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technological, or other benefits, including regionwide or statewide environmental benefits, of the <br /> GPU outweigh its significant effects on the environment. <br /> Impact 5.2-3: Implementation of the General Plan Update would generate long-term <br /> emissions in exceedance of South Coast AQMD's threshold criteria. <br /> Support for this environmental impact conclusion is fully discussed in Section 5.2, Air Quality, <br /> starting on page 5.2-48 of the Updated Draft PEIR. <br /> Buildout in accordance with the GPU would generate long-term emissions that would exceed <br /> South Coast AQMD's regional significance thresholds and cumulatively contribute to the <br /> nonattainment designations of the SoCAB. Mitigation Measure AQ-2, in addition to the goals and <br /> policies of the GPU, would reduce air pollutant emissions to the extent feasible. The measures <br /> and policies covering topics such as expansion of the pedestrian and bicycle networks, promotion <br /> of public and active transit, and support to increase building energy efficiency and energy <br /> conservation would also reduce criteria air pollutants in the city. Further, compared to existing <br /> baseline year conditions, emissions of NOx, CO, and SOx are projected to decrease from current <br /> levels despite growth associated with the GPU. <br /> However, Impact 5.2-3 would remain significant and unavoidable due to the magnitude of the <br /> overall land use development associated with the GPU. Contributing to the nonattainment status <br /> would also contribute to elevating health effects associated with these criteria air pollutants. <br /> Reducing emissions would further contribute to reducing possible health effects related to criteria <br /> air pollutants. <br /> It is speculative for this broad-based GPU to determine how exceeding the regional thresholds <br /> would affect the number of days the region is in nonattainment, since mass emissions are not <br /> correlated with concentrations of emissions, or how many additional individuals in the air basin <br /> would suffer health effects. South Coast AQMD is the primary agency responsible for ensuring <br /> the health and welfare of sensitive individuals to elevated concentrations of air quality in the <br /> SoCAB, and at the present time it has not provided methodology to assess the specific correlation <br /> between mass emissions generated and the effect on health in order to address the issue raised <br /> in the Friant Ranch case. <br /> Ozone concentrations are dependent upon a variety of complex factors, including the presence <br /> of sunlight and precursor pollutants, natural topography, nearby structures that cause building <br /> downwash, atmospheric stability, and wind patterns. Because of the complexities of predicting <br /> ground-level ozone concentrations in relation to the National and California Ambient Air Quality <br /> Standards, it is not possible to link health risks to the magnitude of emissions exceeding the <br /> significance thresholds. To achieve the health-based standards established by the EPA, the air <br /> districts prepare air quality management plans that detail regional programs to attain the ambient <br /> air quality standards. However, because cumulative development within the city would exceed <br /> the regional significance thresholds, the proposed project could contribute to an increase in health <br /> effects in the basin until the attainment standards are met in the SoCAB. <br /> Santa Ana General Plan Update <br /> CE i i 5T ac an Statement 32 — 64 1 1 / 02 <br /> Of ve ri ing onsiderations -41- 6cq'Rer�0 2 1 <br />