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Critique Writing

EIA report preparation


There is a loophole in CPI at the reporting stage that public participation is completely dominated by
proponents during the preparation of EIA reports, and the public can only passively wait for the
notification of released report. Although as stated in the Technical Memorandum of EIAO, the
responses to comments received should be included in the contents of an EIA report, details about how
to include and to what extent did not mention (HKEPD, 1997). This will give the proponents a chance
to be perfunctory and try to get through. If a rating system can be introduced, like the BEAM Plus, but
in form of a simple standardized questionnaire for the public to assess whether this project is valuable
to take place, instead of being informed, the public could get involved during the reporting stage.
Subsequently, the result of this rating can be taken as reference in the decision-making process too.

Reference:
Colombo, A. G. (Ed.). (1992). Environmental Impact Assessment (3rd ed.). Boston: Kluwer Academic
HKEPD – Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. (1997). Technical Memorandum on
Environmental Impact Assessment Process. Retrieved from https://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/
english/legis/memorandum/TM.pdf
HKEPD – Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. (2006, April 28). Environmental
Protection Department. About EA & Planning. Retrieved from
https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/
environmentinhk/eia_planning/prob_solutions/highlights03.html
HKEPD – Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. (2017, January 4). Environmental
Protection Department. Judgment. Retrieved from https://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/english/judgement/
index.html
LC – Legislative Council. (2016, February 3). Administration's response to Hon Kenneth LEUNG's
letter regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499). LC Paper No.
CB(1)551/15-16(01). Retrieved from https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr15-16/english/panels/ea/papers/
eacb1-537-1-e.pdf
Li, Y. T., Fan, L., Meng, N., and Shen, L. (2016). Environmental impact assessment in Hong Kong: a
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Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2016.1177934
Ng, C. N. and Wong, C. C. (2013, May 13-16). One Country, Two EIA Systems: the public
engagement in the EIA systems of Hong Kong and China. 33rd Annual Meeting of the
International Association for Impact Assessment, “Impact Assessment the Next Generation”, pp.1-
6 Retrieved from https://hub.hku.hk/bitstream/10722/190773/1/Content.pdf?accept=1
Noble, B. F. (2010). Introduction to environmental impact assessment – a guide to principles and
practice. (2nd ed.). New York (NY): Oxford University Press.
Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd. (2015). Tung Chung New Town Extension Project Profile.
Retrieved from https://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/profile/latest/esb285/esb285.pdf
Wood, C. and Coppell, L. (1999). An evaluation of the Hong Kong environmental impact assessment
system. Impact Assess Project Appraisal. 17, 21–31.

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