55B - RESO - EIR SAN LORENZO SEWER LIFT

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Chapter 3 Findings Regarding Project Alternatives Although the No Project Alternative would avoid all of the Project's near-term construction-related environmental effects, including the Project's significant an unavoidable impact to the intersection of South Bristol Street/West Segerstrom during the implementation of Construction Configuration C.2, this alternative would not meet any of the Project's basic objectives. Specifically: • The No Project Alternative would not result in the construction of a replacement lift station to replace the existing lift station that has exceeded its design life. • The No Project Alternative would not allow for the installation of modern lift station equipment and associated wastewater conveyance infrastructure that would provide system redundancies and reduce the potential for sewer spills. • The No Project Alternative would not provide for a replacement lift station facility in which electrical components are housed above ground to preclude the potential for electrical failure during peak storm events, as the existing lift station facility houses all of its electrical equipment underground and is subject to flooding. • The No Project Alternative would not provide for a facility that accommodates sufficient access space for maintenance workers, as the existing facility is located beneath the crown of South Bristol Street and affords very little space for maintenance workers. • The No Project Alternative would not improve safety for motorists and City workers, as the existing lift station is located within the right-of-way of South Bristol Street, a major City thoroughfare. • The No Project Alternative would not reduce the potential for odor-related nuisances to land uses in close proximity to the facility, as no new odor-control systems would be installed. • The No Project Alternative would not provide for hardscape and landscape improvements and would not result in the demolition of the existing outdated facility. As a result of its inability to meet the basic project objectives, the No Project Alternative would eliminate the opportunity to provide the numerous benefits of the Proposed Project, as set forth in the Statement of Overriding Considerations, including the installation of a replacement lift station facility that reduces the potential for sewer spills and nuisance odors; enhanced City worker and vehicular safety; improved appearance of the immediate area (i.e., hardscape/landscape improvements); and the provision of a generally more reliable and efficient lift station facility as compared to the existing facility. Additionally, the No Project Alternative would generally increase impacts to the environment under long-term conditions as compared to the Proposed Project. Specifically, the existing Segerstrom Lift Station facility was originally constructed in the 1960s and has exceeded its design life. The existing lift station facility has become inadequate to handle existing sewerage flows and is obsolete in comparison to modern lift station designs. Needed redundancies associated with the existing lift station are inadequate in that two pumps are frequently operated near capacity without a third standby pump. These conditions result in an increased potential for sewer spills as compared to the Proposed Project. With the increased potential for sewer spills under long-term conditions, impacts to air quality (odors), hazards/hazardous materials, and water quality/hydrology would increase. Additionally, since the existing lift station is located within the northbound travel lanes of South Bristol Street, long-term maintenance of the existing facility would result in periodic lane closures along South Bristol Street, which would result in increased impacts to traffic and air quality. San Lorenzo Lift Station EIR (Project No. 06-3510) 3-3 Findings of Fact/Statement of Overriding Considerations 55B-28