MAKING KNOWN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES FOR A PROJECT SHOULD BE SEEN AS BEING PART AND PARCEL OF GOOD PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT, MR CHAN SAID.

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FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF EIA REPORTS COMPLETED BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR SINCE 1993:

* HUNGHOM BYPASS (HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT, JANUARY 1993)

*

LUNG CHEUNG ROAD FLYOVER HAMMER HILL ROAD то NEW CLEAR WATER BAY ROAD (HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT, FEBRUARY 1993).

REHABILITATION OF MOUNT BUTLER QUARRY (CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MARCH 1993)

LANTAU PORT AND WESTERN HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, MARCH 1993)

* CENTRAL KOWLOON ROUTE (HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT, MAY 1993)

/*ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY

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