Environmental impact of future Macau-Taipa passage under analysis

The Infrastructure Development Office (GDI) yesterday released a public notice for a consultation regarding the environmental impact on the ocean caused by the construction of the fourth Macau-Taipa passage and the underwater tunnel between the future reclamation areas Zone A and B.
It is estimated that the passage, also an underwater tunnel, will measure around 3.05 kilometers in total, of which 2.2 kilometers will be constructed under the sea. The passage will begin on reclamation Zone A and will end in Zone E1.
The tunnel between Zones A and B will measure approximately 3.25 kilometers in length and will also be connected to the Macau-Taipa passage.
Moreover, the GDI has commissioned the South China Sea Marine Engineering and Environment Institute and the China Offshore Environmental Services Ltd., Tianjin to conduct an evaluation of the environmental impact of the projects.
The GDI’s first public notice was published on its website. Residents can submit their opinions and suggestions to the Office within the next 10 working days by letter, phone or email.
After these responses have been gathered, the GDI will hand them over to the research department for analysis in order to proceed to the next stage.
The GDI will post the same public notice in newspapers in Zhuhai for 10 consecutive days, as well as on the mainland environmental impact assessment fans’ website: www.eiafans.com.
The collected responses will be used to establish environmental protection procedures in order to mitigate the impact that the construction and the future operation of the passage and tunnel will have water quality and the eco-environment.
A report will ultimately be produced, containing both an analysis of public opinion and suggestions for the monitoring and mitigation of the projects’ environmental impact.
However, the president of the Macau Institution of Engineers and the president of the Macau Ecological Society both believe that the government has not provided sufficient information for the public to be able to give informed opinions. JPL