【明報專訊】The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZM Bridge, 港珠澳大橋) project has been controversial because of environmental concerns. The idea of a bridge connecting the three regions was first proposed in 1983. After years of debate, the State Council of the People's Republic of China (中國國務院) gave the green light to the project in 2009. That year the Environmental Protection Department (EPD, 環保署) published the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA Report) on it. It pointed out the adverse impacts the project may have on the environment. The severity (嚴重性) of those impacts was estimated. The EPD finally issued an environment permit in respect of it in November 2009.