The Environmental Protection Department today said it will review in detail the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node before deciding whether to approve the report and the conditions to be imposed if the report is approved.

The department made the statement following the Advisory Council on the Environment's (ACE) decision to endorse the report with conditions in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) after discussion at its meeting today.

The department pointed out that the statutory EIA process in Hong Kong is a professional, objective and open system, adding that the Technical Memorandum on EIA Process and EIA Study Briefs lay down objective and clear principles, procedures, guidelines, requirements and criteria for various EIA matters, while the EIAO aims to assess the environmental acceptability of the development proposal submitted by the project proponent.

The Director of Environmental Protection will review the report in detail, with comprehensive and careful consideration of the requirements of the EIA Study Brief and the technical memorandum as well as comments on the environment raised by the public and the ACE during the public inspection period, before making a decision.