2019-090 - Adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration

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*:/ : 11-3 111 WA 1. The extent to which the project may increase (or reduce) GHG emissions as compared to the existing environmental setting; 2. Whether the project emissions exceed a threshold of significance that the lead agency determines applies to the project; 3. The extent to which the project complies with regulations or requirements adopted to implement an adopted statewide, regional, or local plan for the reduction or mitigation of GHG emissions.14 SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT To provide guidance to local lead agencies on determining significance for GHG emissions in their CEQA documents, SCAQMD has convened a GHG CEQA Significance Threshold Working Group (Working Group). Based on the last Working Group meeting (Meeting No. 15) held in September 2010, SCAQMD is proposing to adopt a tiered approach for evaluating GHG emissions for development projects where SCAQMD is not the lead agency (SCAQMD 2010): • Tier 1. If a project is exempt from CEQA, projectleveland cumulative GHG emissions are less than significant. • Tier 2. If the project complies with a GHG emissions reduction plan or mitigation program that avoids or substantially reduces GHG emissions in the project's geographic area (i.e., city or county), projectlevel and cumulative GHG emissions are less than significant. • Tier 3. If GHG emissions are less than the screening level threshold, projectleveland cumulative GHG emissions are less than significant. For projects that are not exempt or where no qualifying GHG reduction plans are directly applicable, SCAQMD requires an assessment of GHG emissions. SCAQMD is proposing a screening level threshold of 3,000 MTCO2e annually for all land use types or the following land -use -specific thresholds: 1,400 MTCO2e for commercial projects, 3,500 MTCO2e for residential projects, or 3,000 MTCO2e for mixed use projects. These brightlinethresholds are based on a review of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research database of CEQA projects. Based on their review of 711 CEQA projects, 90 percent of CEQA projects would exceed the brightlinethresholds identified above. Therefore, projects that do not exceed the brightlinethreshold would have a nominal, and therefore, less than cumulatively considerable impact on GHG emissions: • Tier 4. If emissions exceed the screening threshold, a more detailed review of the project's GHG emissions is warranted. 14 The Governor's Office of Planning and Research recommendations include a requirement that such a plan must be adopted through a public review process and include specific requirements that reduce or mitigate the project's incremental contribution of GHG emissions. If there is substantial evidence that the possible effects of a particular project are still cumulatively considerable, notwithstanding compliance with the adopted regulations or requirements, an EIR must be prepared for the project. 75C-168