Press in November 1995
| Press November 2, 1995 | |
| Headline : | Views on Environmental Impact Assessment Bill expressed |
| Content : |
The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority: The Housing Authority's Development Committee today (Thursday) noted the proposals made in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Bill and their potential impact on public housing development. "Under the draft Bill, developers of all designated projects, which include nearly all public housing sites, are required to submit an application to proceed with an EIA," a spokesman for the Authority said. "Members were of the view that the spirit behind the legislation should be supported, taking into account the increasing need for public participation and the awareness of the need for a good environment but its implications on the development of housing sites should be minimised," he said. "They were told that the Housing Department had on one hand explored the chances for exclusion from the Bill to avoid lengthening the lead time for public housing development. "On the other hand, suggestions were also made to ensure public housing developments are in compliance with the legislative requirements," he said. "These include the use of previous EIA as a reference to exclude a project from further impact study, the granting of exemption to a project which has been approved by the Government under another relevant Ordinance and which will commence within six months. "Another possibility is the inclusion of more specific requirements in the Technical Memorandum, an important component of the Bill, for housing developments," he explained. The Department's views will be sent to the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands who will separately arrange briefings for members on details of the Bill. End/Thursday, November 2, 1995 NNNN |