Ecology toppriority for sea bridge

GUANGZHOU: Environmental protection will be given "utmost importance" while constructing the long-awaited Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Guangdong's provincial environment watchdog said yesterday.

"We will try to keep the negative environmental effects as low as possible during the construction of the bridge as well as once it's operational," Li Qing, director of the provincial environmental protection department, said during the local people's congress.

A draft assessment report on environmental protection of the bridge has been submitted to the central government for approval, Li said.