20A - AA FIRST ST BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

Home Browse Search

LSA ASSOCIATES, INC. INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION JULY 2010 FIRST STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT CITY OF SANTA ANA 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION This Initial Study (IS) has been prepared to evaluate the potential for environmental impacts associated with the proposed bridge replacement project. The proposed project includes replacement of the existing bridge at First Street over the Santa Ana River and widening of First Street approximately 300 feet west and east from the bridge in the City of Santa Ana (City). The IS is intended to support a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA), as amended (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.), the State CEQA Guidelines for implementation of CEQA (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15000 et seq.). The City is the Lead Agency for the proposed project. The proposed bridge widening will be partially funded with federal Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation (HBRR) funds, which are administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with local oversight by California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Therefore, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance will be also required for authorization of the HBRR funding. Because the proposed project has been identified as a gap closure project, a Categorical Exclusion under NEPA is anticipated for the NEPA compliance. The project is located at the First Street Bridge in the City, between Harbor Boulevard on the west and Fairview Road on the east. 1.2 CEQA PROCESS This brief overview is intended to acquaint the reader with the purpose and process of the IS/MND. This IS/MND will be considered in the decision-making process for project approval. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15200, this IS/MND will serve the following purposes of review: • Sharing expertise • Disclosing agency analyses • Checking for accuracy • Detecting omissions • Discovering public concerns • Soliciting counterproposals This IS/MND has been prepared to address the environmental impacts during planning, construction, and operation of the proposed project. This IS/MND is also intended to inform decision-makers, responsible agencies,' and the general public of any potentially significant environmental impacts and ' CEQA Guidelines Section 15381 defines a Responsible Agency as "a public agency which proposes to carry out or approve a project, for which a Lead Agency is preparing or has prepared 07/25/10 «PADMJ0701\MND\1.O Introduction.doc» 1-1 20A-8