【新田環評又睇漏嘢？盤點三大漏洞】
繼環保署澄清認錯雀為「編輯問題」，新田科技城環評報告又有遺漏？今次又係唔係「編輯問題」呢？
⚠️ #計漏魚塘區一半以上繁殖鳥種
魚塘區係唔少水鳥喜愛嘅繁殖地，例如填塘範圍就曾錄得 #金眶鴴、#小鸊鷉、#白胸苦惡鳥 嘅繁殖記錄，但環評似乎於魚塘區只記錄到兩種鳥種（#金眶鴴 和 #灰背椋鳥）嘅繁殖或築巢行為。換言之，報告至少計漏魚塘區一半以上嘅已知繁殖鳥種記錄。除此之外，#閒置魚塘 同 #蘆葦床，亦係某類 #陸地雀鳥、#葦鳽屬雀鳥 嘅濳在繁殖地，但環評報告亦無著墨。正因繁殖係雀鳥生命週期中嘅重要一環，一旦有任何差池，將直接威脅整個鳥種嘅族群存活‼️
⚠️ #數漏魚塘常見陸地雀？
#葦鶯屬雀鳥、#棕扇尾鶯、#紅喉歌鴝 係魚塘及開闊原野常見嘅陸地雀鳥，但報告竟然冇以上記錄，十分不尋常。而辨別此類陸地雀鳥有一定技巧，甚至須熟悉其叫聲，如果唔熟習佢哋嘅特徵同習性，或有可能「走漏眼」，或嚴重低估新田生態價值及功能。
⚠️ #數漏夜鷺日棲地
新田魚塘區旁嘅蓄洪池樹林係 #夜鷺日棲地。上年年尾，我哋於該處觀察到超過54隻夜鷺、入夜前由呢片樹林飛往新田一帶魚塘覓食????但報告居然未提及此 #夜鷺日棲地，只提及該區有兩個鷺鳥林、五個夜棲地、兩個日棲地，而被遺漏嘅棲息地 #鷺鳥使用數量、規模似乎比報告提及嘅棲地更大，令人擔心環評嚴重低估發展對整個鷺鳥族群嘅不良影響。
⚠️漠視環評程序 胡亂擴張發展？
早於上年5月，政府突然公佈規模激增一倍嘅新田科技城方案時，我哋聯同環團指出沿用2021年舊環評研究概要嘅潛在問題，包括：#研究未能考慮公眾對填塘範圍嘅意見、#研究方法不全面、#增加環評報告遺漏嘅風險，導致無法有效評估，甚至嚴重低估新田科技城所帶來嘅重大生態影響。可惜政府最終堅持沿用舊環評研究概要，拒絕就規模倍增嘅填塘方案重新申請環評。
香港觀鳥會十分擔心上述遺漏只屬係冰山一角，並期望環保署及環境咨詢委員會嚴謹把關，確保環評嘅準確度，更不可輕率接納如此粗疏嘅環評報告，放生新田發展，令環境遭不可逆轉嘅破壞。
政府就新田科技城環境影響評估報告展開公眾諮詢，把握最後4日機會，於2024年3月2日或之前將意見電郵至
eiaocomment@epd.gov.hk 或經網上遞交意見：
https://shorturl.at/gtvKO
新田科技城環境影響評估報告全文：
https://shorturl.at/lotxB
《守護魚塘濕地》網站：
https://shorturl.at/elAZ8
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【More missing birds in the San Tin EIA Report?】
Following the Environmental Protection Department's clarification of the bird misidentification as an "editing issue", it seems that there are more oversights in the San Tin Technopole's EIA report.
⚠️ Overlook more than half of the breeding bird species in fishpond wetlands
The fishpond wetlands are important breeding grounds for many waterbirds. For example, breeding records of Little Ringed Plover, Little Grebe and White-breasted Waterhen have been recorded in the proposed filling areas. However, the EIA report only records the breeding behaviour of two bird species (i.e. Little Ringed Plover and White-shouldered Starling) in the fishpond areas. In other words, the report has overlooked at least half of the known breeding bird species in the fishpond areas.
In addition, the report has also failed to find out the potential breeding grounds for various landbirds and bitterns in the inactive fishponds and reedbeds. As breeding is a crucial part of the bird life cycle, any disturbance to them would directly threaten the survival of their entire populations.
⚠️ Missing common landbird species in fishpond areas
Landbird species such as #Reed Warblers, #Zitting Cisticola, and # Siberian Rubythroat are commonly found in fishponds and open country habitats. Surprisingly, the report does not have the records of these species, which is highly unusual ????. Identifying such landbird species requires certain skills, including familiarity with their calls. If not familiar with their characteristics and behavior, there is a possibility of overlooking them, leading to underestimation of the ecological value and function of San Tin wetlands.
⚠️ Overlook the day roosting site of Night Herons
The trees around the flood storage pond next to the San Tin fishponds is a day roosting site for Black-crowned Night Herons. Last year, we observed over 54 Night Herons flying from this roost to the fishponds in search of food before sunset. However, the report fails to mention this roosting site. This overlooked roosting site appears to have a larger number and scale of heron usage than the other roosts that identified by the applicant. We are concerned the EIA has significantly underestimated the adverse impact of the development on the heron population.
⚠️ Disregarding the EIA process and hasty expansion of development?
As early as May last year, when the government suddenly announced a doubling in scale for the San Tin development, we, together with environmental groups, pointed out potential issues with using the outdated EIA study brief that issued in 2021. The potential problems include the failure to consider public opinions on the ecological significance of the filling areas, inadequate methodology, and increased risk of overlooking factors in the EIA report, leading to an ineffective assessment and a severe underestimation of the significant ecological impact of the San Tin Technopole. Unfortunately, the government insisted on using the outdated study brief and refused to reapply for an EIA regarding the new proposal .
HKBWS is deeply concerned that the aforementioned missing sensitive receivers are just the tip of the iceberg. We urge the Environmental Protection Department and the Advisory Council on the Environment to exercise strict review, ensuring the accuracy of the EIA and not to easily accept such a flawed EIA report, in order to avoid causing irreversible damage to the environment.
EIA report for the San Tin Technopole:
https://shorturl.at/lotxB
The public consultation on the EIA report for the San Tin Technopole has started. Please seize the final opportunity and submit your comments via email to
eiaocomment@epd.gov.hk or online:
https://shorturl.at/elAZ8 before 2 March 2024
"Protect Our Fishpond Wetlands" website:
https://shorturl.at/elAZ8
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Last edited by HKBWS Suet Mei at 27/02/2024 19:03 ]
