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Given the construction schedule, the Project is not set to become operational until the end of 2022 <br />(Appendix C, pp. 135, 163, 188). However, the City of Santa Ana's CAP is only applicable to Project's that <br />will be fully operational by 2020, as the CAP should be updated to meet the 2035 goals included in the <br />CAP. Thus, we require that an updated CEQA analysis be prepared to include an adequate evaluation <br />and mitigation of the proposed Project's GHG emissions to ensure that impacts are reduced to a less <br />than significant level. <br />(3) The 2017 CARB Scoping Plan Cannot be Relied Upon to Determine Project <br />Significance; <br />The Addendum determines that the Project's GHG impact would be less than significant as a result of <br />consistency with CARB's Scoping Plan. However, this is incorrect. CEQA Guidelines § 15064.4(b)(3) <br />allows a lead agency to consider "[t]he extent to which the project complies with regulations or <br />requirements adopted to implement a statewide, regional, or local plan for the reduction or mitigation <br />of greenhouse gas emissions (see, e.g., section 15183.5(b))." (Emph. added). When adopting this <br />language, the California Natural Resources Agency ("Resources Agency') explained in its 2018 Final <br />Statement of Reasons for Regulatory Action ("2018 Statement of Reason")23 that it explicitly added <br />referenced to section 15183.5(b) because it was "needed to clarify that lead agencies may rely on plans <br />prepared pursuant to section 15183.5 in evaluating a project's [GHG] emissions ... [and] consistent with <br />the Agency's Final Statement of Reasons for the addition of section 15064.4, which states that <br />'proposed section 15064.4 is intended to be read in conjunction with ... proposed section 15183.5. <br />Those sections each indicate that local and regional plans may be developed to reduce GHG emissions."' <br />2018 Final Statement of Reason, p. 19 (emph. added); see also 2009 Final Statement of Reasons for <br />Regulatory Action, p. 27.24 When read in conjunction, CEQA Guidelines §§ 15064.4(b)(3) and <br />15183.5(b)(1) make clear qualified GHG reduction plans (also commonly referred to as a Climate Action <br />Plan ["CAP"]) should include the following features: <br />(1) Inventory: Quantify GHG emissions, both existing and projected over a specified time period, <br />resulting from activities (e.g., projects) within a defined geographic area (e.g., lead agency <br />jurisdiction); <br />(2) Establish GHG Reduction Goal: Establish a level, based on substantial evidence, below which <br />the contribution to GHG emissions from activities covered by the plan would not be <br />cumulatively considerable; <br />(3) Analyze Project Types: Identify and analyze the GHG emissions resulting from specific actions <br />or categories of actions anticipated within the geographic area; <br />23 Resources Agency (Nov. 2018) Final Statement of Reasons For Regulatory Action: Amendments To The State <br />CEQA Guidelines, http://resources.ca.gov/cega/docs/2018 CEQA Final Statement of%20Reasons 111218.pdf. <br />24 Resources Agency (Dec. 2009) Final Statement of Reasons for Regulatory Action, p. 27 ("Those sections each <br />indicate that local and regional plans may be developed to reduce GHG emissions. If such plans reduce <br />community -wide emissions to a level that is less than significant, a later project that complies with the <br />requirements in such a plan may be found to have a less than significant impact."), http://resources.ca.gov/cega/ <br />docs/Final Statement of Reasons.pdf. <br />20 <br />