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from the project which would not cause or contribute to an air quality exceedance of the most <br />stringent applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard at the nearest sensitive <br />receptor, taking into consideration ambient concentrations in each source receptor area, project <br />size, distance to the sensitive receptor, and other factors... Table 3.2-2 shows that the proposed <br />project's localized construction emissions would not result in a locally significant air quality <br />impact" (p. 3.2-1— 3.2-2). <br />Regarding operational health risk impacts, the Addendum attempts to justify its significance <br />determination by stating, <br />"Table 3.2-4 shows that on -site operational emissions would not exceed the LSTs for sensitive <br />receptors in the project area" (p. 3.2-4). <br />The excerpts above demonstrate the Addendum's attempts to evaluate the Project's health risk impact <br />without conducting a quantified HRA. The failure to quantify the health risk posed to nearby sensitive <br />receptors from exposure to toxic air contaminant (TAC) emissions released during Project activities, and <br />instead reliance upon an LST analysis, is incorrect for several reasons. <br />First, the use of the LST method to determine the Projects health risk impacts on nearby, existing <br />sensitive receptors is incorrect. While the LST method assesses the impact of pollutants at a local level, it <br />only evaluates impacts from criteria air pollutants. According to the Final Localized Significance <br />Threshold Methodology document prepared by the SCAQMD, the LST analysis is only applicable to NO, <br />CO, PMlo, and PM2.5 emissions, which are collectively referred to as criteria air pollutants.6 Because the <br />LST method can only be applied to criteria air pollutants, this method cannot be used to determine <br />whether emissions from DPM, a known human carcinogen, will result in a significant health risk impact <br />to nearby sensitive receptors. As a result, health impacts from exposure to toxic air contaminants <br />(TACs), such as diesel particulate matter (DPM), were not analyzed, thus leaving a gap within the <br />Addendum's analysis. <br />Second, by failing to prepare a quantitative HRA in addition to the LST analysis, the Addendum fails to <br />provide a comprehensive analysis of the sensitive receptor impacts that may occur as a result of <br />exposure to substantial air pollutant emissions. Seeing as Project construction is expected to occur over <br />an approximately two-year period, it is reasonable to assume that a significant amount of diesel <br />particulate matter (DPM), a known human carcinogen, will be emitted from the exhaust stacks of <br />equipment required for Project construction (p. 2-10). Similarly, the Addendum determines that <br />operational activities will include approximately 1,420 daily vehicle trips, thus generating diesel exhaust <br />over the duration of Project operation (Appendix E-1, p. 19, Table 5-1). As such, the Addendum should <br />have conducted a construction and operational health risk assessment, as long-term exposure to DPM <br />and other TACs may result in a significant health risk impact that therefore, must be properly assessed. <br />Furthermore, the SCAQMD provides a specific numerical threshold of 10 in one million for determining a <br />6 "Final Localized Significance Threshold Methodology." SCAQMD, Revised July 2008, available at: <br />http://www.agmd.gov/docs/default-source/cega/handbook/localized-significance-thresholds/final-Ist- <br />methodology-document.pdf. <br />5 <br />