I WOULD like to respond to some remarks made by John Gray, chairman of the Port Development Board and Executive Council member, concerning the development of Lantau Port (South China Morning Post, April 12). Mr Gray talks about the 'enormous economic benefits' arising from the port and as an aside notes that the project would have 'some environmental effects'.
Some environmental effects! This is the largest infrastructural development since the new airport, involving on-going construction for a period of at least 17 years, creating significant on-site and off-site environmental impacts. The total marine fill requirements (202 million cubic metres) are greater than the new airport (76 million cubic metres) and will possibly involve dredging in sensitive eastern waters.
The effects of filling in a fish nursery and spawning ground at Penny's Bay are unknown, but the cumulative impacts of this and other large scale infrastructure projects may be significant. Most far-reaching of all the impacts will be the effects of a 250 per cent increase in freight traffic onto Hong Kong's already strained infrastructure, resulting in yet more traffic congestion, air pollution and noise throughout the New Territories. Add to this the increased shipping in an already congested harbour and one starts to question the long-term sustainability of this port development.
Disturbingly the project is now presented as having been endorsed by the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE), whilst failing to note that the ACE's endorsement is conditional on a number of stringent mitigation and/or compensation measures. These include the need for off-site compensation, since it was acknowledged that the impacts would be impossible to mitigate on-site. The administration has not yet given any indication that all the conditions would be met. It is all very well for John Gray to talk about weighing the possible effects on the environment against the benefits of the port, but those effects on the environment have not been fully quantified, nor has there been any real public debate about whether the benefits justify the costs.
Lantau is one of the last unspoiled land resources in the territory. How many more sacrifices on the altar of economic growth is the Hong Kong public willing to make? Let us have a real debate.
LISA HOPKINSON Spokesperson Friends of the Earth