|
5. Environmental Analysis
<br />Am Qunr.['I'Y
<br />surface temperatures. According to the California Energy Commission (EC ) in their 2906 report, Our
<br />Charging Climate, Assessing the Frisks to Califomia, global climate change risks to California include public
<br />health impacts (poor air quality made worse and more severe hear), water resources impacts (decreasing
<br />Sierra Nevada snow pack, challenges in securing adequate water supply, potential reduction in hydropower,
<br />and Ioss of wi nter recreation), agricultural irnpacts (increasing temperatures, increasing threats from pests
<br />and pathogens, expanded ranges of agricultural weeds, and declining productivity), coast sea level impacts
<br />(rising coastal sea levels, increasing coastal floods, and shrinking beaches) , forest and biological resource
<br />impacts (increasing wildfires, increasing threats from pest and pathogens, declining forest productivity, and
<br />shifting vegetation and species distribution), and electricity (increased energy demand).
<br />Regulatory Setting
<br />Development of the project has the potential to release gaseous emissions of criteria pollutants and dust into
<br />the air; therefore, it falls under the local, state, and federal ambient air quality standards. The project site is in
<br />the SoCAB and is subject to the ales and regulations imposed by the S CA1D. However: the S1D
<br />reports to GARB, and all criteria emissions are also governed by the California Ambient Air Quality Standards
<br />AA as well as the National Ambient Air Qual ity Standards NAA B . Federal, state, regional, and local
<br />lavers, regulations, plans, or guidelines that are potentially applicable to the project are surnmari ed below.
<br />Ambient Air Quality Standards
<br />The Federal Clean Air Act (F AA ) was passed in 1963 by the US Congress and has been amended several
<br />times. The 1979 Clean Air Act Amendments strengthened p revi ous legislation and laid the foundation for the
<br />regulatory scheme of the 19796 and 1980S. In 1977, Congress again added several provisions, including
<br />nonattainment requirements for areas not ,meeting NAA S and the Prevention of Significant Deterioration
<br />program. The 1990 Amendments represent the latest in a series of federal efforts to regulate the protection of
<br />air quality in the United States. The F AA allows states to adopt more stringent standards or to include other
<br />Pollution species. The California Clean Air Act CA, signed into law in 1988, requires all areas of the state
<br />to achieve and maintain the CAAQS by the earliest Practical date. The CAAQS. tend to be more restrictive
<br />than the NAAQS and are based on even greater health and welfare concerns.
<br />These NAB and CAAQS standards are the levels of air quality considered to provide a margin of safety in
<br />the protection of the public health and welfare. They are designed to protect those "sensitive receptors" most
<br />susceptible to further respiratory distress such as asthmatics, the elderly, very young children, people
<br />al ready weakened by other disease or illness, and persons engaged in strenuous work or exercise. Healthy
<br />adults can tolerate occasional exposure to air pollutant concentrations considerably above these minimum
<br />standards before adverse effects are observed.
<br />Both the State of California and the federal government have established health -based AAQS for seven air
<br />pollutants. As shown in Table 5.1 -1, these pollutants include 0, N021 CO, Sot, P 10, P I2, ,., and lead (Pb). In
<br />addition, the state has set standards for sulfates, hydrogen sulfide, vinyl chloride, and visibility- reducing
<br />particles. These standards are designed to protect the health and welfare of the populace with a reasonable
<br />margin of safety.
<br />March 2009
<br />Page 5.1-6 a The Planning Center
<br />Resolution No. 2009 -034
<br />Page 56 of 130
<br />
|