2014-08-19
HKT 09:03
The government's environmental advisers have warned Airport Authority Hong Kong that its proposal to build a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport could be rejected if it does not come up with better mitigation measures to preserve Chinese white dolphins off North Lantau and cut noise pollution.
The warning came from of the Advisory Council on the Environment.
The Deputy Chairman of the Council's Environmental Impact Assessment Subcommittee, Hung Wing-tat, told RTHK that the government advisers are far from happy with the Authority's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the impact of the runway project.
He said a marine park the Authority has proposed for the dolphins after completion of the third runway will not ensure their survival in the waters near the airport.
Dr Hung said the advisers would really like to support the project, but that they cannot accept something that was "substandard".
He said it was really up to the Authority to propose something and if nothing was changed, it would be highly unlikely that the EIA report be passed without any conditions.
Dr Hung also said the Subcommittee would pass its requests and questions to the Authority on Tuesday.
He said it would then have a few weeks to come up with a response before the full advisory council meets to discuss the runway project in mid-September.
http://m.rthk.hk/news/20140819/1030753.htm
