2014-069 - Final Environmental Impact Report No. 2014-01

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HARBOR BLVD. MIXED USE TRANSIT CORRIDOR PLAN FINAL FIR CITY OF SANTA ANA 5. Environmental Analysis AIR QUALITY Suspended Particulate Matter (PMmand PMa5) consists of finely divided solids or liquids such as soot, dust, aerosols, fumes, and mists. Two forms of fine particulates are now recognized and regulated. Inhalable coarse particles, or PMto, include particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns (i.e., 10 millionths of a meter or 0.0004 inch) or less. Inhalable fine particles, or PM? 5, have an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (i.e., 2.5 millionths of a meter or 0.0001 inch) or less. Particulate discharge into the atmosphere results primarily from industrial, agricultural, construction, and transportation activities. Both PMto and PMz.5 may adversely affect the human respiratory system, especially in people who are naturally sensitive or susceptible to breathing problems. EPA scientific review concluded that PM? 5, which penetrates deeply into the lungs, is more likely than PMto to contribute to health effects and at concentrations that extend well below those allowed by the current PMto standards. These health effects include premature death in people with heart of lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, and increased respiratory symptoms (e.g., irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing). Diesel particulate matter is classified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a carcinogen. Particulate matter can also cause environmental effects such as visibility impairment,2 environmental damage ,3 and aesthetic damage4 (SCAQMD 2005; EPA 2012). The SoCAB is a nonattamment area for PM? 5 and PMto under California and National AAQS (CA" 2013a).5 Ozone (Os) is commonly referred to as "smog" and is a gas that is formed when VOCs and NO, both by- products of internal combustion engine exhaust, undergo photochemical reactions in the presence of sunlight. 03 is a secondary criteria air pollutant. 03 concentrations are generally highest during the summer months when direct sunlight, light winds, and warm temperatures create favorable conditions for the formation of this pollutant. 03 poses a health threat to those who already suffer from respiratory diseases as well as to healthy people. Additionally, 03 has been tied to crop damage, typically in the form of stunted growth and premature death. 03 can also act as a corrosive, resulting in property damage such as the degradation of rubber products (SCAQMD 2005). The SoCAB is designated as extreme nonattainment under the California AAQS (1 hour and 8 -hour) and National AAQS (8 -hour) (CARB 2013a). Lead (Pb) is a metal found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products. The major sources of lead emissions have historically been mobile and industrial sources. As a result of the EPA's regulatory efforts to remove lead from on road motor vehicle gasoline, emissions of lead from the transportation sector dramatically declined by 95 percent between 1980 and 1999, and levels of lead in the air decreased by 94 percent between 1980 and 1999. Today, the highest levels of lead in air are usually found near lead smelters. The major sources of lead emissions to the air today are ore and metals processing and piston - engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation gasoline. Once taken into the body, lead distributes throughout the body in the blood and is accumulated in the bones. Depending on the level of exposure, lead can 2 PMz 5 is the main cause of reduced visibility (haze) in parts of the United States. 3 Particulate matter can be carried over long distances by wind and then settle on ground or water. The effects of this settling include: making lakes and streams acidic; changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins; depleting the nutrients in soil; damaging sensitive forests and farm crops; and affecting the diversity of ecosystems. ° Particulate matter can stain and damage stone and other materials, including culturally important objects such as statues and monuments. 5 CARB approved the SCAQMD's request to redesignate the SoCAB from serious nonattainment for PMto to attainment for PM10 under the National AAQS on Much 25, 2010, because the SoCAB has not violated federal 24 hour PM10 standards during the period from 2004 to 2007. However, the EPA has not yet approved this request Page 5.24 PlaceWorkr