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The Bowery Mixed -Use Project <br />CEQA Comment <br />May 11, 2020 <br />Page 13 <br />D. THE EIR FAILS TO ADEQUATELY DISCLOSE, ANALYZE, AND <br />MITIGATE THE PROJECT'S IMPACTS RELATED TO HAZARDS AND <br />HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. <br />1. The EIR fails as an informational document because it fails to disclose that <br />the Project site is contaminated with hazardous materials and is on the <br />Cortese List. <br />A Project has a significant impact on the environment if it is "located on a site that is <br />included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section <br />65962.5 [the Cortese List] and, as a result, create[s] a significant hazard to the public or the <br />environment." CEQA, Appendix G; DEIR, 5.7-21. <br />The DEIR states that the Project would have no such impact. It claims: <br />No Impact. The Phase I Environmental Site Assessments that was conducted database <br />searches to determine if the Project area or any nearby properties are identified as <br />currently having hazardous materials. The record searches determined that although the <br />site has a history of various uses, and identified as previously generating hazardous <br />wastes and clean-up activities, the Project site is not located on or near by a site which is <br />included on a list of hazardous materials sites pursuant to Government Code Section <br />65962.5 (Phase 12018). <br />The Phase I ESA did not identify any nearby or surrounding area sites that are included <br />on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section <br />65962.5, and as a result, impacts related to hazards from being located on or adjacent to a <br />hazardous materials site would not occur from implementation of the proposed Project. <br />DEIR, 5.7-26. <br />The FEIR goes on to claim that "Sites where response actions have been completed and <br />no operation and maintenance activities are required are not included on the list." This statement <br />is false and the EIR provides not evidence to support it or the DEIR's analysis. <br />The Department of Toxic Substances Control states in no uncertain terms in its comments <br />that the Project is on the Cortese List. See, FEIF, 2-3. The DEIR even acknowledges DTSC's <br />expertise in this area, noting that DTSC "is responsible for a portion of the information contained <br />in the Cortese List." DEIF, 5.7-4. <br />Closure of an underground storage tank case does not take a site off the Cortese List. A <br />case is closed if clean-up activities achieve certain standards. The level of remediation required <br />depends on the proposed future use of the site. For example, a site may be closed because it was <br />remediated to a level sufficient for the site to be used for industrial purposes, but residual <br />