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15/02/2024 18:36

世界濕地日 變「破壞世界濕地日」?

政府揀選於「世界濕地日」(2/2)，毫無預警下突擊公佈新田科技城的環評報告，報告出爐時間相當諷刺。報告將魚塘影響評估「一劏七」，簡直有違「世界濕地日」促進濕地保護的宗旨。為期僅僅30日的環評法定公眾諮詢程序，亦在即日開始倒數。

#同一連接濕地斬七件評估生態
香港觀鳥會及長春社初步分析新田科技城的環境影響評估發現，政府將整片高生態價值且相連的新田魚塘濕地，以斬件式一分為七進行生態價值評估，做法極為罕見。這種做法恐怕是為了令人以為當地魚塘濕地的生態價值低，以合理化新田科技城大規模填塘破壞國際級濕地的行為。

#新田魚塘生態價值高  具條件列「拉姆薩爾濕地」
新田受影響濕地保育區內的魚塘濕地與米埔拉姆薩爾濕地具生態連結，同樣是水鳥重要的棲息地，甚至有條件納入拉姆薩爾濕地範圍內，屬高生態價值。根據香港觀鳥會的記錄，受影響魚塘濕地所錄得的雀鳥物種數量達205種，鳥類多樣性相當高，更是眾多面臨滅絕物種的重要棲息地。

#表面保留鷺鳥林  實忽視填塘毀覓食地
雖然環境影響評估報告稱，會盡量保留新田科技城發展範圍內兩個鷺鳥林的樹木，但報告嚴重忽視填塘令繁殖鷺鳥喪失覓食地的直接生態影響。事實上，新田科技城須填平的魚塘濕地，正正是繁殖鷺鳥賴以為生、育雛的覓食地。若覓食地大減，恐令兩大鷺鳥林不保。

政府現就新田科技城的環境影響評估展開環評條例下的法定公眾諮詢，敬請把握最後機會，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://www.eiaopubliccomment.gov.hk/cindex.php?id=3002



World Wetlands Day turned into "Destruction of World Wetlands Day" ?

The government unexpectedly released the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the San Tin Technopole on World Wetlands Day (2/2), which is quite ironic. The report fragmented the assessments of the wetland into seven areas, contradicting the purpose of promoting wetland conservation of World Wetlands Day. The statutory public consultation process for the EIA, which lasts only 30 days, has also begun counting down.

#Assessing Ecological Values by Fragmenting Contiguous Wetlands
HKBWS and Conservancy Association have preliminarily reviewed the EIA report and found that the government has divided and assessed the ecologically valuable contiguous San Tin fish ponds into seven separate zones, which is highly unusual. This approach seems aimed at misleading people into underestimating the ecological value of the fish ponds, thereby justifying the large-scale destruction of internationally significant wetlands for the San Tin Technopole.

#High Ecological Value of San Tin Fishponds: Potential Ramsar Site
The affected San Tin fishponds are an indispensable part of the "Ramsar Site" wetland system in the Deep Bay area. They even have the potential to be included within the Ramsar Wetland designation. According to the bird records of HKBWS, the proposed pond filling area has a rich biodiversity, with a total of 205 bird species recorded and are important habitats for many endangered species that are facing extinction.

#Direct impacts on two large egretries in Hong Kong   
Although the report claims to strive for the preservation of trees in two egretries within the development area of the San Tin Technopole, the report severely overlooks the direct ecological impact of filling the fishponds on the essential feeding grounds of these breeding egrets/herons. If the feeding grounds are significantly reduced, it could lead to abandonment of the two important egretries in the worst scenario.

The government currently launched a public consultation for the Environmental Impact Assessment report of San Tin Technopole under the EIA Ordinance. Please seize this opportunity to submit your comments by email to eiaocomment@epd.gov.hk or online at https://www.eiaopubliccomment.gov.hk/cindex.php?id=3002 on or before March 2, 2024.