Project overview
The three-runway project involves seven core projects, namely: # Construction of the Third Runway: The new runway will be 3,800 metres long, with its supporting taxiway systems, which is set to be parallel to and north of the existing two runways.Expanding Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-runway SystemTimeline and project development
The development of the 3RS include different stages of planning, approval and implementation. Research was done by AAHK from 2008 to 2010, where the MP 2030 was compiled and eventually published by the AAHK in June 2011.MilestonesInteraction between government and different stakeholders
Between AAHK and government and the public
AAHK has been taking a leading role in introducing the 3RS Project, with great emphasis on the urgency of the current problem regarding insufficiency of the existing 2RS in meeting rising future air traffic demand. It is claimed that, by 2016 or 2017, the existing 2RS will reach its maximum practical capacity of 68 ATMs per hour, or 420,000 ATMs per year. In face of the fierce competition from neighbouring airports who have been actively planning for their expansion projects, AAHK expected that the 3RS will be able to handle over 100 million passengers, nearly 9 million tonnes of cargo and 607,000 ATMs which would enable Hong Kong to maintain the competitive advantage as an aviation hub in attracting foreign businesses. It is estimated that by 2030 the 3RS would have generated HK $167 million, and will further bring economic benefits of $455 billion over 50 years. The proposal has attracted widespread public opposition, and has aroused great concern on whether the infrastructure project which involved the highest cost since 1997 is justified by its alleged urgency and effectiveness. Nevertheless, despite public challenge over the enormous economic benefits as claimed, the government has attached great importance to the 3RS project and has largely agreed that there are strong justifications and urgency to proceed with the implementation. The Secretary for Transport and Housing Bureau Anthony Cheung has also publicly expressed the government view that such a project would be endorsed and recognized its potential economic contribution to Hong Kong's GDP.Between government and green groups on environmental issues
The construction of 3RS requires reclamation which will in turn cause solid, water, noise and air pollution; obstruct the travelling corridor of Chinese White Dolphins ("CWD") given the reclaimed area is situated in the heart of the CWD hotspots; and affect CWD or other marine animal's habitat. Although the EIA report recommended a lot of mitigation measures in light of different environmental concerns, different environmental protection groups such asBetween government and concern groups on airspace issues
The People's Aviation Watch ("PAW") claimed that the proposed third runway would only reach a quarter of its potential due to airspace conflict with theBetween government and the citizens on judicial review ("JR") issues
There have been instances where JR have been lodged by citizens to challenge different aspects of the 3RS. For example, ExCo's affirmation of the 3RS in March 2014 was challenged by Wong Chun-yeung (writ filed in June 2015), and the issuance of the environmental permit by the Environmental Protection Department to AAHK was also challenged by Ho Loy, supported by the Dolphin Conservation Society and People's Aviation Watch,Kao, Ernest (5 July 2016).Environmental impact assessment report
The Airport Authority released the Environmental Impact Assessment Report in June 2014. It evaluated the need of the Third-Runway Project and the possible alternatives. It then proposed about 250 mitigation measures upon the measurement of potential environmental impacts across 12 key aspects. They include air quality impact, hazard to human life, noise impact, water quality impact, sewage and sewage treatment implications, land contamination, terrestrial ecological impact, marine ecological impact, fisheries impact, landscape and visual impact, cultural impact and health impact. On 7 November 2014, the Director of Environmental Protection approved the report and granted an Environmental Permit to commence the Third-Runway Project.Responses to measurements
Government
Legislative council The Panel on Environmental Affairs thought that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report failed to cover the cumulative environmental impacts of the Project. To fill the loopholes, they called for a "Strategic Environmental Assessment", a macro-level assessment. The procedures and criteria, which includes screening, scoping, environmental assessment and reporting, consultation and monitoring, should follow that of Singapore and Scotland.Civil society
= Political parties
= The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong supported the Third- Runway Project but did not comment on the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. The Democratic Party showed varying opinions. Sin Chung-kai and Ho Chun-yan supported the Third-Runway Project, but did not comment on the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. Chai Man-hon, who initiated a petition against the Third-Runway Project within the party, criticized the Environmental Impact Assessment Report as failing to "fully address" the environmental and ecological problems. The Civic Party, resonated by green groups, questioned the adopted criteria and measurement. For noise impact, they deemed the Airport Authority's threshold for measuring acceptable obsolete and could not reflect the adverse effects accurately. For air quality impact, they showed reservation for the calculation methods, particularly the predicted 83% reduction in nitrogen oxides from 2013 to 2031. They found it "overly optimistic", especially when there was strong contrary evidence that the level of nitrogen oxides had been rapidly increasing.= Academia
= Researches investigated impacts of the Third-Runway Project on the livelihood of Chinese white dolphins. They pointed out that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report did not include the volume of slow-moving vessels, marine traffic and potential impacts of temporary work in the assessment, which might affect the dolphins significantly. They also criticised that the measurement assumed, without scientific support, that the dolphins would shift part of their home range into Chinese waters during construction.= Other concern groups
= The Ecology Alumni of the University of Hong Kong expressed concerns towards the criteria adopted in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. When measuring marine ecological impacts, the observation points chosen in the water quality modelling were "limited" and "unfit" to measure the effects of degraded water quality on corals. Moreover, many rare corals, such as Guaiagorgia, were left out. Therefore, the report's conclusion that land formation works had "low to moderate" ecological impact on the corals was premature. Furthermore, they disagreed with the report's estimation on fisheries impact. Firstly, the fish survey methodology, relying solely on qualitative records, was "inappropriate" and "inconclusive". Secondly, there were no night survey for pelagic fish, underestimating biodiversity in the area. Thirdly, there were no fish surveys during winter, missing out winter spawners. The Airport Authority's justification that the project site was an "unimportant spawning and nursery grounds" was invalid.Private sector
= Industrial sector
= The industrial sector, such as the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, agreed with the criteria in measuring the environmental impact of the Third-Runway Project. They thought that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report had sufficiently addressed the environmental problems and adequately fulfilled the requirements of the environmental protection laws. Weighing the economic benefits against environmental impacts, the Project should be implemented as it could boost Hong Kong's competitiveness and maintain its status as the Asian air transport hub.= Business sector
= The business sector, such as the Hong Kong Chinese Importers' and Exporters' Association, acknowledged the urgent need for a third runway because it would contribute significantly to the GDP, maintain Hong Kong's competitiveness as the air transport hub of Asia, and attract foreign investment. However, they disagreed with the method of measurement. In deciding whether damage to the environment was justified, the "better" measurement would be calculating the economic payoff in "GDP per kWh used".Responses to mitigation measures
Government
= Airport Authority Hong Kong
= The Environmental Impact Assessment Report concluded that with the mitigation measures, the construction and operation phases shall pose acceptable impact on the key environmental aspects. An Environmental Monitoring and Audit Manual was issued to ensure compliance with the Report and assess the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures. Monitoring reports were scheduled to be released periodically, followed by a final review report to assess the need for further mitigation measures or remedial action.= Advisory Council on the Environment
= Advisory Council on the Environment under the Environmental Protection Department expressed concern regarding the regional marine and terrestrial ecology. It suggested to construct a marine park and implement the Marine Ecology and the Fisheries Management Plan.= Legislative council
= Members of the Panel on Economic Development questioned whether aircraft noises would shift northwards due to flight paths. They thought that noise mitigation measures should not only focus on the originally contemplated areas such as Ma Wan. Compensatory measures should also be offered to neighbouring communities directly affected by the construction and increased flight traffic. Moreover, they requested the government to produce supplementary information regarding its response towards public concern. For instance, they asked the government to propose measures to address concerns raised by green groups, justify the omissions of some concerns and develop an online platform to allow instant public feedback.Civil society
= Political parties
= The Civic Party raised doubts about putting the South Runway on standby mode at night to alleviate aircraft noise as a mitigation measure. Firstly, there might be underutilization if it was closed at night, failing to reach the forecast maximum capacity of 102 flights per hour. Secondly, such measure, together with the installation of noise enclosures in nearly populated areas and restriction on the use of comprehensive development area, strongly indicated that the expansion of the airport into a three-runway system would unjustifiably pose an onerous burden on the environment. Furthermore, the Civic Party criticised that the remedy by constructing a marine park, which was to be completed by 2023, might not be promptly delivered to restore the marine habitat for Chinese white dolphins.= Green groups
= On a joint press conference in September 2014, Friends of the Earth, the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, the Conservancy Association and WWF-Hong Kong doubt the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures regarding the Chinese white dolphins. To optimize conservation, they recommended the expansion of the marine park to endorse the entire core habitat in West Lantau. They were also dissatisfied with the Marine Ecology and the Fisheries Management Plan. The measures to compensate for the loss of marine habitats due to the reclamation were allegedly inadequate. Claiming that the applicability of deploying artificial reefs and other improvement work in marine ecology had not been scientifically proven in Hong Kong, they urged Advisory Council on Environment to reject the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. Meanwhile, Green Sense contended that many measures in the Report were deployed in other construction projects such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. However, it denounced the principle of "destroy first, remedy second" as upheld in those measures which overlooked the importance of conserving the marine environment. It also challenged their effectiveness, particularly regarding the declining number of Chinese white dolphins. Considering previous records, it worried that the government would revoke its promise of building a marine park.= Public
= According to a report by the Social Sciences Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong in December 2011, the respondents broadly supported a series of mitigation measures to tackle issues regarding noise, air quality, conservation of dolphins and reclamation.= Private sector
= Federation of Hong Kong Industries had confidence in the proposed mitigation measures. With close public monitoring, practices such as using the non-dredge method for reclamation would be sufficient to reduce negative effects on the environment.Public consultation exercise
From 3 June to 2 September 2013, the Airport Authority conducted a public consultation exercise to solicit public support on the Third-Runway Project. Two development options were provided: to maintain the present two-runway system by enhancing the existing airport facilities to increase overall handling capacity; and to further develop into a third-runway system. While both options bear significant financial implications, latter costs more, but delivers 1.5 times less air traffic movements, possibly more sustainable in meeting the city's air traffic demand beyond 2030. A team led by Professor John Bacon-Shone under Social Sciences Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong was commissioned as a third-party institution to collect, analyse and report views of different stakeholders. Further, another public consultation exercise was conducted from 20 June to 19 July 2014 for public inspection of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report regarding the adoption and the implementation of the Master Plan 2030.Promotion of the PCE
Traditional and non-conventional media
Apart from TV advertisements and printed advertisements on local newspapers, a dedicated website was established as the centralised platform of information dissemination. Social media ranging from Facebook, Twitter to YouTube were employed. Video-clips and publications tailor-made for stakeholders from diverse background and age groups were uploaded to ensure both laymen and experts could understand the Master Plan 2030 and its Public Consultation Exercise "as much as possible". Copies of the comprehensive Master Plan 2030 Public Consultation Booklet, technical reports and other relevant official publications are available for public viewing and collection at various locations covering 18 districts.Roving exhibitions
Three rounds of roving exhibitions were conducted in different conveniently-located parts of the city such as the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, CityWalk in Tsuen Wan and inside the airport to attract public participation. Airport Authority staff were also regularly stationed to address concerns.Methodologies
Stakeholders included district councillors, professional bodies, industry partners, green groups and the general public.Questionnaires
The Social Sciences Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong designed sets of questionnaires to solicit the public's views over their preferred option for airport expansion, taking into account eight independent factors. Both online and written forms were made available to the public via the website and in exhibitions. Feedback was received via written submissions, signature campaigns, online forums and electronic and printed media.Interactive sessions
The Airport Authority conducted three public forums to facilitate face-to-face interaction with different stakeholders. 33 briefings and seminars were organised with experts and academia with technical expertise in different aspects. Apart from visits to all District Councils and attendance to the legislative council's meetings, five community liaison groups near the airport were established to incorporate residents' concerns.Results
The Social Sciences Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong (2011) reported that 73% of the respondents to the 24,242 completed questionnaires preferred building the third runway. 80% deemed that decision concerning the adoption and implementation of the Master Plan 2030 should be made promptly. Thus, the Airport Authority recommended the government build the third runway on 29 December 2001, followed by a decision made by the chief-executive-in-council in granting an in-principle approval of adopting the Third-Runway System for the future development of the airport.Criticisms from civil society
Environmental concerns
Various non-governmental organizations, claiming that Public Consultation Exercise was a "fake consultation", challenged its omittance of several environmental concerns. Given the Third-Runway Project's possible environmental damage, WWF Hong Kong, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth claimed that the over-emphasis of economic benefits and the downplaying of environmental costs undermined the objectivity of the Public Consultation Exercise. They asserted that the consultation omitted not only the thresholds of environmental sustainability, but also the increase of carbon emission attributed to the Project. Green Sense Hong Kong claimed that Airport Authority, questioning the professional knowledge and independence of their consultants, had released misleading information regarding the impact on the Chinese white dolphins. Friends of the Earth suggested that incomplete data disrespected the public's right of acknowledgement and distorted the process of fair consultation. Hence, WWF Hong Kong suggested the suspension of the consultation before the relevant authorities disclose an in-depth analysis of the environmental impacts.Conflict of interests
Green groups questioned the impartiality and objectivity of Public Consultation Exercise as the Airport Authority was the initiator of the Master Plan 2030 and the de facto executor of consultation. The Civic Party furthermore revealed that a conflict of interest may arise because the consultants of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report were employed directly by the proponent of the Project. Hence, they suggested the consultation be administered by the Government instead.Judicial review
In February 2015, Ho Loy, a political activist in Hong Kong, applied for judicial review to challenge the Director of Environmental Protection's decisions to approve the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. She called the consultation "unlawful" as it did not provide sufficient environmental data. The Court, deciding that disclosure was not required as it contained sensitive documents, dismissed the claim.Ultimate development
Owing to the dismissal of the judicial review and the lack of public concerns over the issues after the Public Consultation Exercise crisis, the Airport Authority had officially embarked on the implementation of the Master Plan 2030.Wong, 2012, p. 77-78.See also
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