Piling work for offshore Hong Kong gas plant could cause hearing loss in finless porpoises, conservation group WWF warns
According to WWF study, noise from single hammer strike will reach at least 200 decibels within ‘zone of influence’ from CLP’s proposed Soko Islands site
Noisy piling works from the construction of a planned offshore gas receiving facility off Hong Kong’s southern Lantau Island could cause hearing loss in finless porpoises, according to a conservation group.
“We are disappointed by CLP’s EIA report,” said Samantha Lee Mei-wah, assistant director for oceans conservation. “It hasn’t demonstrated clearly how noise from pilling works will affect Chinese white dolphins and finless porpoises that use these waters.”
The power firm is seeking an environmental permit to build a 2.5-hectare offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal off the Soko Islands.
A regasification vessel – which converts LNG offloaded by tankers back into gas and sends it to the city’s power plants via undersea pipes – will also be berthed permanently at a new jetty.