ICLEI (LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY USA) -2012

Home Browse Search

AECOM City of Santa Ana Climate Action Plan EIR Draft IS /NOP (electronic version) for City review Noise, Public IS /NOP (15 hard copies to State Clearinghouse) NOC, NOA, newspaper notice Task 3: Administrative Draft EiR AECOM will prepare an Administrative Draft EIR to address the impacts of implementation of the CAP. The EIR will contain an expanded analysis of the issue areas identified in the IS /NOP as having potentially significant impacts. As appropriate, the EIR will also identify potential mitigation measures that could further reduce the impacts of the CAP. Our analysis will be structured in a way that is consistent with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, and relevant case law. We assume that City staff will review the Administrative Draft EIR and provide comments that represent the independent judgment of the City. We will participate in a meeting, if necessary, to discuss and clarify City staff comments. Introduction The introduction to the EIR will describe the organization of the EIR, type and use of the EIR, the environmental review process, the focus of the EIR analysis, other documents used in preparation of the EIR, lead and responsible agencies, and opportunities for public comment. Executive Summary The Executive Summary will summarize the main findings of the EIR. It will include a summary table that summarizes the impacts, the significance of each impact before mitigation implementation, recommended mitigation measures, and the significance of each impact after mitigation implementation. The Executive Summary will also summarize areas of controversy, alternatives analyzed, and significant and unavoidable impacts, if any. Project Description The project description will be based on information provided by the City and project team and will include: the regional and local setting; project history; project objectives; project characteristics and components; phasing and implementation; and other information important to understanding the proposed project. Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigation Measures Similar to our initial eva!uation of potential project - related impacts explained under Task 2, we currently believe that the proposed project has the potential to affect or potentially affect the following environmental resource issue areas: Air quality, Greenhouse gas emissions, Transportation and traffic, and Utilities and service systems. Each issue area will each be addressed in an individual chapter that provides a detailed analysis of the existing setting, regulatory framework, project -level impacts, and cumulative impacts that would be associated with project implementation. The level of detail provided in the EIR will be greater than that of the IS. Each issue area chapter will define cumulative impacts, the cumulative context and scenario, geographic scope, and methods for characterizing cumulative impacts. AECOM will assess cumulative impacts using regional planning information. It is important to note that the cumulative contexts for assessing impacts will vary depending on the issue area being analyzed (i.e., the cumulative context for noise is localized whereas the cumulative context for air quality would be regional). Air Quality The air quality analysis will include a brief discussion of air quality conditions in the project study area and South Coast Air Basin including location of sensitive receptors in the city, ambient monitoring data, attainment designations, and emissions inventory. Natural factors in the project study area and air basin that affect the transport and dilution of pollutants will also be addressed. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is the agency principally responsible for comprehensive air pollution control in the South Coast Air Basin. SCAQMD CEQA Air Quality Handbook significance thresholds will be described for the evaluation of criteria air pollutant and precursor emissions, and toxic air contaminant (TAC) and odor exposures. Consistency with SCAQMD's Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) will also be assessed. Temporary (short -term) construction - related and long -term operational air quality impacts from criteria pollutants and precursors will be assessed quantitatively for the proposed project. Air quality impacts will be analyzed in accordance with SCAQMD- recommended methodologies. Construction Emissions. AECOM will model total construction - related criteria pollutant and precursor emissions associated with CAP implementation using the latest versions of one or more of the following models at the time of the analysis: CalEEMOD, URBEMIS, EMFAC, and /or OFFROAD. We will consult with the SCAQMD to determine the preferred modeling approach.