The Environmental Protection Department has acted lawfully and impartially, and has not harboured any works, person, organisation or Government department.
It issued the statement tonight in response to a media report on reclamation works for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Hong Kong Link Road project.
The department said the press release issued on February 22 and the paper submitted to the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the Legislative Council on February 24 clearly stated there is no evidence the extension of reclamation works at the eastern shore of the Airport Island has contravened environmental permit conditions or any environmental law.
Regarding a media report that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report stated a temporary reclamation of 50m x 2km, the department clarified this was only a rough assumption.
As long as the actual reclamation does not exceed the 27 hectares of permanent reclamation and 10 hectares of temporary reclamation, the ecological value of the reclamation area is low and will not require ecological compensation.
It also rejected claims it refused to respond to questions raised by that media organisation.
Meanwhile, the Transport & Housing Bureau clarified that the Secretary for Transport & Housing never met with any individual contractors on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities, and never suggested seeking additional funding from the Legislative Council to increase its approved project estimate after the Chief Executive election.
