Beaumont City Council
October 18, 2022

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Health and Environmental Justice Element
Goal 6.5: A City that builds neighborhoods that enhance the safety and welfare of all people of all ages, income levels, and cultural backgrounds.

Policy 6.5.1 Design neighborhoods that promote pedestrian and bicycle activity as alternatives to driving. This policy is implemented through the Land Use and Community Design Element.

Policy 6.5.3 Integrate land use and transportation infrastructure to support higher-density development, a balanced mix of residential and commercial uses, and connected system of sidewalks, bikeways, greenways, and transit.

Policy 6.5.4 Prioritize transportation system improvements that encourage walking, biking and transit use in the areas with the highest need. This policy is implemented through the Mobility Element.

Community Facilities and Infrastructure Element
Goal 7.1: City-wide infrastructure to support existing development and future growth.

Policy 7.1.7 Promote the design of infrastructure projects that use sustainable materials and minimize use of natural resources during construction.

Policy 7.1.8 As feasible, identify the long-term risks from climate change, including changes in flooding, storm intensity, water availability, and wildfire, during infrastructure planning and design to adapt to those changes. This policy is implemented through the Safety Element.

Goal 7.3: Buildings and landscapes promote water conservation, efficiency, and the increased use of recycled water.

Policy 7.3.1 Partner with BCVWD to promote and implement water conservation measures and reuse practices, including water efficient fixtures, leak detection, water recycling, grey water reuse and rainwater harvesting.

Policy 7.3.2 When feasible, augment regional conservation programs with City resources to encourage reduced water use in homes and businesses.

Policy 7.3.3 Support and engage in educational and outreach programs that promote water conservation and wide-spread use of water-efficient technologies to the public, homebuilders, business owners, and landscape installers.

Policy 7.3.4 Support and implement third-party programs and financing sources, such as the PACE program, to improve water efficiency of existing buildings.

Policy 7.3.5 Expand the supply of recycled water and distribution facilities in the City for irrigation at city facilities/parks/sports fields. When such supply is available, require new developments to utilize for their common irrigation needs.

Policy 7.3.6 Encourage innovative water recycling techniques, such as rainwater capture, use of cisterns, and installation of greywater systems.

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Policy 7.3.7 Update and improve water conservation and landscaping requirements for new development.

Policy 7.3.8 Require the use of recycled water for irrigation of parks and golf courses in Beaumont.

Goal 7.4: Incorporate sustainable and improved stormwater management practices.

Policy 7.4.2 Explore opportunities for “green streets” that use natural processes to manage stormwater runoff, when feasible.

Policy 7.4.3 Require new development and redevelopment projects to reuse stormwater on-site to the maximum extent practical and provide adequate stormwater infrastructure for flood control.

Goal 7.6: A zero-waste program that increases recycling and reduces waste sent to the landfill.

Policy 7.6.2 Expand programs to collect food waste and green waste from commercial and residential uses.

Policy 7.6.3 Promote green purchasing options across all City departments. Consider the lifecycle effects from purchases.

Policy 7.6.5 Ensure construction demolition achieves the state’s 65 percent target for material salvage and recycling of non-hazardous construction materials.

Policy 7.6.6 Promote waste reduction, recycling, and composting by making separate containers available in gathering areas of City-owned facilities.

Goal 7.7: Provide for a clean and healthy community through an effective solid waste collection and disposal system.

Policy 7.7.1 Implement source reduction, recycling, composting, and other appropriate measures to reduce the volume of waste materials entering regional landfills. Establish a goal to achieve 100% recycling citywide for both residential and nonresidential development.

Policy 7.7.2 Implement a commercial solid waste recycling program that consists of education, outreach, and monitoring of businesses in order to divert commercial solid waste and report progress in the annual report to CalRecycle.

Policy 7.7.3 Require businesses (including public entities) that generate four cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week, or a multifamily residential dwelling of five units or more, to arrange for recycling services.

Policy 7.7.4 Offer economic incentives to businesses within the City which are “zero waste.” Policy 7.7.5 Develop City programs and/or advertise County-wide programs that encourage residents to donate or dispose of surplus furniture, old electronics, clothing, oils/ grease, household hazardous materials and other household items rather than disposing of such materials in landfills.

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Goal 7.9: High-quality community facilities and services that meet the needs and preferences of all residents in the City.

Policy 7.9.2 Provide community facilities and services throughout the City close to or on accessible transit corridors and priority bikeways. Ensure connecting sidewalks are well maintained for accessibility.

Implementation CFI2 Zoning and Implementation Ordinances. Update zoning and building codes to enable innovative sustainability measures such as:
▪ Greywater capture and reuse systems
▪ On-site bioretention-based stormwater facilities
▪ Coordinated below grade installation/repair between various providers and agencies
▪ Wind generation on residential and commercial buildings ▪ Electric vehicle infrastructure requirements
▪ Green building performance standards
Implementation CFI6 Water Education. Develop a water conservation and stewardship strategy with local partners and water providers to reduce water consumption, raise awareness of stormwater pollution, and encourage conservation behaviors.

Implementation CFI7 Educational materials. Produce a City resource guide for commercial and residential water recycling techniques, including conservation strategies landscaping, rainwater capture, greywater systems, and use of cisterns.

Implementation CFI20 Green Streets. Implement best practices for Green Streets on transportation corridors associated with new and existing redevelopment projects.

Implementation CFI26 Zero Waste. Work with regional partners, such as the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources, and community partners to foster a zero waste culture, including outreach, marketing, and local grant program to support efforts.

Implementation CFI27 Public Stewards of Zero Waste. Commit all City departments to zero waste, including provision of technical support and diversion at City facilities.

Implementation CFI28 Technical Assistance. Partner closely with commercial and owners of multifamily properties to start or expand recycling and waste reduction practices.

Implementation CFI29 Debris Recycling Ordinance. Create a construction and demolition debris recycling ordinance to support the diversion of recyclable and recoverable materials. Work with local partners to conduct outreach targeting waste generators.

Implementation CFI30 Composting Program. Expand existing recycling programs to include composting yard and garden waste.

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Conservation and Open Space Element
Goal 8.1: A City with green buildings and developments that promote energy efficiency.

Policy 8.1.1 Promote, and incentivize when possible, energy efficiency upgrades, such as weatherization and lighting retrofits for qualified households.

Policy 8.1.2 Increase educational and outreach efforts to residential, commercial, and institutional building owners to increase awareness of Southern California Edison programs and incentives to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings.

Policy 8.1.3 Support and implement third party programs and financing sources, such as PACE or HERO programs, to install energy efficiency upgrades in existing buildings. Provide incentives for households to improve resource efficiency, such as rebate programs, and giveaways of items such as low-flow showerheads and electrical outlet insulation.

Policy 8.1.4 Partner with local residential and business associations to create a policy requiring energy disclosure, audits, and/or upgrades at time of sale of residential and commercial properties.

Policy 8.1.5 Encourage new development to reduce building energy use by adopting passive solar techniques and heat island reduction strategies:
▪ Maximizing interior daylighting.
▪ Using cool exterior siding, cool roofing, and paving materials with relatively high solar reflectivity to reduce solar heat gain.
▪ Planting shade trees on south- and west-facing sides of new buildings to reduce energy loads.
▪ Installing water efficient vegetative cover and planting, substantial tree canopy coverage.

Policy 8.1.6 When reviewing development proposals, encourage applicants and designers to consider warming temperatures in the design of cooling systems.

Policy 8.1.7 Encourage new buildings and buildings undergoing major retrofits to exceed Title 24 energy efficiency standards.

Policy 8.1.8 Require design of new development and renovations to not impair adjacent buildings’ solar access, unless it can be demonstrated that the shading benefits substantially offset the impacts of solar energy generation potential.

Policy 8.1.9 Require that any new building constructed in whole or in part with City funds incorporate passive solar design features, where feasible.

Policy 8.1.10 Strive for high levels of energy efficiency in municipal facilities.

Policy 8.1.11 Whenever possible, use energy-efficient models and technology when replacing or providing new city facilities and infrastructure, such as streetlights, traffic signals, water conveyance pumps, or other public infrastructure.

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Goal 8.2: A City which encourages energy from renewable sources.

Policy 8.2.1 Promote the incorporation of alternative energy generation (e.g., solar, wind, biomass) in public and private development.

Policy 8.2.2 Establish clear guidance for new solar residential mandate established by the California Energy Commission as part of the 2019 California Building Code update.

Policy 8.2.3 Establish an expedited and streamlined permit process for small photovoltaic systems (10-15 kW maximum power output).

Goal 8.3: A City that reduces citywide greenhouse gas emissions.

Policy 8.3.1 Establish greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in line with State requirements that call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions as follows:
▪ 1990 levels by 2020
▪ 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030
▪ 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2040
Policy 8.3.2 Implement greenhouse gas reduction measures to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets by updating the Climate Action Plan or similar.

Policy 8.3.4 Use the emissions inventory and monitoring tools to identify, prioritize, and update programs that effectively contribute to greenhouse gas reductions.

Policy 8.3.5 Prioritize municipal policies and programs that reduce the City’s carbon footprint such as purchasing alternative fuel vehicles, pursuing solar installations, implementing green purchasing policies, and retrofitting existing buildings.

Policy 8.3.6 Promote greenhouse gas reduction measures that support local job training and placement in green industries focused on environmental sustainability, renewable energy, renewable-related technologies, and bioremediation.

Policy 8.3.7 Collaborate with regional and state partners to implement the Sustainable Communities Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, balance jobs and housing, and develop transportation systems that support all modes of circulation.

Goal 8.11: A City where archaeological, cultural resources, tribal cultural resources, and historical places are identified, recognized, and preserved.

Implementation C1 Energy Efficiency Programs. Develop and advertise energy efficiency programs that improve energy efficiency in existing buildings. Coordinate with WRCOG on regional initiatives.

Implementation C2 Energy Disclosure Policy. Develop a policy requiring energy disclosure, audits, and/or upgrades at time of sale for all residential and commercial buildings.

Implementation C3 Passive Solar Techniques. Review proposed developments for solar access, site design techniques, and use of landscaping that can increase energy efficiency and

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reduce lifetime energy costs without significantly increasing housing production costs.

Implementation C4 Green Affordable Housing. Develop incentives for affordable housing projects that integrate sustainable and long-term green building design.

Implementation C5 Green Building Design. Update the Municipal Code to identify and prioritize green building design features that mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Implementation C6 Shade Assessment. Partner with local and regional agencies to identify and prioritize areas for shade in public places.

Implementation C8 Greenhouse gas inventory. Prepare a revised greenhouse gas inventory on regular 3-year cycles.

Implementation C9 Climate Adaptation Plan. Develop a Climate Adaptation Plan to identify Beaumont’s most significant potential climate change risks and vulnerabilities in order to create a framework for decision makers to build a more resilient and sustainable community. The Climate Adaptation Plan shall include a vulnerability assessment, adaptation strategy, and plan maintenance. Special focus should be provided related to drought, extreme heat, and wildfire risk.

Implementation C10 Advanced and Green Industry Workforce Training. Coordinate with local, regional, and state entities to identify or create training and placement programs in advances and green industries, including advanced manufacturing, green building, and sustainable industries (e.g., renewable energy industries, water treatment, and wastewater management).

Implementation C11 Sustainable Communities Strategy. Coordinate with state and regional agencies to implement the Sustainable Communities Strategy.

Implementation C12 Energy Education. Promote awareness and incorporation of energy efficiency best practices for new development, including incorporation of alternative energy generation and energy efficient retrofits.

Implementation C13 Solar Access. Update municipal code to require design of new development and renovations to not impair adjacent buildings’ solar access, unless shading benefits substantially offset the impacts of solar energy generation potential.

Safety Element
Goal 9.10: A City that is prepared for the potential impacts of climate change.

Policy 9.10.1 Establish partnerships with Federal, State, regional, and local agencies to cooperate and better understand regional impacts of climate change and develop multijurisdictional solutions.

Policy 9.10.2 Encourage new development and redesign of existing buildings to take steps to reduce the impacts of extreme heat events, including:

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▪ Design buildings to use less mechanical heating and cooling through use of passive solar techniques.
▪ Support and incentivize, as feasible, energy efficiency and weatherization programs.
▪ Protect and expand the City’s urban tree canopy to provide shade, increase carbon sequestration, and purify the air.
▪ Provide shade structures in public parks, outdoor playgrounds, and bus shelters.

Policy 9.10.3 Require enhanced water conservation measures in new development and redesign of existing buildings to address the possibility of constrained future water supplies, including:
▪ Compliance with existing landscape water conservation ordinance (Chapter 17.06 of the Municipal Code).
▪ Use of water conservation measures in new development beyond current requirements.
▪ Installation of recycled water use and graywater systems.

Policy 9.10.4 Continue to work with the Riverside University Health Services Department and County of Riverside Emergency Management Department to establish public outreach programs (through social media and websites) to distribute information on climate change impacts on vulnerable populations including actions they can take to reduce exposure to unhealthy conditions.

Policy 9.10.5 Prioritize programs that ensure the benefits of climate action programs are fairly distributed and prioritized to those most in need, particularly populations most likely to be impacted by climate change.

Policy 9.10.6 Pursue climate change grant funding opportunities for expanding education programs and funding necessary retrofits.

Implementation S8 Climate Change Risk Assessment. Conduct a climate change risk assessment to identify potential risks and vulnerable populations. Prioritize programs and funding for populations most likely to be impacted by climate change, in accordance with SB379.

Implementation S28 Water Conservation. Review Chapter 17.06 of the Municipal Code to consider adding additional water conservation measures.

Goal 11.8: Create a circulation system that provides a strong emphasis on “Complete Streets,” safe and efficient pedestrian pathways and alternative modes of travel while facilitating movement of vehicles.

Policy 11.8.2 Adopt traffic calming measures to improve the pedestrian environment.

Policy 11.8.3 Implement the concepts of Complete Streets, balancing the needs of automobiles, cyclist, pedestrians, and transit as appropriate.

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Policy 11.8.4 Implement road diet on Sixth Street to reduce traffic speeds and thus create a safer, more pedestrian oriented streetscape.

Policy 11.8.5 Install bulb-outs to “choke” down street widths at key intersections and street segments to slow traffic and enhance pedestrian safety.

Policy 11.8.6 Ensure sidewalks are provided on both sides of all streets, with wider sidewalks in retail areas, and replace and repair missing sidewalks.

Policy 11.8.7 Provide better and more frequent pedestrian crosswalks, with special priority treatments such as bulb-outs, elevated crosswalks, in-pavement markers or texture, or high-visibility crosswalks in areas with high levels of pedestrian activity.

Policy 11.8.9 Maximize the use of alleys and rear building entries to provide access and reduce congestion on the street system.

Policy 11.8.11 Implement a safe, complete, and well-connected bicycle network.

Policy 11.8.14 Establish standards for bicycle parking for all development.

Goal 11.12: Encourage development to be efficient in the use of non-renewable resources, including water, energy, and air quality.

Policy 11.12.1 Promote the use of energy and water conservation technologies and practices.

Policy 11.12.2 Adopt new guidelines, ordinances, and incentive programs that encourage sustainable development practices and green building design.

Policy 11.12.3 Consider sustainable development practices that reduce energy and water demand.

Policy 11.12.4 Ensure that new development does not result in wind and solar access impacts.

Policy 11.12.5 Avoid creating a “canyon effect” through sensitive design and attention to the massing and orientation of new buildings.

Policy 11.12.6 Improve air quality through improved walkability, reduced vehicular use and enhanced non-vehicular travel.

Policy 11.12.7 Consider changes to the building code that will increase energy efficiency.

Zoning Ordinance
The Beaumont Municipal Code includes § 17.11.140 that establishes regulations for the establishment, maintenance and operation of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) in the City, which reduces potential energy impacts.

4.5.4 Impact Thresholds and Significance Criteria
Thresholds of Significance
State CEQA Guidelines Appendix G contains the Environmental Checklist Form, which includes questions concerning energy. The questions presented in the Environmental Checklist Form have been utilized as significance criteria in this section. Accordingly, the Project would have a significant effect on the environment if it would:

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• Result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation. • Conflict with or obstruct a state or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency.

Methodology
This section analyzes energy use on three sources of energy that are relevant to the proposed Project, including electricity, natural gas, and transportation fuel for vehicle trips associated with new development, as well as the fuel necessary for Project construction. The analysis of the Project’s electricity and natural gas use is based on the California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod), which quantifies energy use for occupancy. The results of CalEEMod are included in Appendix A (Air Quality Assessment) and Appendix F (Greenhouse Gas Assessment) of this EIR. Modeling related to Project energy use was based primarily on the default settings in CalEEMod. The amount of operational fuel use was estimated using CalEEMod outputs for the Project and CARB Emissions Factor (EMFAC) 2017 computer program for typical daily fuel use in Riverside County. Construction fuel was calculated based on CalEEMod emissions outputs and conversion ratios from the Climate Registry.

Project Design Features
The Project applicant proposes the following Project Design Features (PDFs) that would be incorporated into the Project design and constructed or implemented as part of the Project.

PDF AQ-1 The Project does not include cold storage.

PDF AQ-2 All outdoor cargo handling equipment (including yard trucks, hostlers, yard goats, pallet jacks, and forklifts) shall be powered by electricity. Each building shall include the necessary charging stations for cargo handling equipment.

PDF AQ-3 Tenant lease agreements shall include contractual language restricting trucks and support equipment from idling longer than 5 minutes while on site.

PDF AQ-4 All heavy-duty vehicles entering or operated on the project site shall be model year 2010 or later. Tenants shall maintain records on its fleet equipment and ensure that all heavy- duty trucks accessing the project site use year 2010 or newer engines. The records shall be maintained on-site and be made available for inspection by the County.

PDF AQ-5 Facility operators shall be required to train managers and employees on efficient scheduling and load management to eliminate unnecessary queuing and idling of trucks.

PDF AQ-6 Tenants shall train its staff in charge of keeping vehicle records in diesel technologies and compliance with CARB regulations, by attending CARB-approved courses. Facility operators shall maintain records on-site demonstrating compliance and make records available for inspection by the local jurisdiction, air district, and state upon request.

PDF AQ-7 Tenants shall maintain records on its fleet equipment and vehicle engine maintenance to ensure that equipment and vehicles serving the warehouses within the project are in good condition, and in proper tune pursuant to manufacturer’s specifications.

PDF AQ-8 The facility operator shall ensure that site enforcement staff in charge of keeping the daily log and monitoring for excess idling will be trained/certified in diesel health effects and

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technologies, for example, by requiring attendance at California Air Resources Board- approved courses (such as the free, one-day Course #512).

PDF AQ-9 Include contractual language in tenant lease agreements that requires the tenant be in, and monitor compliance with, all current air quality regulations for on-road trucks including CARB’s Heavy-Duty (Tractor-Trailer) Greenhouse Gas Regulation, Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP), and the Statewide Truck and Bus Regulation.

PDF AQ-10 Install at least 30 electric light-duty vehicle charging stations and install conduit for 59 future electric light-duty vehicle charging stations. Spaces with conduit for future charging stations shall have properly sized and listed raceways/conduits, dedicated branch circuits, service panel or subpanel(s). Both the service panel or subpanel(s) and the raceway termination location shall be visibly marked as “EV CAPABLE.” PDF AQ-11 Install conduit for future electric truck charging capabilities at each loading dock door.

PDF AQ-12 Designate 119 parking spaces for clean air/electric vehicle/vanpool parking.

PDF AQ-13 Tenants shall enroll in the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program and tenants shall use carriers that are SmartWay carriers.

PDF AQ-14 The facility operator shall provide tenants with an information packet that:
▪ Provides information on incentive programs, such as the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program (Moyer Program) and Voucher Incentive Program, and other similar funding opportunities to upgrade their fleets. The Moyer Program On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles Voucher Incentive Program (VIP) provides funding to individuals seeking to purchase new or used vehicles with 2013 or later model year engines to replace an existing vehicle that is to be scrapped. ▪ Recommends the use of electric or alternatively fueled sweepers with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters;
▪ Recommends the use of water-based or low VOC cleaning; and ▪ For occupants with more than 250 employees, information related to SCAQMD Rule 2202, which requires the establishment of a transportation demand management program to reduce employee commute vehicle emissions.

PDF AQ-15 Signs shall be installed at each exit driveway, providing directional information to the City’s truck route. Text on the sign shall read “To Truck Route” with a directional arrow.

Truck routes shall be clearly marked pursuant to the Municipal Code.

PDF AQ-16 The site shall be designed such that any check-in point for trucks is well inside the facility to ensure that there are no trucks queuing outside the facility. Vehicles can access the building using paved roads and parking lots. Further, the applicant shall provide signage to ensure that no trucks are queuing outside the facility.

PDF AQ-17 The Project shall provide funding for 30 grants for the purchase of electric vehicle passenger cars for on-site employees. The program shall prioritize applicants who live in the City of Beaumont and the surrounding area.

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PDF AQ-18 The Project shall install photocatalytic pavements or pavement coatings (such as PURETi Coat or PlusTi) that lessens pavement-related radiative forcing by reducing heat absorption and the convective re-release (pavement emissivity) from solar radiation, as well as naturally decomposing surrounding atmospheric NO2 when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

4.5.5 Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Impact 4.5-1 Would the Project result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during Project construction or operation?
Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact
Construction
The Project would be constructed in phases. Phase 1 consists of warehouses and industrial uses and would begin construction in 2023 and be completed in 2024. Phase 2 consists of retail uses and is anticipated to begin construction in 2026 and be completed in 2027. The energy associated with Project construction includes electricity use associated with water utilized for dust control, diesel fuel from on-road hauling trips, vendor trips, and off-road construction diesel equipment, as well as gasoline fuel from on-road worker commute trips. Because construction activities typically do not require natural gas, it is not included in the following discussion. The methodology for each category is discussed below. This analysis relies on the construction equipment list and operational characteristics, as stated in Section 4.2, Air Quality and Section 4.7, Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Quantifications of construction energy are provided for the Phase 1 of the Project below. Demand for Phase 1 is shown in Table 4.5-2, Phase 1 Energy Use During Construction.

Table 4.5-2: Phase 1 Energy Use During Construction
Project Source
Total
Construction Energy
Riverside County
Annual Energy
Percentage Increase
Countywide
Electricity Use GWh
Water Use1 0.0074 16,878 0.00004%
Diesel Use Gallons
On-Road Construction Trips2 362,167
258,604,804

0.1400%
Off-Road Construction Equipment3 59,734 0.0231%
Construction Diesel Total 421,901 0.1631%
Gasoline Gallons
On-Road Construction Trips 405,607 711,897,828 0.0570%
1 Construction water use based on acres disturbed per day per construction sequencing and estimated water use per acre. 2 On-road mobile source fuel use based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from CalEEMod and fleet-average fuel consumption in gallons per mile from EMFAC2021 in Riverside County for construction year 2024. 3 Construction fuel use was calculated based on CalEEMod emissions outputs and conversion ratios from the Climate Registry.

Source: Refer to energy calculations in Appendix F.

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Energy demand for the construction of Phase 2 is shown in Table 4.5-3, Phase 2 Energy Use During Construction.

Table 4.5-3: Phase 2 Energy Use During Construction
Project Source
Total
Construction Energy
Riverside County
Annual Energy
Percentage Increase
Countywide
Electricity Use GWh
Water Use1 0.0054 16,878 0.00003%
Diesel Use Gallons
On-Road Construction Trips2 22,069
259,691,567

0.0085%
Off-Road Construction Equipment3 49,754 0.0192%
Construction Diesel Total 71,823 0.0277%
Gasoline Gallons
On-Road Construction Trips 31,136 683,180,406 0.0046%
1 Construction water use based on acres disturbed per day per construction sequencing and estimated water use per acre. 2 On-road mobile source fuel use based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from CalEEMod and fleet-average fuel consumption in gallons per mile from EMFAC2021 in Riverside County for construction year 2027. 3 Construction fuel use was calculated based on CalEEMod emissions outputs and conversion ratios from the Climate Registry.

Source: Refer to energy calculations in Appendix F.

Electricity
Water for Construction Dust Control. Electricity use associated with water use for construction dust control is calculated based on total water use and the energy intensity for supply, distribution, and treatment of water. The total number of gallons of water used is calculated based on acreage disturbed during grading and site preparation, as well as the daily watering rate per acre disturbed. • The total acres disturbed are calculated using the methodology described in Chapter 4.2 of Appendix A of the CalEEMod User’s Guide, available at: http://www.caleemod.com/ . • The water application rate of 3,020 gallons per acre per day is from the Air and Waste Management Association’s Air Pollution Engineering Manual (1992).

The energy intensity value is based on the CalEEMod default energy intensity per gallon of water for Riverside County. As summarized in Table 4.5-2 and Table 4.5-3, the total electricity demand associated with water use for Phase 1 construction dust control would be approximately 0.0074 GWh over the duration of construction and 0.0054 GWh over the duration of construction of Phase 2.

Petroleum Fuel
On-Road Diesel Construction Trips. The diesel fuel associated with on-road construction mobile trips is calculated based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from vehicle trips (i.e., worker, vendor, and hauling), the CalEEMod default diesel fleet percentage, and vehicle fuel efficiency in miles per gallon (MPG). VMT for the entire construction period is calculated based on the number of trips multiplied by the trip lengths for each phase shown in CalEEMod. Construction fuel was calculated based on CalEEMod emissions outputs and conversion ratios from the Climate Registry. Total diesel fuel consumption associated with on-road construction trips for Phase 1 would be approximately 362,167 gallons (Table 4.5-2). Total diesel fuel

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consumption associated with on-road construction trips for Phase 2 would be approximately 22,069 gallons (Table 4.5-3).

Off-Road Diesel Construction Equipment. Similarly, the construction diesel fuel associated with the off- road construction equipment is calculated based on CalEEMod emissions outputs and conversion ratios from the Climate Registry. The total diesel fuel associated with Phase 1 off-road construction equipment is approximately 59,734 gallons (Table 4.5-2) and 49,754 gallons associated with off-road construction equipment for Phase 2 (Table 4.5-3).

On-Road Gasoline Construction Trips. The gasoline fuel associated with on-road construction mobile trips is calculated based on VMT from vehicle trips (i.e., worker, vendor, and hauling), the CalEEMod default gasoline fleet percentage, and vehicle fuel efficiency in MPG using the same methodology as the construction on-road trip diesel fuel calculation discussed above. The total gasoline fuel associated with Phase 1 on-road construction trips would be approximately 405,607 gallons over the duration of Phase 1 (Table 4.5-2) and 31,136 gallons associated with on-road construction trips for Phase 2 (Table 4.5-3).

Construction Energy Use Analysis
Total Energy Consumption During Construction (Phase 1 plus Phase 2) Total energy demand for the construction of both Phase 1 and Phase 2 is shown in Table 4.5-4, Total Project Energy Use During Construction (Phase 1 Plus Phase 2).

Table 4.5-4: Total Project Energy Use During Construction (Phase 1 Plus Phase 2) Project Source
Total
Construction Energy
Riverside County
Annual Energy
Percentage Increase
Countywide
Electricity Use GWh
Water Use1 0.0128 16,878 0.00008%
Diesel Use Gallons
On-Road Construction Trips2 384,236
259,691,567

0.148%
Off-Road Construction Equipment3 109,488 0.0422%
Construction Diesel Total 493,724 0.1901%
Gasoline Gallons
On-Road Construction Trips 436,743 683,180,406 0.0639%
1 Construction water use based on acres disturbed per day per construction sequencing and estimated water use per acre. 2 On-road mobile source fuel use based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from CalEEMod and fleet-average fuel consumption in gallons per mile from EMFAC2021 in Riverside County for construction year 2027. 3 Construction fuel use was calculated based on CalEEMod emissions outputs and conversion ratios from the Climate Registry.

Source: Refer to energy calculations in Appendix F.

In total, construction of the Project would use approximately 0.0128 GWh of electricity, 436,743 gallons of gasoline, and 493,724 gallons of diesel. Californians used 279,510 GWh of electricity in 2020, of which Riverside County used 16,878 GWh. Project construction electricity use would represent approximately

0.000005 percent of current electricity use in the state, and 0.00008 percent of the current electricity use in Riverside County.

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In 2027, Californians are anticipated to use approximately 13,444,727,500 gallons of gasoline and approximately 3,161,755,973 gallons of diesel fuel.7 Riverside County annual gasoline fuel use in 2027 is anticipated to be 683,180,406 gallons and diesel use was 259,691,567 gallons. Total Project construction gasoline fuel would represent 0.06 percent of annual gasoline used in the County, and total Project construction diesel fuel would represent 0.19 percent of annual diesel used in the County. Based on the total Project’s relatively low construction fuel use proportional to annual State and County use, the Project would not substantially affect existing energy fuel supplies or resources. New capacity or additional sources of construction fuel are not anticipated to be required.

SCE’s total energy sales are projected to be 94,270 GWh of electricity in 2021.8 The Project’s construction- related net annual electricity consumption of 0.0128 GWh would represent approximately 0.00001 percent of SCE’s projected sales. Therefore, it is anticipated that SCE’s existing and planned electricity capacity and electricity supplies would be sufficient to serve the Project’s temporary construction electricity demand. Transportation fuels (gasoline and diesel) are produced from crude oil, which can be domestic or imported from various regions around the world. Based on current proven reserves, current crude oil production would be sufficient to meet 50 years of worldwide consumption.9 As such, it is expected that existing and planned transportation fuel supplies would be sufficient to serve the Project’s temporary construction demand.

Furthermore, there are no unusual characteristics that would necessitate the use of construction equipment that would be less energy-efficient than at comparable construction sites in the region or state.

In addition, some energy conservation would occur during construction through compliance with State requirements that equipment not in use for more than five minutes be turned off. Project construction equipment would also be required to comply with the latest EPA and CARB engine emissions standards.

These engines use highly efficient combustion engines to minimize unnecessary fuel use.

The Project would have construction activities that would use energy, primarily in the form of diesel fuel (e.g., mobile construction equipment) and electricity (e.g., power tools). Contractors would be required to monitor air quality emissions of construction activities using applicable regulatory guidance such as from SCAQMD CEQA Guidelines. Additionally, construction is subject to and would comply with California regulations (e.g., California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Sections 2485 and 2449), which reduce diesel PM and criteria pollutant emissions from in-use off-road diesel-fueled vehicles and limit the idling of heavy-duty construction equipment to no more than five minutes. This requirement indirectly relates to construction energy conservation because when air pollutant emissions are reduced from the monitoring and the efficient use of equipment and materials, energy use is reduced. There are no aspects of the Project that would foreseeably result in the inefficient, wasteful, or unnecessary use of energy during construction activities.

Due to increasing transportation costs and fuel prices, contractors and owners have a strong financial incentive to avoid wasteful, inefficient, and unnecessary use of energy during construction. There is

7 California Air Resources Board (CARB), EMFAC. (2021). Emissions Inventory. Retrieved from CARB Website:
https://arb.ca.gov/emfac/emissions-inventory/3df7a1fd7db76cac78c90b83da9e4334d4f52823 . Accessed August 26, 2021. 8 California Energy Commission, CED 2019 Baseline Forecast – LSE and BA Tables High Demand Case, February 2020. 9 BP Global, Statistical Review of World Energy, 2021.

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growing recognition among developers and retailers that sustainable construction is not prohibitively expensive and that there is a significant cost-savings potential in green building practices. Substantial reduction in energy inputs for construction materials can be achieved by selecting building materials composed of recycled materials that require substantially less energy to produce than non-recycled materials. The Project-related incremental increase in the use of energy bound in construction materials such as asphalt, steel, concrete, pipes, and manufactured or processed materials (e.g., lumber and gas) would not substantially increase demand for energy compared to overall local and regional demand for construction materials. It is reasonable to assume that production of building materials such as concrete, steel, etc., would employ all reasonable energy conservation practices in the interest in minimizing the costs of business.

As described above, the Project’s fuel from the entire construction period would increase fuel use in the County by less than one percent. It should be noted that the State CEQA Guideline Appendix G and Appendix F criteria require the Project’s effects on local and regional energy supplies and on the requirements for additional capacity to be addressed. A less than one percent increase in construction fuel demand is not anticipated to trigger the need for additional capacity. Additionally, use of construction fuel would be temporary and would cease once the Project is fully developed. As such, Project construction would have a nominal effect on the local and regional energy supplies.

As stated above, there are no unusual characteristics that necessitate the use of construction equipment that would be less energy-efficient than at comparable construction sites in the region or state. It is expected that construction fuel use associated with the Project would not be any more inefficient, wasteful, or unnecessary than other similar development projects of this nature. Therefore, potential impacts are considered less than significant.

Operations
The Project will be constructed in phases. Phase 1 of the Project is expected to be operational in 2024 and will consist of warehouses and industrial uses. Phase 2 of the Project is anticipated to be operational in 2027 and is expected to include retail uses such as a hotel, shopping, and restaurants. The energy consumption associated with Project operations would occur from building energy (electricity and natural gas) use, water use, and transportation-related fuel use. The methodology for each category is discussed below. Quantifications of operational energy use are provided for the Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Annual energy use during Phase 1 operations is shown in Table 4.5-5, Phase 1 Annual Energy Use During Operations.

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Table 4.5-5: Phase 1 Annual Energy Use During Operations Project Source
Annual Operational
Energy
Riverside County
Annual Energy
Percentage Increase
Countywide
Electricity Use GWh
Area1 6.57 0.04 %
Water1 0.38 16,878 0.00 %
Total Electricity 6.95 0.04 %
Natural Gas Use Therms
Area1 34,138 436,941,555 0.01 %
Diesel Use Gallons
Mobile2 842,144 258,604,804 0.33 %
Gasoline Use Gallons
Mobile2 848,454 711,897,828 0.12 %
1 The electricity, natural gas, and water usage are based on project-specific estimates and CalEEMod defaults. 2 Calculated based on the mobile source fuel use based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and fleet-average fuel consumption (in gallons per mile) from EMFAC2017 for operational year 2024.

Source: Refer to energy calculations in Appendix F.

Annual energy use during Phase 2 operations is shown in Table 4.5-6, Phase 2 Annual Energy Use During Operations.

Table 4.5-6: Phase 2 Annual Energy Use During Operations Project Source
Annual Operational
Energy
Riverside County
Annual Energy
Percentage Increase
Countywide
Electricity Use GWh
Area1 3.01 0.02 %
Water1 0.36 16,878 0.00 %
Total Electricity 3.37 0.02 %
Natural Gas Use Therms
Area1 102,171 436,941,555 0.02 %
Diesel Use Gallons
Mobile2 176,291 259,691,567 0.07%
Gasoline Use Gallons
Mobile2 1,294,026 683,180,406 0.19 %
1 The electricity, natural gas, and water usage are based on project-specific estimates and CalEEMod defaults. 2 Calculated based on the mobile source fuel use based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and fleet-average fuel consumption (in gallons per mile) from EMFAC2017 for operational year 2024.

Source: Refer to energy calculations in Appendix F.

Petroleum Fuel
The gasoline and diesel fuel associated with on-road vehicular trips is calculated based on total VMT calculated for the analyses within Section 4.2, Air Quality, and Section 4.7, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and average fuel efficiency from the EMFAC model. The EMFAC fuel efficiency data incorporates the

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Pavley Clean Car Standards and the Advanced Clean Cars Program.10 As summarized in Table 4.5-5, Phase 1 Annual Energy Use During Operations, the total gasoline and diesel fuel associated with on-road trips would be approximately 848,454 gallons per year and 842,144 gallons per year, respectively. Phase 2 fuel consumption is summarized in Table 4.5-6, Phase 2 Annual Energy Use During Operations. Total gasoline and diesel fuel associated with Phase 2 would be 1,294,026 gallons of gasoline and 176,291 gallons of diesel fuel.

Electricity
The electricity use during Project operations is based on CalEEMod defaults. The Phase 1 of the Project would use approximately 6.95 GWh of electricity per year (Table 4.5-5). Phase 2 of the Project would use approximately 3.37 GWh of electricity per year (Table 4.5-6).

The electricity associated with operational water use is estimated based on the annual water use and the energy intensity factor is the CalEEMod default energy intensity per gallon of water for Riverside County.

Project area water use is based on the CalEEMod default rates. The Project would use approximately 545 million gallons annually of water annually which would require approximately 6.77 GWh per year for conveyance and treatment.

Natural Gas
The methodology used to calculate the natural gas use associated with the Project is based on CalEEMod default rates. Phase 1 would use 34,138 therms of natural gas per year (Table 4.5-5) and Phase 2 would use 102,171 therms of natural gas per year (Table 4.5-6).

Operational Energy Use Analysis
Total Energy Consumption During Construction (Phase 1 plus Phase 2) Annual energy use for Project Buildout (Phase 1 Plus Phase 2) operations is shown in Table 4.5-7, Project Buildout Annual Energy Use During Operations.

10 The CARB EMFAC 2017 Technical Documentation from March 2018 notes that emissions are estimated with all current controls active, except Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS). The reason for excluding LCFS is that most of the emissions benefits due to the LCFS come f rom the production cycle (upstream emissions) of the fuel rather than the combustion cycle (tailpipe). As a result, LCFS is assumed to not have a significant impact on CO2 emissions from EMFAC’s tailpipe emission estimates.

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Table 4.5-7: Project Buildout Annual Energy Use During Operations Project Source
Annual Operational
Energy
Riverside County
Annual Energy
Percentage Increase
Countywide
Electricity Use GWh
Area1 3.01 0.02 %
Water1 0.36 16,878 0.00 %
Total Electricity 3.37 0.02 %
Natural Gas Use Therms
Area1 136,309 436,941,555 0.03 %
Diesel Use Gallons
Mobile2 1,018,435 259,691,567 0.40 %
Gasoline Use Gallons
Mobile2 2,142,480 683,180,406 0.31 %
1 The electricity, natural gas, and water usage are based on project-specific estimates and CalEEMod defaults. 2 Calculated based on the mobile source fuel use based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and fleet-average fuel consumption (in gallons per mile) from EMFAC2017 for operational year 2024.

Source: Refer to energy calculations in Appendix F.

Section 4.7 Greenhouse Gas includes mitigation measures that will reduce energy consumption.

MM GHG-1 requires the Project to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or other source of renewable energy generation that would provide 100 percent of the expected on-site energy demands for the warehouses in Phase 1. Therefore, Table 4.5-7 area electricity only includes the electricity from Phase 2.

In addition, MM GHG-2 requires the Project to meet CalGreen Tier 2 standards which reduce energy consumption by approximately 35 percent.

Operation of the Project would annually use approximately 3.37 GWh of electricity, 136,309 therms of natural gas, 2,142,480 gallons of gasoline, and 1,018,435 gallons of diesel.

Californians used 277,704 GWh of electricity in 2020, of which Riverside County used 16,878 GWh. The Project’s operational electricity use would represent 0.001 percent of electricity used in the state, and

0.02 percent of the energy use in Riverside County. The Project’s electricity consumption estimated above includes reductions associated with compliance with the 2019 Title 24 building code, PV panels to generate electricity for portion of the Project, and compliance the CalGreen Tier 2 standards. Regarding natural gas, Californians used 12,332 million therms of natural gas and 437 million therms of natural gas in Riverside County in 2019. Therefore, the Project’s operational natural gas use would represent

0.001 percent of the natural gas use in the state and 0.03 percent of the natural gas use in the County.

In 2027, Californians are anticipated to use approximately 13,444,727,500 gallons of gasoline and approximately 3,161,755,973 gallons of diesel fuel. Riverside County annual gasoline fuel use in 2027 is anticipated to be 683,180,406 gallons and diesel fuel is anticipated to be 259,691,567 gallons. Expected Project operational use of gasoline and diesel would represent 0.02 percent of the projected gasoline use and 0.07 percent of the projected diesel use in the state. Project operational use of gasoline and diesel would represent 0.31 percent of gasoline use and 0.40 percent of diesel use in the County.

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Based on the California Energy Demand 2019 Baseline Forecast (February 2020),11 SCE’s total energy sales in 2030 will be 84,873 GWh of electricity. As such, the Project-related net annual electricity consumption of 3.37 GWh would represent approximately 0.004 percent of SCE’s projected sales in 2030. SCE would review the Project’s estimated electricity consumption in order to ensure that the estimated power requirement would be part of the total load growth forecast for their service area and accounted for in the planned growth of the power system. Based on these factors, it is anticipated that SCE’s existing and planned electricity capacity and electricity supplies would be sufficient to serve the Project’s electricity demand.

Based on the 2020 California Gas Report12, the California Energy and Electric Utilities estimates natural gas consumption within SoCalGas’ planning area will be approximately 2,597 million cf per day in 2021.1 Accordingly, the Project’s 136,609 therms (13.6 million cubic feet) of annual natural gas consumption would account for approximately 0.52 percent of the forecasted natural gas consumption in the SoCalGas planning area. In addition, the 2020 California Gas Report estimates that there will be an additional supply available within SoCalGas’ planning area of 1,187 million cf per day in 2030. Accordingly, the Project would account for approximately 0.48 percent of forecasted surplus of natural gas in the SoCalGas planning area.

As such, the Project’s consumption of natural gas is expected to fall within SoCalGas’ projected consumption and supplies for the area. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), the United States currently has over 80 years of natural gas reserves based on 2018 consumption.13 Transportation fuels (gasoline and diesel) are produced from crude oil, which can be domestic or imported from various regions around the world. Based on current proven reserves, current crude oil production would be sufficient to meet 50 years of worldwide consumption.14 As such, it is expected that existing and planned transportation fuel supplies would be sufficient to serve the Project’s demand.

None of the Project energy uses exceed one percent of their corresponding County use. Project operations would not substantially affect existing energy or fuel supplies or resources. The Project would comply with applicable energy standards and new capacity would not be required. Impacts would be less than significant.

Energy Efficiency Measures
As discussed above, California’s Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Non-Residential Buildings create uniform building codes to reduce California’s energy use and provide energy efficiency standards for residential and non-residential buildings. These standards are incorporated within the California Building Code and are expected to substantially reduce the growth in electricity and natural gas use. For example, requirements for energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems, and green building materials are expected to save additional electricity and natural gas. These savings are cumulative, doubling as years go by.

11 California Energy Commission, CED 2019 Baseline Forecast – LSE and BA Tables High Demand Case, February 2020. 12 California Gas and Electric Utilities, 2020 California Gas Report, 2020. 13 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Frequently Asked Questions, How Much Natural Gas Does the United States Have, and How Long Will It Last?, February 2021.
14 BP Global, Statistical Review of World Energy, 2021.

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Regarding water energy conservation, the Project would incorporate drought-tolerant landscaping throughout portions of the site. Water-efficient irrigation controls would also be used in landscape areas.

Comprehensive water conservation strategies would be developed to each respective land use as part of the Project plan development. Buildings would incorporate water-efficient fixtures and appliances, to comply with Title 24.

It should also be noted that SCE is subject to California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). The RPS requires investor-owned utilities, electric service providers, and community choice aggregators to increase total procurement from eligible renewable energy resources to 33 percent by 2020 and 50 percent by 2030. SB 100 revised the goal of the program to achieve the 50 percent renewable resources target by December 31, 2026, and to achieve a 60 percent target by December 31, 2030. SB 100 also established a further goal to have an electric grid that is entirely powered by clean energy by 2045.

Renewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished within a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.

In addition, MM GHG-1 requires the Project to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or other source of renewable energy generation on-site, and MM GHG-2 requires the Project to exceed CalGreen Tier 2 standards. Therefore, potential impacts are considered less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.

Level of Significance
Less than significant impact.

Impact 4.5-2 Would the Project conflict with or obstruct a State or Local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency?
Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact
As discussed in Impact 4.5-1 above, the energy conservation policies and plans relevant to the Project include the California Title 24 energy standards and the 2019 CALGreen building code. The Project would be required to comply with these existing energy standards. Compliance with state and local energy efficiency standards would ensure that the Project meets all applicable energy conservation policies and regulations. As such, the Project would not conflict with applicable plans for renewable energy or energy efficiency. SCAG’s 2020-2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (Connect SoCal) (RTP/SCS), adopted in September 2020, integrates transportation, land use, and housing to meet GHG reduction targets set by CARB. The document establishes GHG emissions goals for automobiles and light-duty trucks, as well as an overall GHG target for the region consistent with both the target date of AB 32 and the post-2020 GHG reduction goals of SB 375. The Project would not conflict with the stated goals of the RTP/SCS. Potential impacts are considered less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation is required.

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Level of Significance
Less than significant impact.

4.5.6 Cumulative Impacts
Construction and operations associated with implementation of the Project would result in the use of energy, but not in a wasteful manner. The use of energy would not be substantial in comparison to statewide electricity, natural gas, gasoline, and diesel demand; refer to Table 4.5-2 and Table 4.5-3. As discussed above, the Project-related construction electricity consumption would represent approximately

0.00001 percent of SCE generated electricity. Therefore, the Project’s construction electricity consumption would be negligible relative to SCE’s generated electricity and electricity supplies would be sufficient to serve the Project’s temporary construction electricity demand.

During operations the Project-related net annual electricity consumption would represent approximately

0.025 percent of SCE’s projected sales in 2030. SCE would review the Project’s estimated electricity consumption in order to ensure that the estimated power requirement would be part of the total load growth forecast for their service area and accounted for in the planned growth of the power system. The Project’s natural gas consumption would account for approximately 0.12 percent of the forecasted natural gas consumption and the Project would account for approximately 0.26 percent of forecasted surplus of natural gas in the SoCalGas planning area. It should be noted that the planning projections of SCE and SoCalGas consider planned development for their service areas and are in and of themselves providing for cumulative growth. Therefore, it is likely that the cumulative growth associated with the related projects is already accounted for in the planning of future supplies to cover projected demand.

Furthermore, transportation fuels (gasoline and diesel) are produced from crude oil, which can be domestic or imported from various regions around the world. Based on current proven reserves, current crude oil production would be sufficient to meet 50 years of worldwide consumption.15 As such, it is expected that existing and planned transportation fuel supplies would be sufficient to serve the Project’s construction and operational demand. New capacity or supplies of energy resources would not be required. Additionally, the Project would be subject to compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements for energy efficiency.

The Project and new development projects located within the cumulative study area would also be required to comply with all the same applicable federal, state, and local measures aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption and the conservation of energy. The anticipated Project impacts, in conjunction with cumulative development in the vicinity, would increase urbanization and result in increased energy use.

Potential land use impacts are site-specific and require evaluation on a case-by-case basis. As noted above, the Project would not result in significant impacts to state or local plans for renewable energy or energy efficiency. Therefore, the Project and identified cumulative projects are not anticipated to result in a significant cumulative impact. Therefore, potential impacts are considered less than significant.

15 BP Global, Statistical Review of World Energy, 2021.

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4.5.7 Significant Unavoidable Impacts
No significant unavoidable energy impacts have been identified.

4.5.8 References
Air and Waste Management Association. (1992). Air Pollution Engineering Manual. New York:

Van Nostrand Reinhold.

CDTFA. (2021). Net Taxable Gasoline Gallons. Retrieved from CDTFA Website:
https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/MVF-10-Year-Report.xlsx Accessed August 27, 2021.

CDTFA. (2021). Fuel Taxes and Statistics & Reports, Motor Vehicle Fuel and Diesel Fuel. Retrieved from CDTFA Website: https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/Diesel-10-Year-Report.xlsx Accessed August 27, 2021.

CEC. (2021). Electricity Consumption by County. Retrieved from CEC Website:
http://ecdms.energy.ca.gov/elecbycounty.aspx . Accessed August 27, 2021.

CEC. (2021). Gas Consumption by County. Retrieved from CEC Website:
http://ecdms.energy.ca.gov/gasbycounty.aspx . Accessed August 27, 2032.

ICC. (2019). 2019 California Green Building Standards Code, Title 24, Part 11. Retrieved from ICC Website:
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/chapter/15762/ . Accessed August 27, 2021.

SCE. (2021). By the Numbers: Who We Serve. Retrieved from SEC Website: https://www.sce.com/about- us/who-we-are. Accessed August 27, 2021.

SCE. (2019). 2018 Power Content Label, Southern California Edison. Retrieved from Website:
https://www.sce.com/sites/default/files/inline-files/2018SCEPCL.pdf . Accessed August 27, 2021.

U.S. EIA. (2021). California State Profile and Energy Estimates. Retrieved from EIA Website:
https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=CA . Accessed August 27, 2021.

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4.6 GEOLOGY AND SOILS

4.6.1 Introduction
The purpose of this section is to describe the existing regulatory and environmental conditions related to the geologic, soil, and seismic characteristics within the Beaumont Summit Station Specific Plan Project (Project ). This section identifies potential impacts that could result from implementation of the Project, and as necessary, recommends mitigation measures to reduce the significance of impacts. The issues addressed in this section are risks associated with blasting, faults, strong seismic ground shaking, seismic- related ground failure such as liquefaction, landslides, substantial erosion or the loss of topsoil, and unstable geological units and/or soils.

Baseline conditions are based largely on review of the Geotechnical Investigation prepared by Southern California Geotechnical in August 2021 (Appendix E), review of aerial photographs and maps of the Project site and its surroundings and review of relevant public documents . Other relevant information, such as regulatory framework, is derived from various planning documents including , but limited to, the City of Beaumont’s (City) General Plan (Beaumont 2040 GP) and Municipal Code (Beaumont MC), and pertinent State of California Building C odes.

4.6.2 Environmental Setting
Regional Geologic Setting
The Project site is located within the Peninsular Ranges province. The Peninsular Ranges province consists of several northwesterly-trending ranges in the southwestern California. The province is truncated to the north by the east -west trending Transverse Ranges. Prior to the mid-Mesozoic, the region was covered by seas and thick marine sedimentary and volcanic sequences were deposited. The bedrock geology that dominates the elevated areas of the Peninsular Ranges consists of high-grade metamorphic rocks intruded by Mesozoic plutons. During the Cretaceous, extensive mountain building occurred during the emplacement of the southern California batholith. The Peninsular Ranges have been significantly disrupted by Tertiary and Quaternary strike -slip faulting along the Elsinore and San Jacinto faults. This tectonic activity has resulted in the present terrain.

Local Geologic Setting
Southern California Geotechnical conducted subsurface exploration consisting of forty -four borings (identified as Boring Nos. B -1 through B -44) ranging from 10 to 50± feet and seven trenches (identified as Trench Nos. T-1 through T-7) excavated to depths of 6½ to 10½± feet below the existing site grades.

Results of the subsurface exploration concluded that ground surface materials within the E-Commerce, Commercial, and Open Space Planning Area consist of cement/concrete and subsurface materials within the Project site consist of artificial fill, alluvium, and older alluvium (refer to Exhibit 4.6-1, Boring and Trench Location Plan ).1

1 Southern California Technical. (2021). Geotechnical Investigation; Page 6. Accessed August 17, 2021. Refer to Appendix E.

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Pavements: The ground surface materials identified on the Project site include Portland Cement Concrete (PCC). The pavement sections consist of approximately 2 inches of PCC.

Artificial Fill: Artificial fill soils were encountered at the ground surface of several boring locations and one trench location, extending to depths of 1½ to 29½± feet below ground surface. The fill soils generally consist of loose to medium dense silty fine sand and clayey fine to medium sand. Occasional layers of medium dense silty fine to coarse sand and soft to stiff fine sand y clays were encountered. Varying amounts of fine root fibers were encountered in the silty fine sand layers. The fill soil possesses a disturbed and mottled appearance, resulting in their classification as artificial fill. The deepest fill soils were encountered within Boring No. B -43, in the area of a former drainage channel. At this location, the artificial fill soils included rubber and concrete debris.

Alluvium: Native alluvium was encountered beneath the artificial fill soils or at the ground surface at all of the boring locations. The alluvial soils extend to depths of 1½ to 12± feet below ground surface in the northern areas of the site, and 25 to 50± feet below ground surface in the southern areas of the site. The alluvial soils generally consist of loose to very dense silty fine sands and silty fine to medium sands. These soils possess fine root fibers near the ground surface and occasional porosity. Occasional layer s of medium dense silty fine sand to fine sandy silt, fine to coarse sand, clayey silt, fine sandy silt, and medium stiff silty clay were encountered in the deeper borings located in the southern areas.

Older Alluvium: Older alluvial deposits were encountered at the ground surface, or beneath the artificial fill and alluvium at all of the boring locations, extending to at least the maximum depth explored of 50± feet below ground surface. The older alluvial soils generally consist of medium dense to very den se silty fine sands, silty fine to medium sands, silty fine to coarse sands and silty fine sands to fine sandy silts.

Several layers of medium dense to dense clayey fine sands, clayey fine to coarse sands and very stiff to hard fine sandy clays were encountered. Occasional layers of medium dense to dense fine sandy silts, fine to coarse sands and stiff fine to medium sandy clay were encountered.

Faulting and Seismicity
Regional and Local Faulting
The Project site is located within a seismically active region, and therefore subject to strong ground motions due to earthquakes. The primary source of regional seismic activity is movement along the northwest -trending regional fault systems such as the San Andreas, San Jacinto, and Elsinore fault zones.

The Geotechnical Investigation determined that the Project site is not included within an Earthquake Fault Zone as identified by the Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act.

The Project site is not located within a County of R iverside Fault Hazard Zone. The nearest County of Riverside faults include the Cherry Valley Fault, located within a mile of the Project site to the east, and the Beaumont Plain Fault Zone, located approximately two miles further east of the Project site.2

2 City of Beaumont. (2020) Beaumont General Plan – Figure 9.5 Seismic Zones. Available at City’s website:
https://www.elevatebeaumont.com/ (Accessed August 17, 2021).

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Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is the result of rapid ground acceleration and can be expected during moderate to severe earthquakes. Ground shaking is common in the majority of the southern California earthquakes . Ground shaking can vary over an area and is primarily dependent on a result of factors such as topography, bedrock type, and the location and orientation of fault rupture.

Ground Subsidence
The term “ground subsidence” is defined as the sudden shrinking or gradual downward settling and compaction of the soil and other surface material with little or no horizontal movement. According to Figure 9.7, Ground Subsidence Areas of the Beaumont 2040 GP, the Project site is an area susceptible to ground subsidence.

Expansive Soils
Expansive soils are characterized as soils with significant amount of clay particles that can shrink or swell resulting in instability for overlying structures . The Geotechnical Investigation report analyzed the expansion potential of the on-site soils in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D -4829. Test results indicated that the on-site soils have a very low to low expansive potential or expansive index.

Second ary Seismic Hazards
Secondary seismic hazards generally associated with severe ground shaking during an earthquake include ground rupture, landslides , and liquefaction.
• Ground Rupture: Ground rupture is considered the most likely to occur along pre -existing active faults. As noted above, the Geotechnical investigation determined that the Project site is not located within an Earthquake Fault Zone as identified by the Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act or County of Riverside Fault. Thus, the potential for ground rupture is considered low. • Landslides . A landslide is defined by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope. The Project site is relatively flat with an area of steep slope and a drainage course preserved in the Project’s open space planning area. No evidence of previous land sliding or debris flow was observed during review of the California Geologic Survey (CGS) landslide inventory maps.3 The risk of landslides impacting the Project site is considered low since the Project’s topography does not contain steep topography, would the exception of the open space planning area which would be preserved. • Liquefaction: Liquefaction is the loss of the strength in generally cohesionless, saturated soils when the pore-water pressure induced in the soil by a seismic event becomes equal to or exceeds the overburden pressure. The primary factors which influence the potential for liquefa ction include groundwater table elevation, soil type and grain size characteristics, relative density of the soil, initial confining pressure, and intensity and duration of ground shaking. Figure 9.6,

3 CGS. (2018). California Geological Survey - Landslide Data Viewer. Retrieved from California Department of Conservation (DOC) Website:
https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/DataViewer/ . (Accessed August 17, 2021)

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Liquefaction Areas, of the Beaumont 2040 GP shows the Project site within an area of low liquefaction susceptibility. Furthermore, the Geotechnical Investigation conducted for the Project indicated that based on underlying soil conditions (which include moderate strength older alluvium), the proposed grading which includes fills of up to 65± feet, and the groundwater research performed for this site which indicates that the long -term groundwater table is considered to exist at a depth in excess of 50± feet . Thus, liquefaction is not considered to be a design concern for this Project .

Paleontological Setting
As noted above, the Project site is located within the Peninsular Ranges province. The Peninsular Ranges province consists of several northwesterly-trending ranges in the southwestern California. The on-site surface soils are comprised of cement/concrete. The subsurface soils consist of artificial fill, alluvium, and older alluvium. Geologic units within the City include Mesozoic, older granitic and metamorphic bedrock that have a very low paleontological resource potential due to the heat and pressure of their formation.

As discussed in the City’s Certified 2040 General Plan PEIR, very few paleontological sites have been documented in the City (Planning Area). The General Plan notes that the areas that will probably yield a greater potential of paleontological findings in the Planning Area are those that have been less disturbed by agricultural cultivation or other human disturbances. Overall, the City is known to contain areas with none, low, and high paleontological sensitivity. As shown in Figure 5.6-9, Paleontological Sensitivity, of the General Plan,4 the Project site is not shown to be located in a high, low, or low to none-paleontological sensitivity potential.

4.6.3 Regulatory Setting
Federal
Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulations Excavation and trenching are among the most hazardous construction activities. OSHA’s Excavation and Trenching standard, Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1926.650, covers requ irements for excavation and trenching operations. OSHA requires that all excavations in which employees could potentially be exposed to cave -ins be protected by sloping or benching the sides of the excavation, supporting the sides of the excavation, or pla cing a shield between the side of the excavation and the work area.

Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977
The purpose of the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 is to protect or restore soil functions on a permanent sustainable ba sis. Protection and restoration activities include prevention of harmful soil changes, rehabilitation of the soil of contaminated sites and of water contaminated by such sites, and precautions against negative soil impacts. Disruptions of natural soil func tions and its function as an archive of natural and cultural history should be avoided, as far as practicable. In addition, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (also referred to as the Clean Water Act [CWA]) requirements,

4 General Plan. 2021. Figure 5.6-9, Paleontological Sensitivity . Retrieved from https://files.ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/151573-2/attachment/S - r_ENsisz7CVDo1U78pn-gddHM_rcMAeSj0g4Kvvj29jDm9Y3-mvvdfrpHQUpH9mpMLnjiSL50m_5ay0. (Accessed January 27, 2022).

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through the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process, provide guidance for protection of geologic and soil resources.

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act
The Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (Public Law 95 -124) established the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (Program) which is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the USGS, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The purpose of the Program is to establish m easures for earthquake hazards reduction and promote the adoption of earthquake hazards reduction measures by federal, state, and local governments; national standards and model code organizations; architects and engineers; building owners; and others with a role in planning and constructing buildings, structures, and lifelines through (1) grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and technical assistance; (2) development of standards, guidelines, and voluntary consensus codes for earthquake hazards reduct ion for buildings, structures, and lifelines; and (3) development and maintenance of a repository of information, including technical data, on seismic risk and hazards reduction. The Program is intended to improve the understanding of earthquakes and their effects on communities, buildings, structures, and lifelines through interdisciplinary research that involves engineering, natural sciences, and social, economic, and decisions sciences.

U.S. Geological Survey Landslide Hazard Program
The USGS Landslide Hazard Program provides information on landslide hazards including information on current landslides, landslide reporting, real -time monitoring of landslide areas, mapping of landslides through the National Landslide Hazards Map, local landslide information , landslide education, and research.

Antiquities Act of 1906
The only federal law protecting fossil resources on public lands is the Antiquities Act of 1906 (16 United States Code [USC] 431–433). Enacted when Theodore Roosevelt was president, the Antiquities Act was designed to protect nonrenewable fossil and cultural resources from indiscriminate collecting. Specific paleontological sites can be protected under the National Registry of Natural Landmarks (16 USC 461-467), and at least three paleont ological Landmarks are known in California. NEPA (42 USC 4321) directs Federal agencies to use all practicable means to “…preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage…” Section 106 of the National Historic Preservatio n Act does not apply to paleontological resources unless they are found in culturally related contexts.

Paleontological Resources Preservation Act
The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) is part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-011, Subtitle D). This PRPA directs the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to manage and protect paleontological resources on federal land, and develop plans for inventorying, monitoring, and deriving the scientific and educational use of such resources. The PRPA prohibits the removal of paleontological resources from federal land without a permit issued under this Act, establishes penalties for violation of this Act, and establishes a program to increase public awareness about such resources. As of May 18, 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has

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implemented a new rule that “provides for the preservation, management, and protection of paleontological resources on National Forest System (NFS) lands and ensures th at these resources are available for current and future generations to enjoy as part of America’s national heritage. The rule addresses the management, collection, and curation of paleontological resources from NFS lands including management using scientific principles and expertise, collecting of resources with and without a permit, curation in an approved repository, maintaining confidentiality of specific locality data, and authorizing penalties for illegal collecting, sale, damaging, or otherwise alteri ng or defacing paleontological resources .”
State
Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act
The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act (Public Resources Code [PRC] §§ 2621-2624, Division 2, Chapter 7.5) was passed in 1972 following the destructive Febr uary 9, 1971 moment magnitude (Mw) 6.6 San Fernando earthquake to mitigate the hazard of surface faulting to structures intended for human occupancy. The Act’s main purpose is to prohibit siting buildings used for human occupancy across traces of active faults that constitute a potential hazard to structures from surface faulting or fault creep. The Act requires the State Geologist to establish regulatory zones, known as “Earthquake Fault Zones,” delineating appropriately wide earthquake fault zones to encompass potentially active and recently active traces of faults. Local agencies must regulate most development projects within these zones. Before a project can be permitted, cities and counties must require a geologic investigation to demonstrate that proposed human occupancy structures would not be constructed across active faults. An evaluation and written report of a specific site must be prepared by a licensed geologist. If an active fault is found, a structure for human occupancy cannot be placed over t he trace of the fault and must be set back from the fault (typically at least 50-foot setbacks are required).

Effective June 1, 1998, the Natural Hazards Disclosure Act requires that sellers of real property and their agents provide prospective buyers wit h a “Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement” when the property being sold lies within one or more state -mapped hazard areas, including Earthquake Fault Zones.

Seismic Hazards Mapping Act of 1990
The SHMA of 1990 (California PRC, §§ 2690 et seq.) directs the C alifornia Department of Conservation’s California Geological Survey to identify and map areas prone to liquefaction, earthquake -induced landslides, and amplified ground shaking. The purpose of the SHMA is to minimize loss of life and property through the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of seismic hazards.

The SHMA provides a statewide seismic hazard mapping and technical advisory program to assist cities and counties in fulfilling their responsibilities for protecting the public health and safety from the effects of strong ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides, or other ground failure, and other seismic hazards caused by earthquakes. Mapping and other information generated pursuant to the SHMA is to be made available to local governments for planning and development purposes. The state requires (1) local governments to incorporate site-specific geotechnical hazard investigations and associated hazard mitigation as part of the local construction permit approval process, and (2) the agent for a pr operty seller,

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or the seller if acting without an agent, to disclose to any prospective buyer if the property is located within a seismic hazard zone. The State Geologist is responsible for compiling seismic hazard zone maps.

The SHMA specifies that the lead agency for a project may withhold development permits until geologic or soils investigations are conducted for specific sites and mitigation measures are incorporated into plans to reduce hazards associated with seismicity and unstable soils.

Natural Hazards Disclosure Act
Effective June 1, 1998, the Natural Hazards Disclosure Act requires that sellers of real property and their agents provide prospective buyers with a “Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement” when the property being sold lies within one or more State-mapped hazard areas. If a property is located in a Seismic Hazard Zone as shown on a map issued by the State Geologist, the seller or the seller’s agent must disclose this fact to potential buyers.

California Building Code
Current law states tha t every local agency enforcing building regulations, such as cities and counties, must adopt the provisions of the California Building Code (CBC) within 180 days of its publication. The publication date of the CBC is established by the California Building Standards Commission, and the code is under Title 24, Part 2, of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The CBC provides minimum standards to protect property and public safety by regulating the design and construction of excavations, foundations, building frames, retaining walls, and other building elements to mitigate the effects of seismic shaking and adverse soil conditions. The CBC contains provisions for earthquake safety based on factors including occupancy type, the types of soil and rock on-site, and the strength of ground shaking with a specified probability at a site. The 2019 CBC took effect on January 1, 2020. Requirements for Geotechnical Investigations Requirements for geotechnical investigations are included in CBC Appendix J, Grading, § J 104; additional requirements for subdivisions requiring tentative and final maps and for other specified types of structures are in California Health and Safety Code (HSC) § 17953 to § 17955 and in CBC § 1802. Testing of samples from subsurface investigati ons is required, such as from borings or test pits.

Studies must be done as needed to evaluate slope stability, soil strength, position and adequacy of load - bearing soils, the effect of moisture variation on load-bearing capacity, compressibility, liquefac tion, differential settlement, and expansiveness. CBC § J105 sets forth requirements for inspection and observation during and after grading.

Given the state’s susceptibility to seismic events, the CBC’s seismic standards are among the strictest in the world. The CBC applies to all development in the state, except where stricter standards have been adopted by local agencies. CBC Chapter 16 addresses structural design requirements governing seismically resistant construction (CBC § 1604), including (but not limited to) factors and coefficients used to establish seismic site class and seismic occupancy category for the soil/rock at the building location and the proposed building design (CBC §§ 1613.5 through 1613.7). CBC Chapter 18 includes (but is not limite d to) the requirements for foundation and soil investigations (CBC § 1803); excavation, grading, and fill (CBC § 1804); allowable load-bearing values of soils (CBC § 1806); and the design of footings, foundations, and slope clearances (CBC § 1808 and 1809), retaining walls (CBC § 1807), and pier, pile, driven, and cast -

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in-place foundation support systems (CBC § 1810). CBC Chapter 33 includes (but is not limited to) requirements for safeguards at worksites to ensure stable excavations and cut or fill slopes (CBC § 3304).

Construction activities are subject to occupational safety standards for excavation and trenching as specified in the California OSHA regulations (Title 8 of the CCR) and in Chapter 33 of the CBC. These regulations specify the measures to be used for excavation and trench work where workers could be exposed to unstable soil conditions. The Project would be required to employ these safety measures during excavation and trenching.

Uniform Building Code
The Uniform Building Code (UBC) is published by the International Conference of Building Officials. It forms the basis of approximately half the state building codes in the United States, including California’s, and has been adopted by the state legislature together with additions, amendmen ts, and repeals to address the specific building conditions and structural requirements in California.

The Building Earthquake Safety Act of 1986
This Act requires all local governments to identify all potentially hazardous buildings within their jurisdictions and to establish a program for mitigation of identified hazards. It is the legislative basis for the inventory of hazardous unreinforced masonry buildings and Unreinforced Masonry Ordinances adopted by most counties and cities in California.

The Recovery and Reconstruction Act of 1986
Under the Recovery and Reconstruction Act of 1986, local governments are authorized to prepare for expeditious and orderly recovery before a disaster, and to provide for reconstruction afterward. It enables localities to prepare pre-disaster plans and ordinances that may include: an evaluation of the vulnerability of specific areas to damage from a potential disaster; streamlined procedures for appropriate modification of existing General Plans or zoning ordinance s affecting vulnerable areas; a contingency plan of action; organization for post -disaster conditions; short -term and long -term recovery and reconstruction; and a pre-disaster ordinance to provide adequate local authorization for post disaster activities.

State Earthquake Protection Law
The State Earthquake Protection Law (California Health and Safety Code [HSC] §§ 19100 et seq.) requires that structures be designed to resist stresses produced by lateral forces caused by wind and earthquakes.

Specific minimum seismic safety and structural design requirements are set forth in Chapter 16 of the CBC. The CBC requires a site -specific geotechnical study to address seismic issues and identifies seismic factors that must be considered in structural design. Because the Project area is not located within an Alquist–Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone, special provisions would not be required for Project development related to fault rupture.

California Civil Code Section 1103-1103.4

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California Civil Code § 1103-1103.4 applies to the transfers of real property between private parties, as defined therein, and requires notification upon transfer if the property is affected by one or more natural hazards. The following potential hazards must be disclosed, if known: FEMA flood haza rd areas, dam failure inundation areas, very high fire hazard severity zone, wildland area with forest fire risks, earthquake fault zone, and seismic hazard zones including landslide and liquefaction on a standardized “Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement” (§ 1103.2).

Public Resources Code Section 5097 (Related to Paleontological Resources) Several sections of the California PRC protect paleontological resources. Section 5097.5 prohibits “knowing and willful” excavation, removal, destruction, injury, and defacement of any paleontological feature on public lands (lands under state, county, city, district or public authority jurisdiction, or the jurisdiction of a public corporation), except where the agency with jurisdiction has granted express permission. Section 30244 requires reasonable mitigation for impacts on paleontological resources that occur as a result of development on public lands. The California Administrative Code §§ 4307- 4309, relating to the State Division of Beaches and Parks, afford protectio n to geologic features and “paleontological materials,” but grant the director of the state park system authority to issue permits for specific activities that may result in damage to such resources, if the activities are for state park purposes and in the interest of the state park system.

General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction and Land Disturbance Activities
A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) prepared in compliance with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit under the authority of the local Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) describes the Project area, erosion and sediment controls, runoff water quality monitoring, means of wast e disposal, implementation of approved local plans, control of post construction sediment and erosion control measures and maintenance responsibilities, and non-stormwater management controls. Dischargers are also required to inspect construction sites before and after storms to identify stormwater discharge from construction activity, and to identify and implement controls where necessary.

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit
In 2010, the Santa Ana RWQCB issued a municipal separate storm sewer syst em (MS4) permit and waste discharge requirements (R8-2010-0033 and NPDES No. CAS 618033) to the Riverside County Permittees, which includes the City. Under this Permit, the City is required to enforce and comply with storm water discharge requirements purs uant to the Clean Water Act, the Porter -Cologne Water Quality Control Act, applicable state, and federal regulations (including policies of the SWRCB), the Santa Ana River Basin Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan), and the California Toxics Rule Implem entation Plan.

The MS4 Permittees and Principal Permittee (Riverside County Flood Control & Water Conservation District) are required to develop several items that generally reduce pollutants in urban runoff to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). This includes “Local Implementation Plans” describing the enforceable elements of an agency’s urban runoff compliance program, as well as a “Watershed Action

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Plan” and “Hydromodification Management Plan” to address impacts from urbanization. Likewise, a “Drainage Area Management Plan” is periodically updated by the principal permittee to document MS4 permit compliance programs and to provide guidance to co-permittees for Local Implementation Plans.

In addition, the “Consolidated Monitoring Program” defines the mon itoring locations and methods to evaluate best management practices (BMP) effectiveness. Lastly, the MS4 permit requires a “Water Quality Management Plan” (WQMP) for most new development and certain redevelopment projects. Like the construction SWPPP, the WQMP identifies how site design elements, source control methods and treatment control BMPs in the post -construction phase would minimize pollutant loads to the municipal storm drain in the long -term.

Eligible projects submitted to the City are required t o provide a project-specific WQMP prior to the first discretionary project approval or permit. Project applicants may submit a preliminary project -specific WQMP for discretionary project approval (land use permit); however, a final version would be submitt ed for review and approval prior to the issuance of any grading or building permits.

Regional
County of Riverside Ordinance No. 547 – Implementation of the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act
County of Riverside Ordinance No. 547 establishes the pol icies and procedures used by the County to implement the Alquist -Priolo Act by requiring all projects proposed within an “earthquake fault zone” as shown on the maps prepared by the State Geologist to comply with the provisions of the Alquist -Priolo Act. It establishes regulations for construction, including for grading, slopes and compaction, erosion control, retaining wall design and earthquake fault zone setbacks.

Local
City of Beaumont 2040 General Plan
The following Beaumont 2040 GP goals, policies, and implementation actions concerning geology and soils include:

Conservation and Open Space Element
Goal 8.11: A City where archaeological, cultural resources, tribal cultural resources, and historical places are identified, recognized, and preserved.

Policy 8.11.1 Avoid or when avoidance is not feasible, minimize impacts to sites with significant archaeological, paleontological, cultural and tribal cultural resources, to the extent feasible.

Land Use and Design Element
Goal 3.12: A City th at minimizes the extent of urban development in the hillsides, and mitigates any significant adverse consequences associated with urbanization.

Policy 3.12.2 Limit the extent and intensity of uses and development in areas of unstable terrain, steep terrain, scenic vistas, and other critical environmental areas.

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Policy 3.12.3 Control the grading of land, pursuant to the City’s Municipal Code, to minimize the potential for erosion, landslides, and other forms of land failure, as well as to limit the potential negative aesthetic impact of excessive modification of natural landforms.

Safety Element
Goal 9.6: A City that protects human life, land, and property from the effects of wildland fire hazards.

Policy 9.6.10 Evaluate soils and waterways for risks from flooding, water quality, and erosion to ensure that they are suitable to support redevelopment following a large fire.

Goal 9.7: A City that protects safety of human life, land, and property from the effects of earthquakes and geotechnical hazards.

Policy 9.7.1 As new versions of the California Building Code (CCR Title 24, published triennially) are released, adopt, and enforce the most recent codes that contain the most recent seismic requirements for structural design of new development and r edevelopment to minimize damage from earthquakes and other geologic activity.

Policy 9.7.2 Require that all development projects within designated Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones are accompanied by appropriate geotechnical analysis.

Policy 9.7.3 Coordinate with the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program of the FEMA to identify earthquake risks and available mitigation techniques.

Policy 9.7.4 Proactively seek compliance with the Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act by coordinating with the CGS and the USGS to establish and maintain maps establishing affected parcels within the City boundaries and the Sphere of Influence.

Policy 9.7.5 Ensure that Building and Safety agencies include thorough plan checks and inspections of structures vulnerable to seismic activity, fire risk, and flood hazards. Additionally, recommend the periodic observation of construction by design professionals.

Policy 9.7.6 Promote greater public awareness of existing state incentive programs for earthquake retrofit , such as Earthquake Brace and Bolt, to help property owners make their homes more earthquake safe.

Goal 9.8: A City with reduced potential flood hazards.

Policy 9.8.4 Require all new developments to mitigate potential flooding that may result from development, such as grading that prevents adverse drainage impacts to adjacent properties, on-site retention of runoff, and the adequate siting of structures located within flood plains.

Policy 9.8.4 Require all new developments to mitigate potential flooding that may result from development, such as grading that prevents adverse drainage impacts to adjacent properties, on-site retention of runoff, and the adequate siting of structures located within flood plains.

Implementation LUCD 25 Hillside Development Ordinance. Adopt and enforce compliance with the Hillside Development Ordinance. Review every 5 years for potential updates.

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Implementation C19 Hillside Ordinance. Support and implement the existing hillside ordinance.

Implementation S9 Safety Information Campaign. Develop an information program to familiarize citizens with seismic risk and to develop seismic awareness. Develop an educational campaign for residents and business owners to learn what to do during an earthquake and how to better prepare for an earthquake.

Implementation S10 Community Preparedness Toolkit. Adopt a local Community Preparedness Toolkit that can be used to prepare for disasters, including fires, earthquakes, and extreme heat events.

Implementation S17 California Building Codes. Adopt the latest version of the California Building Code (CCR Title 24, published triennially) when released.

Implementation S18 Earthquake Hazard Reduction Ordinance. Update municipal code to require strengthening of existing wood-frame buildings with soft, weak, or open front wall lines in housing constructed before 1980.

Implementation S19 Code Enforcement. Continue the code enforcement program, including identification of pre-1933 structures of large scale or occupied by large numbers of people, and require correction or demolition of structures found to be dangerous.

Implementation S20 Seismic Retrofit Incentive Program. Develop a retrofit incentive program to help reduce earthquake hazards, focus ed on existing public facilities as well as existing multifamily housing constructed prior to 1980.

Implementation S21 Geologic Instability Mitigation. Update municipal code to adopt regulatory techniques to mitigate public safety hazards, and if necessar y, prohibit development where geologic instability is identified.

City of Beaumont Municipal Code5
Title 13, Chapter 13.04 – Sewage Discharges
Chapter 13.04 of the Beaumont regulates ownership, connections, charges, design and use of sewers within the City.

Title 16 Subdivisions
Title 16 Subdivisions of the Beaumont MC requires compliance with Riverside County Ordinance No. 547, which states: “Within the earthquake fault zones shown on the maps prepared by the State Geologist pursuant to the Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act (Public Resources Code, Section 2621, et seq.), all applicants for a permit for a project shall comply with all of the provisions of the Act, th e adopted Policies and Criteria of the State Mining and Geology Board and this ordinance.”

5 City of Beaumont. (2021). City of Beaumont Municipal Code. Retrieved at:
https://library.municode.com/ca/beaumont/codes/code_of_ordinances (Assessed August 23, 2021).

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Title 16 of the B eaumont MC also requires a written statement to accompany any tentative parcel map stating the type of sewage disposal that would be used. If on-site sewage disposal is proposed, the public works director shall require soil percolation tests or other pertinent information (p. 19). The regulation goes on to state that a package treatment plant and collector system shall be required in the event that an existing collection system is not available and if it is determined that satisfactory individual disposal systems cannot be proved because of soil conditions, determined by percolation tests in conformity with the standards of the “Ludwig Modification,” a nd finding that the conditions and requirements of the health department and RWQCB cannot be met.

Building Codes
The City has adopted the CBC, Title 24, California Code of Regulations, Part 2, Volumes 1 and 2, including, Appendix C, Group U-“Agricultural B uildings ,” Appendix F “Rodent Proofing ,” Appendix I “Patio Covers,” and Appendix J “Grading ,” (except as otherwise provided in the Beaumont MC) for regulating the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, convers ion, occupancy, equipment, use, height, area and maintenance of all buildings or structures in the City. The B eaumont MC also states any and all amendments to such Building Code as may hereafter be adopted by the State of California shall be made a part of the B eaumont MC without further action by the City Council (B eaumont MC, Chapter 15.04.)
Chapters 18 of the CBC describe the “Soils and Foundations” requirements, particularly when geotechnical investigations and geohazard reports shall be conducted, and what is required to be included as part of their analyses. Notably, the CBC currently has just one exception for when a geotechnical investigation is not required: for one-story, wood-frame and light -steel-frame buildings of Type II or Type V construction and 4,000 square feet or less in floor area, not located within Earthquake Fault Zones or Seismic Hazard Zones (CBC 1803.2).

Plan Check Submittal
The Beaumont Public Works Department is responsible for construction, maintenance, and operation of public facilities and infrastructure within the City. The Department is also responsible for the review and approval of all engineering for land development projects and design, and construction of all capital improvement projects.

4.6.4 Impact Thresholds and Significan ce Criteria
State CEQA Guidelines Appendix G contains the Environmental Checklist Form, which includes questions concerning geology and soils. The questions presented in the Environmental Checklist Form have been utilized as significance criteria in this se ction. Accordingly, the Project would have a significant effect on the environment if it would:
• Directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving:
▪ Rupture of a known earthquake fault, as delineated on the most recent Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State Geologist for the area or based on other

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substantial evidence of a known fault? Refer to Division of Mines and Geology Special Publication 42.
▪ Strong seismic g round shaking .
▪ Seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction. ▪ Landslides .
• Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil; • Be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the Project, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse;
• Be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 18-1-B of the Uniform Building Code (1994), creating substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property ; • Have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems where sewers a re not available for the disposal of wastewater; or • Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature.

Methodology and Assumptions
The Project is evaluated against the aforementioned significance criteria/t hresholds, as the basis for determining the impact’s level of significance concerning geological and soil resources. This analysis considers the existing regulatory framework (i.e., laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards) that avoid or reduce the pot entially significant environmental impact. Where significant impacts remain despite compliance with the regulatory framework, feasible mitigation measures are recommended, to avoid or reduce the Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts.

Approach to Analysis
This analysis of impacts on geological and soil resources examines the Project’s temporary (i.e., construction) and permanent (i.e., operational) effects based on significance criteria/threshold’s application outlined above. For each criterion, the analyses are generally divided into two main categories:
(1) temporary impacts and (2) permanent impacts. Each criterion is discussed in the context of Project components that share similar characteristics/geography. The impact conclusions consid er the potential for changes in environmental conditions, as well as compliance with the regulatory framework enacted to protect the environment.

The baseline conditions and impact analyses are based on the Geotechnical Investigation prepared by Southern C alifornia Geotechnical; review of Project maps and drawings; analysis of aerial and ground‐ level photographs; and review of various data available in public records, including local planning documents. The determination that a Project component would or would not result in “substantial” adverse effects on geological and soil resources considers the available policies and regulations established by local and regional agencies and the amount of deviation from these policies in the Project’s components .

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4.6.5 Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Impact 4.6-1 Would the Project directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving:

Rupture of a known earthquake fault, as delineated on the most recent Alquist- Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State Geologist for the area or based on other substantial evidence of a known fault? Refer to Division of Mines and Geology Special Publication 42.

Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact
Construction
The Geotechnical Investigation determined that none of the Project components are located on any known active earthquake faults as delineated on the most recent Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map and on Figure 9.5, Seismic Zones, of the Beaumont 2040 GP. Regardless, the Project site is within a seismically active region and therefore, subject to seismic activity. As noted in Section 4.6.2 above, the nearest active faults are the Cherry Valley Fault, located within a mile of the Project site to the east, and the Beaumont Plain Fault Zone, located approximately two miles further east of the Project site. All Project components would be designed accordingly to the latest CBC seismic standards and in conformance with all applicable standar ds set in the Beaumont MC to resist structural collapse from strong seismic activity as stated in Title 15, Chapter 15.42 Earthquake Hazards Reduction, § 15.42.060 – General Requirements of the Beaumont MC. These standards include, but are not limited to t he following:

Responsibility of Owner.

The owner of each building within the scope of this Chapter shall cause a structural analysis of the building to be made by civil or structural engineer licensed by the State of California. If the building does not meet the minimum earthquake standards specified in this Chapter, the owner shall either cause it to be structurally altered to conform to such standards; or shall initiate proceedings for demolition of the building. Within 270 days after the service of the order specified in § 15.42.050, the owner shall comply with the requirements set forth in this Subsection by submitting to the Building Official one of the following:

1. A structural analysis which shall demonstrate that the building meets the minimum requirements of this Chapter; or

2. A structural analysis and plans for proposed structural alterations necessary to make the building comply with the minimum requirements of this Chapter; or

3. An application for the demolition of the building. After plans are submitted and approved by the Building Official, the owner shall obta in a building permit, commence and complete the required construction or demolition within the time limits set forth in Table No. 15.42 -A.

With compliance with the latest CBC and the Beaumont MC, a less than significant impact would occur.

Operations

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The Project is not located within an Alquist -Priolo Fault zone. Furthermore, the Project’s operational activity would adhere to all applicable City regulations and engineering standards and specifications.

Therefore, impacts would be less than significant.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are necessary.

Level of Significance
Less than significant impact.

Impact 4.6-2 Would the Project directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involv ing:

Strong seismic ground shaking?
Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact
Construction
Intensity of ground shaking at a given location depends primarily upon earthquake magnitude, site distance from the source, and site response (soil type) c haracteristics. The site-specific seismic coefficients based on the 2019 CBC are provided in Table 4.6-1, 2019 CBC Site-Specific Seismic Coefficients , below.

Table 4.6-1: 2019 CBC Seismic Design Parameters
Parameter Value
Mapped Spectral Acceleration at 0.2 sec Period Ss 2.091 Mapped Spectral Acceleration at 1.0 sec Period S1 0.718 Site Class --- D
Site Modified Spectral Acceleration at 0.2 sec Period SMS 2.509 Site Modified Spectral Acceleration at 1.0 sec Period SM1 1.221 Design Spectral Acceleration at 0.2 sec Period SDS 1.673 Design Spectral Acceleration at 1.0 sec Period SD1 0.814 Source: Southern California Geotechnical. (2021) Geotechnical Investigation. Accessed August 19, 2021 (EIR Appendix E).

The potential for damage resulting from seismic‐related events include ground shaking, ground failure, and ground displacement. Strong levels of seismic ground shaking can cause damage, particularly to older and/or poorly constructed buildings. As noted above, the Project is subject to regional seismicity.

Therefore, all Project components would be designed in accordance with the requirements of the 2019 edition of the CBC and in compliance with all the provisions of the Alquist -Priolo Act and the adopted policies and criteria of Ordinance No. 547. In addition, all relevant documents would be submitted to the Beaumont Public Works Department as part of the Project’s discretionary review process. Furthermore, adherence with goal 9.7 and policies 9.7.1 through 9.7.5 of Beaumont 2040 GP would ensure that adverse impacts from strong seismic ground shaking is reduced through the adequate planning and building of structures in seismic prone areas through the implementation of the previously noted policies which seek to enforce the most recent seismic requirements, require that all developments located within Alquist - Priolo zones are accompanied with appropriate geotechnical analysis, properly coordinate with FEMA to

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identify earthquake risks and or mitigation techniques , and ensuring that Building and Safety agencies are involved throughout the plan checks and inspections of the Project . Therefore, impacts concerning strong seismic ground shaking would be less than significant.

Operations
There is a possibility for the Project’s e-commerce and commercial buildings to experience strong ground shaking during operations. However, the buildings would be designed in accordance with all applicable design measures which would ensure that operation impacts related to strong seismic ground shaking.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measure is necessary.

Level of Significance
Less than significant impact.

Impact 4.6-3 Would the Project directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving:

Seismic -related ground failure, including liquefaction? Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact
Construction
As discussed in Section 4.6.2 above, liquefaction is the loss of the strength in generally cohesionless, saturated soils when the pore-water pressure induced in the soil by a seismic event becomes equal to or exceeds the overburden pressure. The depth within which the occurrence of liquefaction may impact surface improvements is generally identified as the upper 50 feet below the existing ground surface.

Isolated portions of the western and southern-most regions of the site are located within a zone of moderate liquefaction susceptibility. However, the Geotechnical Investigation determined that based on underlying soil conditions (which included moderate strength older alluvium), the groundwater table was considered to exist beyond 50 feet. Therefore, liquefaction is not considered to be a design concern for this Project and ground-moving activities (i.e., excavation, grading, etc.) would not contribute to the susceptibility of the site. Overall impacts associated with s eismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction would be less than significant.

Operations
All Project components would be subject to seismic -relating ground shaking, but not to the extent that persons and structures would be significantly impacted by ground-failure associated with liquefaction since all Project buildings would be designed accordingly with applicable state and local design standards.

Impacts would be less than significant with no mitigation measures necessary.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measure is necessary.

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Level of Significance
Less than significant impact.

Impact 4.6-4 Would the Project directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving:

Landslides?
Level of Significance: No Impact
Construction
Seismically induced landslides and other slope failures are common occurrences during or soon after earthquakes. The susceptibility of a geologic unit to landslides is dependent upon various factors, primarily: 1) the presence and orientation of weak struc tures, such as fractures, faults, and joints; 2) the height and steepness of the pertinent natural or cut slope; 3) the presence and quantity of groundwater; and 4) the occurrence of strong seismic shaking. The City contains various steepness of slopes ranging from 0 to 5 degrees to 41 to 70 degrees; thus, some areas could be susceptible to seismically induced landslides . As noted in Section 4.6.2 above, no evidence of previous land sliding or debris flow was observed during review of the CGS landslide inventory maps.6 Additionally, t he risk of landslides impacting the Project site is considered low to negligible since the Project’s topography does not contain steep slopes .7 Furthermore, the Project is not surrounded by steep topography with exposed rock-cropping or boulders.

Compliance with the standards in the current CBC would require an assessment of hazards related to and the incorporation of design measures into structures to mitigate this haz ard if development were considered feasible. The B eaumont MC requires provisions to grading and development on or near hillsides. The City has included goals, policies, and implementation in the General Plan to minimize the risk of injury, loss of life, and property damage caused by earthquake hazards or geologic disturbances.

Thus, compliance with CBC regulations and General Plan Goal 3.12 and Policy 3.12.3 which seeks to control the grading of land, pursuant to the Beaumont MC, to minimize potential for e rosion, landslides, and other forms of land failure. I mplementation actions will reduce impacts related to landslides are less than significant and no mitigation is necessary. Therefore, impacts associated with landslides would be less than significant.

Operations
Since ground-moving activities would cease at the end the construction phase, and the Project site is not located adjacently to steep topography, no impacts associated with landslides would occur during Project operations.

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measure is necessary.

6 CGS. (2018). California Geological Survey - Landslide Data Viewer. Retrieved fr om California Department of Conservation (DOC) Website:
https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/DataViewer/ . (Accessed August 17, 2021) 7 General Plan. 2021. Figure 5.6-5, Steep Slopes.

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Level of Significance
No impact.

Impact 4.6-5 Would the Project result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil? Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated Construction
Construction activities such as grading, site stripping, excavation, and demolition would potentially result in soil erosion and the loss of topsoil. The grading proposed by the Project would cut/remove approximately 2,230,40 cubic yards (CY) of all the existing undocumented fill soils and most of the near - surface compressible/collapsible younger alluvial soils and replace these materials as compacted fill soils and approximately 1,869,300 CY would be used to fill the s ite. The difference of approximately 360,840 CY of cut soil material will be compacted on-site. The underlying moderate strength older alluvium which would remain in-place are not expected to be susceptible to settlement from the foundations of the proposed structures. Grading would also include cut/fills of up to 65 feet within the building pads. Grading activities would include newly constructed fill slopes (both cut and fill), comprised of properly compacted engineered fill. Initial site stripping would include the removal of any surficial vegetation and topsoil. This would also include any weeds, grasses, shrubs, and trees. The Project would also include the demolition of minor existing improvements such as buildings, retaining walls, concrete slabs and foundations which would subject both top and subsurface soils to erosion. Therefore, the Project would adhere to the construction design features and Mitigation Measure (MM) GEO-1, which requires that a settlement monitoring program be implemented.

Construction activities would also be required to comply with the NPDES General Construction Permit and be subject to Best Management Practices (BMPs) set in the Project-specific Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and water quality management plan (WQMP) to reduce impacts from runoff associated with soil erosion (refer to Section 4.9, Hydrology and Water Quality , of this EIR). Construction activities would also be required to comply with the erosion control measures stipulated through the CBC, and other applicable ordinances; federal, state, and local permits; and other applicable requirements.

Therefore, implementation of MM GEO -1 and permitting requirements and erosion control measures would ensure that impacts related to soil erosion are mitigated to less than significant levels.

Operations
The Project’s operational activity is not anticipated to damage or result in the loss of topsoil/sedimentation into local drainage facilities and water bodies . Operation activities (i.e., landscape maintenance) would be subject to the BMPs set in the Project ’s SWPPP and WQMP that would prevent soil erosion or loss of topsoil (refer to Section 4.9, Hydrology and Water Quality , of this EIR). A network of storm drains and gutters would be maintained and upgraded as necessary and provided throughout the developed site as needed. Therefore, a less than significant impact would occur with operation of the Project.

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Mitigation Measures
MM GEO -1 Settlement Monitoring Program. A Settlement Monitoring Program would be implemented, consisting of the surveying of surface monuments to monitor settlement of alluvial soils left in-place and/or proposed fills deeper than 30 feet (design plus remedial grading). Survey monument readings for both deep fill areas and for fill over compressible natural ground (Qal) should be conducted following the completion of fill placement. Survey monument locations should be selected by the geotechnical consultant. Survey r eadings should be taken weekly for the first month and on a weekly basis thereafter until vertical movement of the fill mass achieve 90 percent of primary compression, begin secondary compression or the estimated remaining settlement is less than one inch. Construction of proposed structures would not commence until approved by the geotechnical consultant based on the results of the settlement monitoring. Survey benchmarks used for the monitoring would be confirmed with the geotechnical consultant prior to initial readings being performed.

Foundation and Grading Plan Review. New retaining walls with maximum heights of up to 50± feet would be constructed as part of the new development. Additional review of the global stability of the proposed site grading be performed by SCG once more detailed rough grading plans become available. An additional subsurface exploration may be required to evaluate the geotechnical design considerations of the retaining wall and new slope configurations.

Over excavation. Benching of the sidewalls would be required during fill placement.

The horizontal extent of the benching should be sufficient to reduce the inclination of the native fill contact to 3h:1v or flatter. Following completion of the over excavations, the subgrade would be evaluated by the geotechnical engineer to verify its suitability to serve as the structural fill subgrade. Some localized areas of deeper excavation may be required if loose, porous, or low -density materials are encountered at the base of the over excavation. Materials suitable to serve as the structural fill subgrade within the building area should consist of moderate strength alluvial soils which possess an in-situ density equal to at least 85 percent of the ASTM D-1557 maximum dry density. These materials would be moisture conditioned to 0 to 4 percent above optimum moisture content prior to placement of any new fill soils.

The previously excavated soils may then be replaced as compacted structural fill.

Level of Significance
Less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

Impact 4.6-6 Would the Project be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the Project, and potentially result in on - or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse ? Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated

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Construction
The Project site is not included within an Earthquake Fault Zone as identified by the Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act. However, the Project site is in a seismically active area and located near an active fault zone. The Project would be designed in accordance with applicable state and local design standards to withstand effects from strong seismic ground -shaking and would implement geotechnical design considerations pursuant to the Geotechnical Investigation including MM GEO -1 to ensure that the Project is not subject to collapse.

The Project is an area of low to moderate liquefaction susceptibility, but the ground water table has been shown to exist beyond 50 feet and therefore not a concern for this Project.

Subsequent to grading, the proposed development areas would be underlain by engineered fill soils (design plus remedial), extending to depths of 50 to 85 + feet. The primary settlement associated with these fill soils is expected to occur relatively quickly due to the generally granular nature of the on -site soils. Minor amounts of additional settlement may occur due to secondary consolidation effects. The extent of secondary consolidation is difficult to assess precisely and would be reduced by MM GEO -1 but may be in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 percent of the fill thic kness. Based on the differential fill thickness that would exist across the building footprints, the structural design w ould account for distortions that could be caused by the secondary consolidation of the fill soils. Provided that the grading and founda tion design recommendations presented in the Geotechnical Investigation are implemented, the settlements are expected to be within the structural tolerances of the proposed buildings.

The Project grading plan indicates that the new slopes (both cut and fill) would occur at inclinations of 2h:1v or flatter. Newly constructed fill slopes , comprised of properly compacted engineered fill, at inclinations of 2h:1v would possess adequate gross and surficial stability. Cut slopes excavated within the existing gra nular alluvial soils may be subject to surficial instability due to the lack of cohesion within these materials. Therefore, stability fills would be implemented within these areas .

Furthermore, Project construction would be temporary and therefore would not be susceptible to on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence .

Overall, impacts would be less than significant with implementation of design features and geotechnical design parameters, and implementation of MM GEO-1.

Operations
Project designs would be subject to compliance with applicable state and local design standards.

Implementation of the Project design features discussed, and implementation of MM GEO -1 would ensure that operation of the Project would not result in substantial adverse effects involving strong seismic ground shaking, seismic-related ground failure (liquefaction/lateral spreading), and seismically- induced landslides.

Mitigation Measures
Refer to MM GEO -1 above.

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Level of Significance
Less than significant impact with mitigation incorporated.

Impact 4.6-7: Would the Project be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 18 -1-B of the Uniform Building Code (1994), creating substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property?
Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated Construction
The near-surface soils consist of silty sands and sandy silts with no appreciable clay content. However, some isolated strata of sandy clays and clayey sands were encountered. On-site grading is expected to blend the on-site soils , resulting in a very low to low expansion index (Expansion Index > 50 per ASTM D - 4829). Additional expansion index testing would also be performed at the time of rough grading in order to confirm the expansion potential of the near -surface soils.

Although the expansive soil potential was considered to be low, the Project would implement various project design measures/controls to reduce the exposure of people and structures to the effects of expansive soils by complying with requirements set forth in t he latest CBC. Project construction associated with expansive soils would result in a less than significant impact.

Operations
The Project would be subject to compliance with requirements set forth in the CBC that is current at the time of construction and implement settlement considerations, foundation design and earthwork considerations related to soil removal and compaction via MM GEO -1. Project operations would result in a less than significant impact related to risks to life or property associated with expansive soils.

Mitigation Measures
Refer to MM GEO -1 above.

Level of Significance
Less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

Impact 4.6-8: Would the Project have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative wastewater disposal systems where sewers are not available for the disposal of wastewater?
Level of Significance: No Impact
Construction and Operations
The Project does not propose the use of septic tanks or an alternative wastewater disposal system. The Project would utilize the existing sanitary sewer system in the area . Specifically, sewer service is provided by the City-owned Beaumont Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 1 (WWTP). Existing 15-inch sewer lines are located in a subdivision to the south of Brookside Avenue, flowing under Interstate 10. The Project’s

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proposed sewer infrastructure would be a gravity system placed in drive aisles and the central entry road and connecting with a proposed sewer line in Brookside Avenue. Impacts would not occur .

Mitigation Measures
No mitigation measures are required.

Level of Significance
No impact.

Impact 4.6-9: Would the Project directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature?
Level of Significance: Less than Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated Construction
As noted above, the Peninsular Ranges province consists of several northwesterly-trending ranges in the southwestern California. The surface and subsurface soils are comprised of cement/concrete, artificial fill, alluvium, and older alluvium. Older granitic and metamorphic bedrock that have a very low paleontological resource potential due to the heat and pressure of their formation. Due to the presence of older alluvium soils throughout the Project site, there is a high possibility of paleontological resources that may be disturbed during cons truction. Therefore, with implementation of MM GEO -2 (Paleontological Construction Monitoring and Compliance Program), construction of the Project components would not destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature, thereby reducing impacts to a less than significant level.

Operations
Project implementation and operation would not involve any activities that impact paleontological resources. Therefore, Project operations would not destroy a unique paleontological resource or unique geologic feature.

Mitigation Measures
MM GEO -2 Paleontological Construction Monitoring and Compliance Program. The following measures would be implemented to reduce potential impacts to paleontological resources to less than significant:

Retain a Qualified Paleontologist . Prior to initial ground disturbance, the Applicant shall retain a Project paleontologist, defined as a paleontologist who meets the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology standards for Qualified Professional Paleontologist, to direct all mitigation measures related to paleontological resources.

Paleontological Monitoring . Ground disturbing construction activities (including grading, trenching, foundation work, and other excavations) in areas mapped as high paleontological sensitivity shall be monitored on a full-time basis by a qualified paleontological monitor during initial ground disturbance. Areas mapped as low to

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high paleont ological sensitivity shall be monitored when ground-disturbing activities exceed five feet in depth, because underlying sensitive sediments could be impacted.

Areas considered to have an undetermined paleontological sensitivity shall be inspected and further assessed if construction activities bring potentially sensitive geologic deposits to the surface. The Paleontological Mitigation and Monitoring Program shall be supervised by the Project paleontologist . Monitoring must be conducted by a qualified paleontological monitor, who is defined as an individual who has experience with collection and salvage of paleontological resources. The duration and timing of the monitoring would be determined by City based on recommendation from the Project paleontologist. If the Project paleontologist determines that full- time monitoring is no longer warranted, they may recommend to the City that monitoring be reduced to periodic spot -checking or cease entirely. Monitoring would be reinstated if any new or unforeseen deeper ground disturbances are required and reduction or suspension would need to be reconsidered by the Supervising Paleontologist. Ground disturbing activity that does not exceed five feet in depth would not require paleontological monitoring.

Paleontological Mitigation and Monitoring Program. After Project design has been finalized to determine the precise extent and location of planned ground disturbances, and prior to construction activity, a qualified paleontologist would prepare a Paleontological Mitigation and Monitoring Program to be implemented during ground disturbance activity for the Project. This program would outline the procedures for construction staff Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP) training, paleontological monitoring extent and duration, salvage and preparation of fossils, the final mitigation and monitoring report, and paleontological staff qualifications. The program would be prepared in accordance with the standards set forth by current Society of Vertebrate Paleontology guidelines (2010) and with proper implementation, would reduce or eliminate potential impacts to paleontological resources.

Paleontological Worker Environmental Awareness Program. Prior to the start of construction, the Project paleont ologist or his /her designee shall conduct training for construction personnel regarding the appearance of fossils and the procedures for notifying paleontological staff should fossils be discovered by construction staff. The WEAP shall be presented at a pr econstruction meeting that a qualified paleontologist shall attend. In the event of a fossil discovery by construction personnel, all work in the immediate vicinity of the find shall cease and a qualified paleontologist shall be contacted to evaluate the find before restarting work in the area. If it is determined that the fossil(s) is (are) scientifically significant, the qualified paleontologist shall complete the following conditions to mitigate impacts to significant fossil resources.

Salvage of Fossils . If fossils are discovered, the Project paleontologist or paleontological monitor should recover them. Typically, fossils can be safely salvaged quickly by a single paleontologist and not disrupt construction activity. In some cases,

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larger fossils (such as complete skeletons or large mammal fossils) require more extensive excavation and longer salvage periods. In this case, the paleontologist would have the authority to temporarily direct, divert, or halt construction activity to ensure that the fossil(s) can be removed in a safe and timely manner.

Preparation and Curation of Recovered Fossils. Once salvaged, the City would ensure that significant fossils would be identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level, prepared to a curation-ready condition, and curated in a scientific institution with a permanent paleontological collection (such as the Western Science Center), along with all pertinent field notes, photos, data, and maps. Fossils of undetermined significance at the time of collection may also wa rrant curation at the discretion of the Project paleontologist. Field collection and preparation of fossil specimens would be performed by the Project paleontologist with further preparation as needed by an accredited museum repository institution at the t ime of curation.

Final Paleontological Mitigation Report. Upon completion of ground-disturbing activity (and curation of fossils, if necessary) the qualified paleontologist should prepare a final mitigation and monitoring report outlining the results of the mitigation and monitoring program. The report should include discussion of the location, duration, and methods of the monitoring, stratigraphic sections, any recovered fossils, and the scientific significance of those fossils, and where fossils were cura ted.

Level of Significance
Less than significant with mitigation incorporated.

4.6.6 Cumulative Impacts
Southern California is a seismically active region with a range of geologic and soil conditions. These conditions can vary widely within a limited geographical area due to factors, including differences in landforms and proximity to fault zones, among others . Therefore, while geotechnical impacts may be associated with the cumulative development, by the very nature of the impacts (i.e., landslides an d expansive and compressible soils), impacts are typically site-specific and there is little, if any, cumulative relationship between the development of Project and development within a larger cumulative area, such as citywide development .

Impacts associated with seismic events and hazards would be considered significant if the effects of an earthquake on a property could not be mitigated by an engineered solution. The significance criteria do not require elimination of the potential for structural damage from seismic hazards. Instead, the criteria require an evaluation of whether the seismic conditions on a site can be overcome through engineering design solutions that would reduce to less than significant the substantial risk of exposing people or structures to loss, injury, or death. As stated throughout this section, the Project’s compliance with applicable state and local design standards and regulations including implementation of MM GEO -1 and MM GEO -2 would ensure that impacts related to geolog y and soils are reduced to less than significant levels. Consequently, the Project ’s incremental contribution to cumulative geotechnical and seismic impacts would be less than significant . None of the Project characteristics would affect or influence the

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geotechnical hazards for off-site development and any cumulative development would be required to comply with the same applicable state and local design standards, regulations, goals, and policies. For these reasons, no significant cumulative geotechnical impacts would occur for the Project .

4.6.7 Significant Unavoidable Impacts
No significant and unavoidable impact concerning geology and soils ha s been identified.

4.6.8 References
City of Beaumont. (2020) Beaumont General Plan – Figure 9.5 Seismic Zones. Available at C ity’s website:
https://www.elevatebeaumont.com/ (Accessed August 17, 2021).

City of Beaumont. (2021). City of Beaumont Municipal Code. Retrieved at:
https://library.municode.com/ca/beaumont/codes/code_of_ordinances (Assessed August 23, 2021).

CGS. (2018). California Geological Survey - Landslide Data Viewer. Retrieved from California Department of Conservation (DOC) Website: https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/DataViewer/ . (Accessed August 17, 2021).

Southern California Geotechnical (2021). Geotechnical Investigation, Beaumont, California. Yorba Linda, CA: (EIR Appendix E).

CHERRY VALLEY BOULEVARDBROOKSIDE AVENUEB-1B-34B-3B-4B-5B-6B-7B-9B-35B-10B-36B-11B-21B-37B-22B-20B-19B-18B-8B-17B-16B-15B-14B-13B-12B-32B-23B-31B-24B-25B-27B-26B-28B-30B-29B-38B-2B-33T-1T-2T-3T-5T-4T-6T-72477' mslT.D. 25'Qal to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2467' mslT.D. 10.5'Qoa@0' to T.D.2486' mslT.D. 20'Qal to 1.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2468' mslT.D. 50'Afu to 3'Qoa@3' to T.D.2449' mslT.D. 11'Qal to 1'Qoa@1' to T.D.2470' mslT.D. 20'Qoa@0' to T.D.2468' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2437' mslT.D. 10'Qal to 1'Qoa@1' to T.D.2450' mslT.D. 20'Afu to 4.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2486' mslT.D. 12'Afu to 3.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2494' mslT.D. 10'Qoa@0' to T.D.2504' mslT.D. 30'Qal to 3'Qoa@3' to T.D.2513' mslT.D. 25'Qal to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2530' mslT.D. 10'Qoa@0' to T.D.2535' mslT.D. 30'Qal to 3'Qoa@3' to T.D.2517' mslT.D. 20'Qal to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2490' mslT.D. 25'Qal to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2503' mslT.D. 25'Qal to 3'Qoa@3' to T.D.2522' mslT.D. 20'Afu to 5.5'[email protected] to 8'Qoa@8' to T.D.2509' mslT.D. 20'Qal to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2496' mslT.D. 50'Afu to 4.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2512' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 3'Qal@3' to 8'Qoa@8' to T.D.2525' mslT.D. 30'Afu to 8'Qoa@8' to T.D.2536' mslT.D. 20'Afu to 5.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2540' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 6.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2532' mslT.D. 10'Afu to 8'Qoa@8' to T.D.2543' mslT.D. 20'Afu to 6.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2548' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 5.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2478' mslT.D. 25'Qoa@0' to T.D.2459' mslT.D. 10'Qal to 1'Qoa@1' to T.D.2445' mslT.D. 10'Qal to 4'Qoa@4' to T.D.2445' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 1.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2445' mslT.D. 10'Qal to 8'Qoa@8' to T.D.2431' mslT.D. 50'Qal@0' to T.D.2426' mslT.D. 10'Qal@0' to T.D.2455' mslT.D. 25'Qal@0' to T.D.2465' mslT.D. 10'Qal@0' to T.D.2509' mslT.D. 50'Afu to 2.5'[email protected]' to 6.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2475' mslT.D. 10'Qal to 2.5'[email protected]' to T.D.2497' mslT.D. 9.5'Qal to 4'Qoa@4' to T.D.2499' mslT.D. 20'Qoa@0' to T.D.2552' mslT.D. 20'Qoa@0' to T.D.2571' mslT.D. 30'Qoa@0' to T.D.2563' mslT.D. 10'Afu to 8'Qoa@8' to T.D.2548' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 6.5'[email protected]' to T.D.B-422470' mslT.D. 25'Qoa@0' to T.D.B-412450' mslT.D. 25'Afu to 3'Qal@3' to 12'Qoa@12' to T.D.B-402443' mslT.D. 25'Qal to 14.5'[email protected]' toT.D.B-392422' mslT.D. 25'Qal to 22'Qoa@22' to T.D.B-432476' mslT.D. 30'Afu to 29.5'[email protected]' to T.D.B-442543' mslT.D. 60'Qal to 37'Qoa@37' to T.D.NOTE: SITE PLAN PLAN PREPARED BY ALBERT A. WEBB ASSOCIATES.BORING LOCATION GEOTECHNICAL LEGENDAfu - ARTIFICIAL FILLQal - ALLUVIUMQoa - OLDER ALLUVIUMTRENCH LOCATION Not to scaleExhibit 4.6-1: Boring and Trench Location Plan Beaumont Summit Station Specific Plan EIRCity of BeaumontPage 1824 of 2513

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4.7 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

4.7.1 Introduction
The purpose of this section is to describe the potential for implementation of the Beaumont Summit Station Specific Plan Project (Project) to cumulatively contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions impacts within the City of Beaumont . Because no single project is large enough to result in a measurable increase in global concentrations of GHG, climate change impacts of a project are conside red on a cumulative basis.

This evaluation is based on the methodology recommended by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Modeling of GHG emissions was conducted using the California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod), Version 2020.4, the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) EMFAC2021, Version 1.0.1, and CARB’s OFFROAD2017 (Orion Web Database), Version 1.0.1. Model outputs are in Appendix F, Greenhouse Gas Emissio ns Assessment, of this Draft EIR.

4.7.2 Environmental Setting
Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change
Certain gases in the earth’s atmosphere classified as GHGs, play a critical role in determining the earth’s surface temperature. Solar radiation enters the earth’s atmosphere from space. A portion of the radiation is abs orbed by the earth’s surface and a smaller portion of this radiation is reflected back toward space.

This absorbed radiation is then emitted from the earth as low -frequency infrared radiation. The frequencies at which bodies emit radiation are proportional to temperature. Because the earth has a much lower temperature than the sun, it emits lower -frequency radiation. Most solar radiation passes through GHGs; however, infrared radiation is absorbed by these gases. As a result, radiation that otherwise would have escaped back into space is instead “trapped,” resulting in a warming of the atmosphere. This phenomenon, known as the greenhouse effect, is responsible for maintaining a habitable climate on earth.

The primary GHGs contributing to the greenhouse effe ct are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Fluorinated gases also make up a small fraction of the GHGs that contribute to climate change. Examples of fluorinated gases include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3 ); however, it is noted that these gases are not associated with typical land use development. Human -caused emissions of GHGs exceeding natural ambient concentrations are believed to be responsible for intensifying the greenhouse effect and leading to a trend of unnatural warming of the Earth’s climate, known as global climate change or global warming.

GHGs are global pollutants, unlike criteria air pollutants and toxic air co ntaminants (TACs), which are pollutants of regional and local concern. Whereas pollutants with localized air quality effects have relatively short atmospheric lifetimes (about one day), GHGs have long atmospheric lifetimes (one to several thousand years). GHGs persist in the atmosphere for long enough time periods to be dispersed around the globe. Although the exact lifetime of a GHG molecule is dependent on multiple variables and

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cannot be pinpointed, more CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere than is sequest ered by ocean uptake, vegetation, or other forms of carbon sequestration. Of the total annual human -caused CO2 emissions, approximately 55 percent is sequestered through ocean and land uptakes every year, averaged over the last 50 years, whereas the remaining 45 percent of human-caused CO2 emissions remains stored in the atmosphere.1 Table 4.7-1, Description of Greenhouse Gases describes the primary GHGs attributed to global climate change, including their physical properties.

Table 4.7-1: Description of Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse Gas Description
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) CO2 is a colorless, odorless gas that is emitted naturally and through human activities. Natural sources include decomposition of dead organic matter; respiration of bacteria, plants, animals, and fungus; evaporation from oceans; and volcanic outgassing. Anth ropogenic sources are from burning coal, oil, natural gas, and wood. The largest source of CO2 emissions globally is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas in power plants, automobiles, and industrial facilities. The atmospheric lifetime of CO2 is variable because it is readily exchanged in the atmosphere. CO 2 is the most widely emitted GHG and is the reference gas (Global Warming Potential of 1) for determining Global Warming Potentials for other GHGs.

Nitrous Oxide (N2O) N2O is largely attributable to agricultural practices and soil management. Primary human -related sources of N2O include agricultural soil management, sewage treatment, combustion of fossil fuels, and adipic and nitric acid production. N 2O is produced from biological sources in soil and water, particularly microbial action in wet tropical forests. The atmospheric lifetime of N 2O is approximately 120 years. The Global Warming Potential of N 2O is 298.

Methane (CH4) CH4, a highly potent GHG, primarily results from off-gassing (the release of chemicals from nonmetallic substances under ambient or greater pressure conditions) and is largely associated with agricultural practices and landfills. Methane is the major component of natural gas, about 87 percent by vol ume. Human-related sources include fossil fuel production, animal husbandry, rice cultivation, biomass burning, and waste management. Natural sources of CH 4 include wetlands, gas hydrates, termites, oceans, freshwater bodies, non -wetland soils, and wildfir es. The atmospheric lifetime of CH4 is about 12 years and the Global Warming Potential is 25.

Hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs)
HFCs are typically used as refrigerants for both stationary refrigeration and mobile air conditioning.

The use of HFCs for cooling and foam blowing is increasing, as the continued phase out of CFCs and HCFCs gains momentum. The 100 -year Global Warming Potential of HFCs range from 124 for HFC - 152 to 14,800 for HFC -23.

Perfluorocarbons
(PFCs)
PFCs have stable molecular structures and only break down by ultraviolet rays about 60 kilometers above Earth’s surface. Because of this, they have long lifetimes, between 10,000 and 50,000 years.

Two main sources of PFCs are primary aluminum production and semiconductor manufacturing.

Global Warming P otentials range from 6,500 to 9,200.

Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
CFCs are gases formed synthetically by replacing all hydrogen atoms in methane or ethane with chlorine and/or fluorine atoms. They are nontoxic, nonflammable, insoluble, and chemically unreactive in the troposphere (the level of air at the earth’s surface). CFCs were synthesized in 1928 for use as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, and cleaning solvents. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer prohibit ed their production in 1987. Global Warming Potentials for CFCs range from 3,800 to 14,400.

Sulfur Hexafluoride
(SF6)
SF6 is an inorganic, odorless, colorless, and nontoxic, nonflammable gas. It has a lifetime of 3,200 years. This gas is manmade and used for insulation in electric power transmission equipment, in the magnesium industry, in semiconductor manufacturing, and as a tracer gas. The Global Warming Potential of SF6 is 23,900.

1 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Carbon and Other Biogeochemical Cycles. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2013. http://www.climatechange2013.org/ images/report/WG1AR5_ALL_FINAL.pdf.

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Greenhouse Gas Description
Hydrochlorofluoro -
carbons (HCFCs)
HCFCs are solvents, similar in use and chemical composition to CFCs. The main uses of HCFCs are for refrigerant products and air conditioning systems. As part of the Montreal Protocol, HCFCs are subject to a consumption cap and gradual phase out. The United States is scheduled to achieve a 100 percent reduction to the cap by 2030. The 100 -year Global Warming Potentials of HCFCs range from 90 for HCFC-123 to 1,800 for HCFC-142b.

Nitrogen Trifluoride
(NF3)
NF3 was added to Health and Safety Code section 38505(g)(7) as a GHG of concern. This g as is used in electronics manufacture for semiconductors and liquid crystal displays. It has a high global warming potential of 17,200.

Source: Compiled from U.S. EPA, Overview of Greenhouse Gases , ( https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases) , accessed 2-5-2020; U.S. EPA, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2016, 2018; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis , 2007; National Research Council, Advancing the Science of Climate Change, 2010; U.S. EPA, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emission from Natural Sources , April 2010.

4.7.3 Regulatory Setting
Federal
To date, national standards have not been established for nationwide GHG reduction targets, nor have any regulations or legislation been enacted specifically to address climate change and GHG emissions reduction at the project level. Various efforts have been promulgated at the federal level to improve fuel economy and energy efficiency to address climate change and its associated effects.

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (December 2007), among o ther key measures, requires the following, which would aid in the reduction of national GHG emissions:
• Increase the supply of alternative fuel sources by setting a mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard requiring fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022. • Set a target of 35 miles per gallon for the combined fleet of cars and light trucks by model year 2020 and direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish a fuel economy program for medium- and heavy-dut y trucks and create a separate fuel economy standard for work trucks.
• Prescribe or revise standards affecting regional efficiency for heating and cooling products and procedures for new or amended standards, energy conservation, energy efficiency labeling for consumer electronic products, residential boiler efficiency, electric motor efficiency, and home appliances.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Endangerment Finding The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to regulate GHG emissions st ems from the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA (2007). The Supreme Court ruled that GHGs meet the definition of air pollutants under the existing Federal Clean Air Act (FCAA) and must be regulated if these gases could be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. Responding to the Court’s ruling, the EPA finalized an endangerment finding in December 2009. Based on scientific evidence it found that six GHGs (CO2 , CH4 , N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 ) constitute a threat to public health and welfare.

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Thus, it is the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the existing FCAA and the EPA’s assessment of the scientific evidence that form the basis for the EPA’s regulatory actions.

Federal Vehicle Standards
In response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling discussed above, Executive Order 13432 was issued in 2007 directing the EPA, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Energy to establish regulations that reduce GHG emissions from motor vehicles, non-road vehicles, and non-road engines by 2008. In 2009, the NHTSA issued a final rule regulating fuel efficiency and GHG emissions from cars and light-duty trucks for model year 2011, and in 2010, the EPA and NHTSA issued a final rule regulating cars and light-duty trucks for model year s 2012–2016.

In 2010, an Executive Memorandum was issued directing the Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, EPA, and NHTSA to establish additional standards regarding fuel efficiency and GHG reduction, clean fuels, and advanced vehicle infra structure. In response to this directive, the EPA and NHTSA proposed stringent, coordinated federal GHG and fuel economy standards for model years 2017 –2025 light-duty vehicles. The proposed standards projected to achieve 163 grams per mile of CO 2 in model year 2025, on an average industry fleet -wide basis, which is equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon if this level were achieved solely through fuel efficiency. The final rule was adopted in 2012 for model years 2017 –2021, and NHTSA intends to set standards for model years 2022–2025 in a future rulemaking. On January 12, 2017, the EPA finalized its decision to maintain the current GHG emissions standards for model years 2022–2025 cars and light trucks. It should be noted that the U.S. EPA is currently proposin g to freeze the vehicle fuel efficiency standards at their planned 2020 level (37 mpg), canceling any future strengthening (currently 54.5 mpg by 2026).

In addition to the regulations applicable to cars and light -duty trucks described above, in 2011, the E PA and NHTSA announced fuel economy and GHG standards for medium - and heavy-duty trucks for model years 2014–2018. The standards for CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are tailored to three main vehicle categories: combination tractors, heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, and vocational vehicles.

According to the EPA, this regulatory program will reduce GHG emissions and fuel consumption for the affected vehicles by 6 to 23 percent over the 2010 baselines.

In August 2016, the EPA and NHTSA announced the adoption of the phase two program related to the fuel economy and GHG standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The phase two program will apply to vehicles with model year 2018 through 2027 for certain trailers, and model years 2021 through 2027 for semi-trucks, large pickup trucks, vans, and all types and sizes of buses and work trucks. The final standards are expected to lower CO2 emissions by approximately 1.1 billion metric tons and reduce oil consumption by up to 2 billion barrels over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program.

Clean Power Plan and New Source Performance Standards for Electric Generating Units On October 23, 2015, the EPA published a final rule (effective December 22, 2015) establishing the carbon pollution emission guidelines for existing stationary sources: electric utility generating units (80 Federal Register [FR] 64510–64660), also known as the Clean Power Plan (CPP). These guidelines prescribe how states must develop plans to reduce GHG emissions from existing fossil -fuel-fired electric generating units.

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The guidelines establish CO2 emission performance rates representing the best system of emission reduction for two subcategories of existing fossil-fuel-fired electric generating units: one fossil-fuel-fired electric utility steam-generating unit and two stationary combustion turbines. Concurrently, the EPA published a final rule (effective October 23, 2015) establishing standards of performance for GHG emissions from new, modified, and reconstructed stationary sources: ele ctric utility generating units (80 FR 64661–65120). The rule prescribes CO2 emission standards for newly constructed, modified, and reconstructed affected fossil-fuel-fired electric utility generating units. The U.S. Supreme Court stayed implementation of the CPP pending resolution of several lawsuits. Additionally, in March 2017, the federal government directed the EPA Administrator to review the CPP to determine whether it is consistent with current executive policies concerning GHG emissions, climate cha nge, and energy.

Presidential Executive Order 13783
Presidential Executive Order 13783, Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth issued on March 28, 2017, orders all federal agencies to apply cost -benefit analyses to regulations of GHG emissions and evaluations of the social cost of CO2 , N2 O, and CH4 .

State
California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for the coordination and oversight of State and local air pollution control programs in California. Variou s statewide and local initiatives to reduce California’s contribution to GHG emissions have raised awareness about climate change and its potential for severe long -term adverse environmental, social, and economic effects. California is a significant emitter of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) in the world and produced 459 million gross metric tons of CO2 e in 2013.

In the State, the transportation sector is the largest emitter of GHGs, followed by industrial operations such as manufacturing and oil and gas extraction.

The State of California legislature has enacted a series of bills that constitute the most aggressive program to reduce GHGs of any state in the nation. Some legislation, such as the landmark Assembly Bill (AB) 32, California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, was specifically enacted to address GHG emissions.

Other legislation, such as Title 24 building efficiency standards and Title 20 appliance energy standards, were originally adopted for other purposes such as energy and water conservati on, but also provide GHG reductions. This section describes the major provisions of the legislation.

Assembly Bill 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) AB 32 instructs the CARB to develop and enforce regulations for the reporting and verification of statewide GHG emissions. AB 32 also directed CARB to set a GHG emissions limit based on 1990 levels, to be achieved by 2020. It set a timeline for adopting a scoping plan for achieving GHG reductions in a technologically and economically feasible manner.

CARB Scoping Plan
CARB adopted the Scoping Plan to achieve the goals of AB 32. The Scoping Plan establishes an overall framework for the measures that would be adopted to reduce California’s GHG emissions. CARB

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determined that achieving the 1990 emissions level would require a reduction of GHG emissions of approximately 29 percent below what would otherwise occur in 2020 in the absence of new laws and regulations (referred to as “business -as-usual”).2 The Scoping Plan evaluates opportunities for sector- specific reductions, integrates early actions and additional GHG reduction measures by both CARB and the State’s Climate Action Team, identifies additional measures to be pursued as regulations, and outl ines the adopted role of a cap-and-trade program.3 Additional development of these measures and adoption of the appropriate regulations occurred through the end of 2013. Key elements of the Scoping Plan include:
• Expanding and strengthening existing energy efficiency programs, as well as building and appliance standards.
• Achieving a statewide renewables energy mix of 33 percent by 2020. • Developing a California cap-and-trade program that links with other programs to create a regional market system and caps s ources contributing 85 percent of California’s GHG emissions (adopted in 2011).
• Establishing targets for transportation-related GHG emissions for regions throughout California and pursuing policies and incentives to achieve those targets (several sustainab le community strategies have been adopted).
• Adopting and implementing measures pursuant to existing State laws and policies, including California’s clean car standards, heavy-duty truck measures, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (amendments to the Pavley Standard adopted 2009; Advanced Clean Car standard adopted 2012), goods movement measures, and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (adopted 2009). • Creating targeted fees, including a public goods charge on water use, fees on gasses with high global warming potential, and a fee to fund the administrative costs of the State of California’s long-term commitment to AB 32 implementation.
• The California Sustainable Freight Action Plan was developed in 2016 and provides a vision for California’s transition to a more efficient , more economically competitive, and less polluting freight transport system. This transition of California’s freight transport system is essential to supporting the State’s economic development in coming decades while reducing pollution. • CARB’s Mobile Source Strategy demonstrates how the State can simultaneously meet air quality standards, achieve GHG emission reduction targets, decrease health risk from transportation emissions, and reduce petroleum consumption over the next fifteen years. The m obile Source Strategy includes increasing ZEV buses and trucks.

In 2012, CARB released revised estimates of the expected 2020 emissions reductions. The revised analysis relied on emissions projections updated in light of current economic forecasts that acc ounted for the economic downturn since 2008, reduction measures already approved and put in place relating to future

2 CARB defines business-as-usual (BAU) in its Scoping Plan as emissions levels that would occur if California continued to grow and add new GHG emissions but did not adopt any measures to reduce emissions. Projections for each emission-generating sector were compiled and used to estimate emissions for 2020 based on 2002–2004 emissions intensities. Under CARB’s definition of BAU, new growth is assumed to have the same carbon intensities as was typical from 2002 through 2004. 3 The Climate Action Team, led by the secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, is a group of State agency s ecretaries and heads of agencies, boards, and departments. Team members work to coordinate statewide efforts to implement global warming emissions reduction programs and the State’s Climate Adaptation Strategy.

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fuel and energy demand, and other factors. This update reduced the projected 2020 emissions from 596 million metric tons of CO2 e (MMTCO2e) to 545 MMTCO2 e. The reduction in forecasted 2020 emissions means that the revised business -as-usual reduction necessary to achieve AB 32’s goal of reaching 1990 levels by 2020 is now 21.7 percent, down from 29 percent. CARB also provided a lower 2020 inven tory forecast that incorporated State -led GHG emissions reduction measures already in place. When this lower forecast is considered, the necessary reduction from business -as-usual needed to achieve the goals of AB 32 is approximately 16 percent.

CARB adopt ed the first major update to the Scoping Plan on May 22, 2014. The updated Scoping Plan summarizes the most recent science related to climate change, including anticipated impacts to California and the levels of GHG emissions reductions necessary to likely avoid risking irreparable damage. It identifies the actions California has already taken to reduce GHG emissions and focuses on areas where further reductions could be achieved to help meet the 2020 target established by AB 32.

In 2016, the Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 32, which codifies a 2030 GHG emissions reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels. With SB 32, the Legislature passed companion legislation, AB 197, which provides additional direction for developing the Scoping Plan. On Decem ber 14, 2017, CARB adopted a second update to the Scoping Plan.4 The 2017 Scoping Plan details how the State will reduce GHG emissions to meet the 2030 target set by Executive Order B -30-15 and codified by SB 32. Other objectives listed in the 2017 Scoping plan are to provide direct GHG emissions reductions; support climate investment in disadvantaged communities; and support the Clean Power Plan and other Federal actions.

Senate Bill 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: Emissions Limit) Signed into law in September 2016, SB 32 codifies the 2030 GHG reduction target in Executive Order B -30-15 (40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030). The bill authorizes CARB to adopt an interim GHG emissions level target to be achieved by 2030. CARB also must adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum, technologically feasible, and cost -effective GHG reductions.

SB 375 (The Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008) Signed into law on September 30, 2008, SB 375 provides a process to coordinate land use planning, regional transportation plans, and funding priorities to help California meet the GHG reduction goals established by AB 32. SB 375 requires metropolitan planni ng organizations to include sustainable community strategies in their regional transportation plans for reducing GHG emissions, aligns planning for transportation and housing, and creates specified incentives for the implementation of the strategies.

AB 1493 (Pavley Regulations and Fuel Efficiency Standards) AB 1493, enacted on July 22, 2002, required CARB to develop and adopt regulations that reduce GHGs emitted by passenger vehicles and light duty trucks. Implementation of the regulation was delayed by lawsuits filed by automakers and by the EPA’s denial of an implementation waiver. The EPA subsequently granted the requested waiver in 2009, which was upheld by the U.S. District Court for the District of

4 California Air Resources Board, California’s 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan, https://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/scoping_plan_2017 .pdf. Accessed May 9, 2018.

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Columbia in 2011. The regulations establish one set of emission standards for model years 2009–2016 and a second set of emissions standards for model years 2017 to 2025. By 2025, when all rules will be fully implemented, new automobiles will emit 34 percent fewer CO2 e emissions and 75 percent fewer smog - forming emissions.

SB 1368 (Emission Performance Standards)
SB 1368 is the companion bill of AB 32, which directs the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to adopt a performance standard for GHG emissions for the future power purchases of California u tilities.

SB 1368 limits carbon emissions associated with electrical energy consumed in California by forbidding procurement arrangements for energy longer than five years from resources that exceed the emissions of a relatively clean, combined-cycle natural gas power plant. The new law effectively prevents California’s utilities from investing in, otherwise financially supporting, or purchasing power from new coal plants located in or out of the State. The CPUC adopted the regulations required by SB 1368 o n August 29, 2007.

The regulations implementing SB 1368 establish a standard for baseload generation owned by, or under long-term contract to publicly owned utilities, for 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt -hour.

SB 1078 and SBX1-2 (Renewable Electricity Standards)
SB 1078 requires California to generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2017.

SB 107 changed the due date to 2010 instead of 2017. On November 17, 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-14-08, which established a Renewable Portfolio Standard target for California requiring that all retail sellers of electricity serve 33 percent of their load with renewable energy by 2020. Executive Order S-21-09 also directed CARB to adopt a regulation by July 31, 2010, requiring the State’s load-serving entities to meet a 33 percent renewable energy target by 2020. CARB approved the Renewable Electricity Standard on September 23, 2010 by Resolution 10 -23. SBX1-2, which codified the 33 percent by 2020 goal.

SB 350 (Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015) Signed into law on October 7, 2015, SB 350 implements the goals of Executive Order B -30-15. The objectives of SB 350 are to increase the procurement of electricity from renewable sources from 33 percent to 50 per cent (with interim targets of 40 percent by 2024, and 25 percent by 2027) and to double the energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas end uses of retail customers through energy efficiency and conservation. SB 350 also reorganizes the Indepe ndent System Operator to develop more regional electricity transmission markets and improve accessibility in these markets, which will facilitate the growth of renewable energy markets in the western United States.

AB 398 (Market-Based Compliance Mechanisms)
Signed on July 25, 2017, AB 398 extended the duration of the Cap-and-Trade program from 2020 to 2030.

AB 398 required CARB to update the Scoping Plan and for all GHG rules and regulations adopted by the State. It also designated CARB as the statewide regulatory body responsible for ensuring that California meets its statewide carbon pollution reduction targets, while retaining local ai r districts’ responsibility and authority to curb toxic air contaminants and criteria pollutants from local sources that severely impact public health. AB 398 also decreased free carbon allowances over 40 percent by 2030 and prioritized

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Cap-and-Trade spending to various programs including reducing diesel emissions in impacted communities.

SB 150 (Regional Transportation Plans)
Signed on October 10, 2017, SB 150 aligns local and regional GHG reduction targets with State targets (i.e., 40 percent below their 1990 levels by 2030). SB 150 creates a process to include communities in discussions on how to monitor their regions’ progress on meeting these goals. The bill also requires the CARB to regularly report on that progress, as well as on the successes and the challenges regions experience associated with achieving their targets. SB 150 provides for accounting of climate change efforts and GHG reductions and identify effective reduction strategies.

SB 100 (California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: Emissions of Greenhouse Gases) Signed into Law in September 2018, SB 100 increased California’s renewable electricity portfolio from 50 to 60 percent by 2030. SB 100 also established a further goal to have a n electric grid that is entirely powered by clean energy by 2045.

AB 1346 (Air Pollution: Small Off -Road Engines)
Signed into Law in October 2021, AB 1346 requires CARB, to adopt cost -effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, consistent with federal law, by July 1, 2022. The bill requires CARB to identify and, to the extent feasible, make available funding for commercial rebates or similar incentive funding as par t of any updates to existing applicable funding program guidelines to local air pollution control districts and air quality management districts to implement to support the transition to zero-emission small off-road equipment operations.

Executive Orders Related to GHG Emissions
California’s Executive Branch has taken several actions to reduce GHGs using executive orders. Although not regulatory, they set the tone for the State and guide the actions of state agencies.

Executive Order S-3-05
Executive Order S-3-05 was issued on June 1, 2005, which established the following GHG emissions reduction targets:
• By 2010, reduce GHG emissions to 2000 levels.
• By 2020, reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels.
• By 2050, reduce GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels.

The 2050 reduction goal represents what some scientists believe is necessary to reach levels that will stabilize the climate. The 2020 goal was established to be a mid -term target. Because this is an executive order, the goals are not legally enforceable for local governments or the private sector.

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Executive Order S-01-07
Issued on January 18, 2007, Executive Order S 01-07 mandates that a statewide goal shall be established to reduce the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuels by at least 10 p ercent by 2020. The executive order established a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and directed the Secretary for Environmental Protection to coordinate the actions of the California Energy Commission, CARB, the University of California, and other agencies to develop and propose protocols for measuring the “life -cycle carbon intensity” of transportation fuels. CARB adopted the LCFS on April 23, 2009.

Executive Order S-13-08
Issued on November 14, 2008, Executive Order S-13-08 facilitated the California Natur al Resources Agency development of the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy. Objectives include analyzing risks of climate change in California, identifying and exploring strategies to adapt to climate change, and specifying a direction for future r esearch.

Executive Order S-14-08
Issued on November 17, 2008, Executive Order S-14-08 expands the State’s Renewable Energy Standard to 33 percent renewable power by 2020. Additionally, Executive Order S-21-09 (signed on September 15, 2009) directs CARB to adopt regulations requiring 33 percent of electricity sold in the State come from renewable energy by 2020. CARB adopted the Renewable Electricit y Standard on September 23, 2010, which requires 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 for most publicly -owned electricity retailers.

Executive Order S-21-09
Issued on July 17, 2009, Executive Order S-21-09 directs CARB to adopt regulations to increase California's RPS to 33 percent by 2020. This builds upon SB 1078 (2002), which established the California RPS program, requiring 20 percent renewable energy by 2017, and SB 107 (2006), which advanced the 20 percent deadline to 2010, a goal which was expanded t o 33 percent by 2020 in the 2005 Energy Action Plan II.

Executive Order B-30-15
Issued on April 29, 2015, Executive Order B -30-15 established a California GHG reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and directs CARB to update the Climate Change Scoping Plan to express the 2030 target in terms of million metric tons of CO 2 e (MMTCO2e). The 2030 target acts as an interim goal on the way to achieving reductions of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, a goal set by Executive Order S-3-05. The executive order also requires the State’s climate adaptation plan to be updated every three years and for the State to continue its climate change research program, among other provisions. With the enactment of SB 32 in 2016, the Legislature codifi ed the goal of reducing GHG emissions by 2030 to 40 percent below 1990 levels.

Executive Order B-55-18
Issued on September 10, 2018, Executive Order B -55-18 establishes a goal to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, and no later than 2045, and ac hieve and maintain net negative emissions thereafter.

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This goal is in addition to the existing statewide targets of reducing GHG emissions. The executive order requires CARB to work with relevant state agencies to develop a framework for implementing this goal. It also requires CARB to update the Scoping Plan to identify and recommend measures to achieve carbon neutrality. The executive order also requires state agencies to develop sequestration targets in the Natural and Working Lands Climate Change Implementation Plan.

California Regulations and Building Codes
California has a long history of adopting regulations to improve energy efficiency in new and remodeled buildings. These regulations have kept California’s energy consumption relatively flat even wit h rapid population growth.

Title 20 Appliance Efficiency Regulations
The appliance efficiency regulations (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 20, §§ 1601-1608) include standards for new appliances. Twenty-three categories of appliances are included in the scope of these regulations. These standards include minimum levels of operating efficiency, and other cost -effective measures, to promote the use of energy- and water-efficient appliances.

Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards
California’s Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings (CCR Title 24, Part 6), was first adopted in 1978 in response to a legislative manda te to reduce California’s energy consumption.

The standards are updated periodically to allow consideration and possible incorporation of new energy - efficient technologies and methods. Energy-efficient buildings require less electricity; therefore, increased energy efficiency reduces fossil fuel consumption and decreases GHG emissions. The 2016 Building Energy Efficiency Standards approved on January 19, 2016 went into effect on January 1, 2017. The 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards were adopted on May 9, 2018 and took effect on January 1, 2020. Under the 2019 standards, homes will use about 53 percent less energy and nonresidential buildings will use about 30 percent less energy than buildings under the 2016 standards.

Title 24 California Green Buil ding Standards Code
The California Green Building Standards Code (CCR Title 24, Part 11 code) commonly referred to as the CALGreen Code, is a statewide mandatory construction code developed and adopted by the California Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development. The CALGreen standards require new residential and commercial buildings to comply with mandatory measures under the topics of planning and design, energy efficiency, water efficiency/conservation, material conservation and resource efficiency, and environmental quality. CALGreen also provides voluntary tiers and measures that local governments may adopt that encourage or require additional measures in the five green building topics. The most recent update t o the CALGreen Code went into effect January 1, 2017. Updates to the 2016 CALGreen Code took effect on January 1, 2020 (2019 CALGreen).

The 2019 CALGreen standards continue to improve upon the existing standards for new construction of, and additions and a lterations to, residential and nonresidential buildings.

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Regional
South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 2305 (Warehouse Indirect Source Rule) Rule 2305 was adopted by the SCAQMD Governing Board on May 7, 2021 to reduce NOX and particulate matter emissions associated with warehouses and mobile sources attracted to warehouses. However, Rule 2305 would also reduce GHG emissions. This rule applies to all existing and proposed warehouses over 100,000 square feet located in the SCAQMD. Rule 2305 requir es warehouse operators to track annual vehicle miles traveled associated with truck trips to and from the warehouse. These trip miles are used to calculate the warehouses WAIRE (Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions) Points Compliance Oblig ation. WAIRE Points are earned based on emission reduction measures and warehouse operators are required to submit an annual WAIRE Report which includes truck trip data and emission reduction measures. Reduction strategies listed in the WAIRE menu include acquire zero emission (ZE) or near zero emission (NZE) trucks; require ZE/NZE truck visits; require ZE yard trucks; install on -site ZE charging/fueling infrastructure; install onsite energy systems; and install filtration systems in residences, schools, and other buildings in the adjacent community. Warehouse operators that do not earn a sufficient number of WAIRE points to satisfy the WAIRE Points Compliance Obligation would be required to pay a mitigation fee. Funds from the mitigation fee will be used to incentivize the purchase of cleaner trucks and charging/fueling infrastructure in communities nearby.

South Coast Air Quality Management District Thresholds
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) formed a GHG California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Significance Threshold Working Group to provide guidance to local lead agencies on determining significance for GHG emissions in their CEQA documents. As of the last Working Group meeting (Meeting 15) held in September 2010 , the SCAQMD is proposing to adopt a tiered approach for evaluating GHG emissions for development projects where SCAQMD is not the lead agency.

With the tiered approach, the Project is compared with the requirements of each tier sequentially and would not result in a significant impact if it complies with any tier. Tier 1 excludes projects that are specifically exempt from SB 97 from resulting in a significant impact. Tier 2 excludes projects that are consistent with a GHG reduction plan that has a certifie d final CEQA document and complies with AB 32 GHG reduction goals. Tier 3 excludes projects with annual emissions lower than a screening threshold.

The SCAQMD has adopted a threshold of 10,000 metric tons of CO2 e (MTCO2e) per year for industrial projects and a 3,000 MTCO2 e threshold was proposed for non-industrial projects but has not been adopted. During Working Group Meeting #7 it was explained that this threshold was derived using a 90 percent capture rate of a large sampling of industrial facilities. Du ring Meeting #8, the Working Group defined industrial uses as production, manufacturing, and fabrication activities or storage and distribution (e.g., warehouse, transfer facility, etc.). The Working Group indicated that the 10,000 MTCO2 e per year threshold applies to both emissions from construction and operational phases plus indirect emissions (electricity, water use, etc.). The SCAQMD concluded that projects with emissions less than the screening threshold would not result in a significant cumulative im pact.

GHG efficiency metrics are utilized as thresholds to assess the GHG efficiency of a project on a per capita basis or on a service population basis (the sum of the number of jobs and the number of residents

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provided by a project) such that a project would allow for consistency with the goals of AB 32 (i.e., 1990 GHG emissions levels by 2020 and 2035). GHG efficiency thresholds can be determined by dividing the GHG emissions inventory goal of the State, by the estimated 2035 population and employment. This method allows highly efficient projects with higher mass em issions to meet the overall reduction goals of AB 32, and is appropriate, because the threshold can be applied evenly to all project types (residential or commercial/retail only and mixed use).

Southern California Association of Governments
Per SB 375, CARB set the following regional transportation greenhouse emissions reduction targets for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) (SB 2015, pp. 7-8):
• 8 percent reduction from the 2005 per capita amount by 2020 • 13 percent reduction from the 2005 per capita amount by 2035 SCAG's SCS is included in the SCAG 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) (SCAG 2016). The goals and policies of the RTP/SCS that reduce VMT focus on transportation and land use planning that include building infill projects, locating residents closer to where they work and play and designing communities so there is access to high quality transit service (SCAG 2016, pp. 17, 64-65.). The 2016-2040 RTP/SCS would result in an eight percent reduction in GHG emissions per capita by 2020, an 18 percent reduction by 2035 and a 21 percent reduction by 2040— compared with 2005 levels (SCAG 2016, p. 153.). This meets or exceeds the State’s mandated reductions established by CARB and meets the requirements of SB 375 as codified in Government Code § 65080(b) et seq., which are eight percent by 2020 and 13 percent by 2035. The 2016 -2040 RTP/SCS is expected to reduce the number of VMT per capita by more than seven percent and Vehicle Hours Traveled (VHT) per capita by 17 percent (for automobiles and light/medium duty trucks) as a result of more location efficient land use patterns and improved transit service (SCAG 2016, p. 153).

On May 7, 2020, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted Connect SoCal (2020 - 2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy) for federal transportation conformity purposes only. In light of the COVID -19 pandemic, the Regional Council will consider approval of Connect SoCal in its entirety and for all other purposes within 120 days from May 7, 2020. (SCAG 2020, webpage).

CARB updated the regional targets in 2018 to ensure consistency with the more stringent statewide reduction goals subsequently introduced by the California legislature and the Governor’s office. For the SCAG region, the updated targets are 8 percent below 2005 per capita emissions levels by 2020 (this value is unchanged from the previous 2020 CARB target), and 19 percent below 20 05 per capita emissions levels by 2035. (SCAG 2020, p. 138.).

Connect SoCal SCS has been found to meet state targets for reducing GHG emissions from cars and light trucks. Connect SoCal achieves per capita GHG emission reductions relative to 2005 levels of 8 percent in 2020, and 19 percent in 2035, thereby meeting the GHG reduction targets established by the CARB for the SCAG region. (SCAG 2020, p. 138.).

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Local
Beaumont 2040 Plan
The Beaumont 2040 Plan goals, policies, and implementation actions that reduce potential GHG impacts include:

Land Use and Community Design Element
Goal 3.1: A City structure that enhances the quality of life of residents, meets the community’s vision for the future, and connects new growth areas together with established Beaumont neighborhoods.

Policy 3.1.3 Establish or preserve areas for mixed-use districts that contain a mix of retail, service, office, and residential uses in a compact, walkable setting along SR -79 (between I-10 and SR -60).

Policy 3.1.8 Require new major centers and larger residential developments to be accessible to major transportation facilities, a well-connected street network, and safe and efficient access to transit.

Policy 3.1.11 Strive to create development patterns such that most residents are wi thin one-half mile walking distance of a variety of neighborhood-serving uses, such as parks, grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, dry cleaners, laundromats, banks, hair salons, pharmacies, religious institutions, and similar uses.

Goal 3.3: A City that preserves its existing residential neighborhoods and promotes development of new housing choices.

Policy 3.3.7 Require well-connected walkable neighborhoods with quality access to transit, pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

Goal 3.7: A City with a high -quality pedestrian environment for people, fostering interaction, activity, and safety.

Policy 3.7.1 Require that all new neighborhoods be designed and constructed to be pedestrian friendly and include features such as short blocks, wide sidewalks, tree-shaded streets, buildings oriented to streets or public spaces, traffic -calming features, convenient pedestrian street crossings, and safe streets that are designed for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.

Policy 3.7.2 Create pedestrian-oriented streetscapes by establishing unified street tree planting, sidewalk dimensions and maintenance, pedestrian amenities, and high -quality building frontages in all new development.

Goal 3.8: A City that encourages a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, income levels, and cultural backgrounds.

Policy 3.8.1 Design neighborhoods to emphasize connectivity and promote physical activity, including increased pedestrian access by promoting high-density, mixed use

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development, access to existing and proposed transit, and the use of bicycles and walking as alternatives to driving.

Policy 3.8.3 Ensure the design of context -specific streetscaping that promotes safe travel for all users, including signs, curbs, trees and landscaping to provide a more pleasant environment for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Policy 3.8.6 Support Safe Routes to School partnerships that increase the number of school children who walk, bicycle, use public transportation and carpool to and from school.

Implementation LUCD10 Development Monitoring. Establish a monitoring and reporting system for land use development within the City. Key metrics may include housing by type and income level, commercial floor area, jobs, vehicle miles traveled, and greenhouse gas emissions. Report annual changes to the Planning Commission and City Council.

Implementation LUCD22 Tree Planting Program. Partner with local non-profit organizations to implement a tree planting program (planting of trees on City-owned and private property).

Mobility Element
Goal 4.1: Promote smooth traffic flows and balance operational efficiency, technological, and economic feasibility.

Policy 4.1.4 Strengthen partnerships with transit management organizations to develop citywide demand management programs and incentives t o encourage non-automotive transportation options.

Policy 4.1.5 Require residential and commercial development standards that strengthen connections to transit and promote walking to neighborhood services.

Goal 4.2: Support the development of a comprehen sive network of complete streets throughout the City that provides safe, efficient, and accessible connectivity for users of all ages and abilities.

Policy 4.2.3 Design residential streets to minimize traffic volumes and/or speed, as appropriate, without compromising connectivity for emergency first responders, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Goal 4.3: A healthy transportation system that promotes and improves pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety in Beaumont.

Policy 4.3.3 Support Safe Routes to School partnerships that increase the number of school children who walk, bicycle, use public transit, and carpool to and from school.

Policy 4.3.5 Integrate land use and transportation infrastructure to support higher -density development, a balanced mix of residential and commercial uses, and a connected system of sidewalks, bikeways, greenways, and transit.

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Goal 4.4: A balanced transportation system that provides adequate facilities for people in the City to bicycle, walk, or take transit to t heir destinations.

Policy 4.4.1 Ensure connectivity of pedestrian and cyclist facilities to key destinations, such as downtown, commercial centers, and employment centers, and link these facilities to each other by providing trails along key utility corridors.

Policy 4.4.4 Develop a comprehensive trails network to connect neighborhoods and key attraction areas.

Policy 4.4.5 Promote policies and programs that encourage the use of transit and increased transit service.

Goal 4.5: Work collaboratively with regional transit agencies to enhance existing transit facilities and promote the implementation of future transit opportunities.

Policy 4.5.1 Collaborate with transit agencies and RCTC to ensure the development of transit facilities in Beaumont can accommodate future rail service between the Coachella Valley and City of Riverside.

Policy 4.5.3 Work with SunLine Transit and RCTC to analyze and forecast commuter traffic trends and develop strategies to make a more efficient transit system.

Goal 4.7: Manage and provide an adequate parking supply that meets the needs of people who live, work, and visit Beaumont.

Policy 4.7.2 Encourage developers to meet their minimum parking requirements via shared parking between uses, payment of in-lieu fees, joint parking districts, or off-site parking within a reasonable walking time of 10 minutes or less.

Implementation M3 TDM Plan Requirements. Update the City’s development processing requirements to require that TDM plans and strategies are developed for residential and employment land uses that reduce vehicle trips or vehicle trip lengths.

Implementation M4 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Update the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity Plan with a focus on connectivity to transit, neighborhood centers, and schools while identifying state-of-the-practice techniques for improving safety.

Implementation M25 Special Events. Minimize parking and vehicle travel to special events through traffic management and promotion of transit to the event.

Implementation M29 Zoning Code Update. Update the City’s parking Standards to:
▪ Provide a reduction in parking standards if comprehensive TDM programs are provided.
▪ Increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in parking areas.

Economic Development and Fiscal Element
Goal 5.1: A dynamic local economy that attracts diverse business and investment.

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Policy 5.1.4 Encourage growth and expansion of businesses and employment centers near public transit to increase transportation options for employees and limit traffic congestion.

Health and Environmental Justice Element
Goal 6.5: A City that builds neighborhoods that enhance the safety and welfare of all people of all ages, income levels, and cultural backgrounds.

Policy 6.5.1 Design neighborhoods that promote pedestrian and bicycle activity as alternatives to driving. This policy is implemented through the Land Use and Community Design Element.

Policy 6.5.3 Integrate land use and transportation infrastructure to support higher -density development, a balanced mix of residential and commercial uses, and connected system of sidewalks, bikeways, greenways, and transit.

Policy 6.5.4 Prioritize transportation system improvements that en courage walking, biking and transit use in the areas with the highest need. This policy is implemented through the Mobility Element.

Community Facilities and Infrastructure Element
Goal 7.1: City-wide infrastructure to support existing development and fu ture growth.

Policy 7.1.7 Promote the design of infrastructure projects that use sustainable materials and minimize use of natural resources during construction.

Policy 7.1.8 As feasible, identify the long -term risks from climate change, including change s in flooding, storm intensity, water availability, and wildfire, during infrastructure planning and design to adapt to those changes. This policy is implemented through the Safety Element.

Goal 7.3: Buildings and landscapes promote water conservation, efficiency, and the increased use of recycled water.

Policy 7.3.1 Partner with BCVWD to promote and implement water conservation measures and reuse practices, including water efficient fixtures, leak detection, water recycling, grey water reuse and rainwate r harvesting.

Policy 7.3.2 When feasible, augment regional conservation programs with City resources to encourage reduced water use in homes and businesses.

Policy 7.3.3 Support and engage in educational and outreach programs that promote water conservat ion and wide-spread use of water -efficient technologies to the public, homebuilders, business owners, and landscape installers.

Policy 7.3.4 Support and implement third-party programs and financing sources, such as the PACE program, to improve water efficiency of existing buildings.

Policy 7.3.5 Expand the supply of recycled water and distribution facilities in the City for irrigation at city facilities/parks/sports fields. When such supply is available, require new developments to utilize for their common irrigation needs.

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Policy 7.3.6 Encourage innovative water recycling techniques, such as rainwater capture, use of cisterns, and installation of greywater systems.

Policy 7.3.7 Update and improve water conservation and landscaping requirements for new development.

Policy 7.3.8 Require the use of recycled water for irrigation of parks and golf courses in Beaumont.

Goal 7.4: Incorporate sustainable and improved stormwater management practices.

Policy 7.4.2 Explore opportunities for “green streets” that use natural processes to manage stormwater runoff, when feasible.

Policy 7.4.3 Require new development and redevelopment projects to reuse stormwater on -site to the maximum extent practical and provide adequate stormwater infrastructure for flood control.

Goal 7.6: A zero -waste program that increases recycling and reduces waste sent to the landfill.

Policy 7.6.2 Expand programs to collect food waste and green waste from commercial and residential uses.

Policy 7.6.3 Promote green purchasing options across all City departments. Consider the lifecycle effects from purchases.

Policy 7.6.5 Ensure construction demolition achieves the State’s 65 percent target for material salvage and recycling of non-hazardous construction materials.

Policy 7.6.6 Promote waste reduction, recycling, and composting by making separate containers available in gathering areas of City-owned facilities.

Goal 7.7: Provide for a clean and healthy community through an effective solid waste collection and disposal system.

Policy 7.7.1 Implement source reduction, recycling, composting, and other appropriate measures to reduce the volume of waste materials entering regional landfills. Establish a goal to achieve 100% recycling citywide for both residential and nonres idential development.

Policy 7.7.2 Implement a commercial solid waste recycling program that consists of education, outreach, and monitoring of businesses in order to divert commercial solid waste and report progress in the annual report to CalRecycle.

Po licy 7.7.3 Require businesses (including public entities) that generate four cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week, or a multifamily residential dwelling of five units or more, to arrange for recycling services.

Policy 7.7.4 Offer economic incentives to businesses within the City which are “zero waste.” Policy 7.7.5 Develop City programs and/or advertise County-wide programs that encourage residents to donate or dispose of surplus furniture, old electronics, clothing, oils/ grease, household hazardous materials and other household items rather than disposing of such materials in landfills.

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Goal 7.9: High -quality community facilities and services that meet the needs and preferences of all residents in the City.

Policy 7.9.2 Provide community facilities and services throughout the City close to or on accessible transit corridors and priority bikeways. Ensure connecting sidewalks are well maintained for accessibility.

Implementation CFI2 Zoning and Implementation Ordinances. Update zoning and building codes to enable innovative sustainability measures such as:
▪ Greywater capture and reuse systems
▪ On-site bioretention-based stormwater facilities
▪ Coordinated below grade installation/repair between various providers and agencies
▪ Wind generation on residential and commercial buildings ▪ Electric vehicle infrastructure requirements
▪ Green building performance standards
Implementation CFI6 Water Education. Develop a water conservation and stewardship strategy with local partners and water providers t o reduce water consumption, raise awareness of stormwater pollution, and encourage conservation behaviors.

Implementation CFI7 Educational materials. Produce a City resource guide for commercial and residential water recycling techniques, including conser vation strategies landscaping, rainwater capture, greywater systems, and use of cisterns.

Implementation CFI20 Green Streets. Implement best practices for Green Streets on transportation corridors associated with new and existing redevelopment projects.

Implementation CFI26 Zero Waste. Work with regional partners, such as the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources, and community partners to foster a zerowaste culture, including outreach, marketing, and local grant program to support efforts.

Implementation CFI27 Public Stewards of Zero Waste. Commit all City departments to zero waste, including provision of technical support and diversion at City facilities.

Implementation CFI28 Technical Assistance. Partner closely with commercial and owners of multifamily properties to start or expand recycling and waste reduction practices.

Implementation CFI29 Debris Recycling Ordinance. Create a construction and demolition debris recycling ordinance to support the diversion of recycl able and recoverable materials. Work with local partners to conduct outreach targeting waste generators.

Implementation CFI30 Composting Program. Expand existing recycling programs to include composting yard and garden waste.

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Conservation and Open Space Element
Goal 8.1: A City with green buildings and developments that promote energy efficiency.

Policy 8.1.1 Promote, and incentivize when possible, energy efficiency upgrades, such as weatherization and lighting retrofits for qualified households.

Policy 8.1.2 Increase educational and outreach efforts to residential, commercial, and institutional building owners to increase awareness of Southern California Edison programs and incentives to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings.

Policy 8.1.3 Support and implement third party programs and financing sources, such as PACE or HERO programs, to install energy efficiency upgrades in existing buildings. Provide incentives for households to improve resource efficiency, such as rebate programs, and giveaways of items such as low -flow shower heads and electrical outlet insulation.

Policy 8.1.4 Partner with local residential and business associations to create a policy requiring energy disclosure, audits, and/or upgrades at time of sale of residential and commercial properties.

Policy 8.1.5 Encourage new development to reduce building energy use by adopting passive solar techniques and heat island reduction strategies:
▪ Maximizing interior daylighting.
▪ Using cool exterior siding, cool roofing, and paving materials with relatively high solar reflectivity to reduce solar heat gain.
▪ Planting shade trees on south- and west-facing sides of new buildings to reduce energy loads.
▪ Installing water efficient vegetative cover and planting, substantia l tree canopy coverage.

Policy 8.1.6 When reviewing development proposals, encourage applicants and designers to consider warming temperatures in the design of cooling systems.

Policy 8.1.7 Encourage new buildings and buildings undergoing major retrofits to exceed Title 24 energy efficiency standards.

Policy 8.1.8 Require design of new development and renovations to not impair adjacent buildings’ solar access, unless it can be demonstrated that the shading benefits substantially offset the impacts of solar energy generation potential.

Policy 8.1.9 Require that any new building constructed in whole or in part with City funds incorporate passive solar design features, where feasible.

Policy 8.1.10 Strive for high levels of energy efficiency in municipal facilities.

Policy 8.1.11 Whenever possible, use energy-efficient models and technology when replacing or providing new city facilities and infrastructure, such as streetlights, traffic signals, water conveyance pumps, or other public infrastructure.

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Goal 8.2: A City which encourages energy from renewable sources.

Policy 8.2.1 Promote the incorporation of alternative energy generation (e.g., solar, wind, biomass) in public and private development.

Policy 8.2.2 Establish clear guidance for new solar residential mandate established by the California Energy Commission as part of the 2019 California Building Code update.

Policy 8.2.3 Establish an expedited and streamlined permit process for small photovoltaic systems (10-15 kW maximum power output).

Goal 8.3: A City that reduces citywide greenhouse gas emissions.

Policy 8.3.1 Establish greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in line with State requirements that call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions as follows:
▪ 1990 levels by 2020
▪ 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030
▪ 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2040
Policy 8.3.2 Implement greenhouse gas reduction measures to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets by updating the Climate Action Plan or similar.

Policy 8.3.4 Use the emissions inventory and monitoring tools to identify, prioritize, and update programs that effectively contribute to greenhouse gas reductions.

Policy 8.3.5 Prioritize municipal policies and programs that reduce the City’s carbon footprint such as purchasing alternative fuel vehicles, pursuing solar installations, implementing green purchasing policies, and retrofitting existing buildings.

Policy 8.3.6 Promote greenhouse gas reduction measures that support local job training and placement in green industries focused on environme ntal sustainability, renewable energy, renewable-related technologies, and bioremediation.

Policy 8.3.7 Collaborate with regional and State partners to implement the Sustainable Communities Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, balance jobs and housing, and develop transportation systems that support all modes of circulation.

Goal 8.11: A City where archaeological, cultural resources, tribal cultural resources, and historical places are identified, recognized, and preserved.

Implementation C1 Energy Efficiency Programs. Develop and advertise energy efficiency programs that improve energy efficiency in existing buildings. Coordinate with WRCOG on regional initiatives.

Implementation C2 Energy Disclosure Policy. Develop a policy requiring energy dis closure, audits, and/or upgrades at time of sale for all residential and commercial buildings.

Implementation C3 Passive Solar Techniques. Review proposed developments for solar access, site design techniques, and use of landscaping that can increase energy efficiency and

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reduce lifetime energy costs without significantly increasing housing production costs.

Implementation C4 Green Affordable Housing. Develop incentives for affordable housing projects that integrate sustainable and long -term green building design.

Implementation C5 Green Building Design. Update the Municipal Code to identify and prioritize green building design features that mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Implementation C6 Shade Assessment. Partner with local and re gional agencies to identify and prioritize areas for shade in public places.

Implementation C8 Greenhouse gas inventory. Prepare a revised greenhouse gas inventory on regular 3-year cycles.

Implementation C9 Climate Adaptation Plan. Develop a Climate Ada ptation Plan to identify Beaumont’s most significant potential climate change risks and vulnerabilities in order to create a framework for decision makers to build a more resilient and sustainable community. The Climate Adaptation Plan shall include a vuln erability assessment, adaptation strategy, and plan maintenance. Special focus should be provided related to drought, extreme heat, and wildfire risk.

Implementation C10 Advanced and Green Industry Workforce Training. Coordinate with local, regional, and state entities to identify or create training and placement programs in advances and green industries, including advanced manufacturing, green building, and sustainable industries (e.g., renewable energy industries, water treatment, and wastewater management).

Implementation C11 Sustainable Communities Strategy. Coordinate with state and regional agencies to implement the Sustainable Communities Strategy.

Implementation C12 Energy Education. Promote awareness and incorporation of energy efficiency best practices for new development, including incorporation of alternative energy generation and energy efficient retrofits.

Implementation C13 Solar Access. Update municipal code to require design of new development and renovations to not impa ir adjacent buildings’ solar access, unless shading benefits substantially offset the impacts of solar energy generation potential.

Safety Element
Goal 9.10: A City that is prepared for the potential impacts of climate change.

Policy 9.10.1 Establish pa rtnerships with Federal, State, regional, and local agencies to cooperate and better understand regional impacts of climate change and develop multijurisdictional solutions.

Policy 9.10.2 Encourage new development and redesign of existing buildings to tak e steps to reduce the impacts of extreme heat events, including:

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▪ Design buildings to use less mechanical heating and cooling through use of passive solar techniques.
▪ Support and incentivize, as feasible, energy efficiency and weatherization programs.
▪ Protect and expand the City’s urban tree canopy to provide shade, increase carbon sequestration, and purify the air.
▪ Provide shade structures in public parks, outdoor playgrounds, and bus shelters.

Policy 9.10.3 Require enhanced water conservation measures in new development and redesign of existing buildings to address the possibility of constrained future water supplies, including:
▪ Compliance with existing landscape water conservation ordinance (Chapter 17.06 of the Municipal Code).
▪ Use of water conservation measures in new development beyond current requirements.
▪ Installation of recycled water use and graywater systems.

Policy 9.10.4 Continue to work with the Riverside University Health Services Department and County of Riverside Emergency Management Department to establish public outreach programs (through social media and websites) to distribute information on climate change impacts on vulnerable populations including actions they can take to reduce exposure to unhealthy conditions.

Policy 9.10.5 Prioritize programs that ensure the benefits of climate action programs are fairly distributed and prioritized to those most in need, particularly populations most likely to be impacted by climate change.

Policy 9.10.6 Pursue climate change grant funding opportunities for expanding education programs and funding necessary retrofits.

Implementation S8 Climate Change Risk Assessment. Conduct a climate change risk assessment to identify potential risks and vulnerable populations. Prioritize programs a nd funding for populations most likely to be impacted by climate change, in accordance with SB379.

Implementation S28 Water Conservation. Review Chapter 17.06 of the Municipal Code to consider adding additional water conservation measures.

Revised Zoning Ordinance
The Revised Zoning Ordinance adds § 17.11.140 to provide regulations for the establishment, maintenance and operation of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) in the City, which reduces potential GHG impacts.

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Sustainable Beaumont Plan
In 2015, the City of Beaumont developed and approved Sustainable Beaumont: The City’s Roadmap to Greenhouse Gas Reductions, a plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The City committed to providing a more livable, equitable, and economically vibrant community thr ough the incorporation of energy efficient features and the reduction of GHG emissions. (Beaumont 2040 Plan, p. 198.) The Sustainable Beaumont Plan details a variety of goals, policies, and actions at the community and municipal levels aimed at conserving energy and reducing emissions in order to meet its GHG reduction targets. By implementing Statewide and local reduction measures, the City would achieve its reductions targets for 2020 and 2030. (SB 2015, p. 64.)

4.7.4 Impact Thresholds and Significan ce Criteria
State CEQA Guidelines Appendix G contains the Environmental Checklist Form, which includes questions concerning greenhouse gas emissions. The questions presented in the Environmental Checklist Form have been utilized as significance criteria in this sect ion. Accordingly, the Project would have a significant effect on the environment if it would:
• Generate GHG emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment, based on any applicable threshold of significance; or • Conflict with any applicable plan, policy or regulation of an agency adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of GHGs.

Addressing GHG emissions generation impacts requires an agency to determine what constitutes a significant impact. The amendme nts to the CEQA Guidelines specifically allow lead agencies to determine thresholds of significance that illustrate the extent of an impact and are a basis from which to apply mitigation measures . This means that each agency is left to determine whether a project’s GHG emissions will have a “significant” impact on the environment. The guidelines direct that agencies are to use “careful judgment” and “make a good-faith effort, based to the extent possible on scientific and factual data, to describe, calculate or estimate” the project’s GHG emissions 5.

GHG Thresholds
On December 5, 2008, the SCAQMD Governing Board adopted a 10,000 MTCO 2e industrial threshold for projects where SCAQMD is the lead agency. The SCAQMD GHG CEQA Significance Threshold Working Group defined industrial uses as production, manufacturing, and fabrication activities or storage and distribution (e.g., warehouse, tra nsfer facility, etc.) during Meeting #8. Additionally, the SCAQMD GHG Significance Threshold Stakeholder Working Group has specified that a warehouse is considered to be an industrial project. During the GHG CEQA Significance Threshold Working Group Meeti ng #15, the SCAQMD noted that it was considering extending the industrial GHG significance threshold for use by all lead agencies.

Furthermore, the Working Group indicated that the 10,000 MTCO 2 e per year threshold applies to both emissions from construction and operational phases plus indirect emissions (electricity, water use, etc.). The

5 14 California Code of Regulations, Section 15064.4a

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SCAQMD has not announced when staff is expecting to present GHG thresholds for land use projects where the SCAQMD is not the lead agency to the governing board.

The City of Beaumont has not adopted project -specific significance thresholds, and instead relies on SCAQMD’s recommended Tier 3 screening thresholds to determine the significance of a project’s GHG emissions. Although this Project proposes industrial warehouses, th e considerable majority of GHG emissions generated in relation to the project would result from mobile truck emissions, and not stationary industrial sources. Therefore, to provide the most conservative analysis, the City will apply the 3,000 MTCO2 e/year s creening threshold recommended by SCAQMD for residential and commercial projects, the emissions of which primarily the result of mobile, and not stationary, sources.

Methodology
Global climate change is, by definition, a cumulative impact of GHG emissions. Therefore, there is no project-level analysis . The baseline against which to compare potential impacts of the project includes the natural and anthropogenic drivers of global climate change, including world‐wide GHG emissions from human activities which a lmost doubled between 1970 and 2010 from approximately 27 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2/year to nearly 49 GtCO2 /year.6 As such, the geographic extent of climate change and GHG emissions cumulative impact discussion is worldwide.

The Project ’s construction and operational emissions were calculated using the California Emissions Estimator Model version 2020.4.0 (CalEEMod). Details of the modeling assumptions and emission factors are provided in Appendix F, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment. For construction, CalEEMod calculates emissions from off-road equipment usage and on-road vehicle travel associated with haul, delivery, and construction worker trips. GHG emissions during construction were forecasted based on the proposed construction schedule and applying the mobile -source and fugitive dust emissions factors derived from CalEEMod. The Project’s construction-related GHG emissions would be generated from off- road construction equipment, on-road hauling and vendor (material delivery) trucks, and worker vehicles.

Construction was modeled generally according to the following timeline:
• Phase 1: Commence in the second quarter of 2023 and conclude in the third quarter of 2024 (an approximate 18-month duration).
• Phase 2: Commence in early 2026 and conclude mid to late 2027 (an approximate 18-month duration).

The Project’s operational GHG emissions would be generated by vehicular traffic, off-road equipment, area sources (e.g., landscaping maintenance, consumer products), electrical generation, natural gas consumption, water supply and wastewater treatment, and solid waste . Construction was modeled generally according to the following timeline:
• Phase 1: Commence in the second quarter of 2023 and conclude in the third quarter of 2024 (an approximate 18-month duration).

6 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2014 Mitigation of Climate Change Working Group III Contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2014.

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• Phase 2: Commence in early 2026 and conclude mid to late 2027 (an a pproximate 18-month duration).

The Project’s operational GHG emissions would be generated by vehicular traffic, off-road equipment, area sources (e.g., landscaping maintenance, consumer products), electrical generation, natural gas consumption, water supply and wastewater treatment, and solid waste . These emissions categories are discussed below.
• Area Sources . Area source emissions occur from hearths, architectural coatings, landscaping equipment, and consumer products. The Project involves warehouse uses and would not include hearths. Landscaping and consumer products would be limited. Negligible quantities of consumer products (i.e., personal care products, home, lawn, and garden products, disinfectants, sanitizers, polishes, cosmet ics, and floor finishes) would be used. Additionally, the primary emissions from architectural coatings are volatile organic compounds, which are relatively insignificant as direct GHG emissions.
• Energy Consumption. Energy consumption consists of emissions from project consumption of electricity and natural gas. Primary uses of electricity and natural gas by the Project would be for miscellaneous warehouse equipment, space heating and cooling, water heating, ventilation, lighting, appliances, and electronics. Energy emissions are calculated based on consumption rates and emissions factors in CalEEMod. No changes were made to the default energy usage consumption rates or emissions factors.
• Solid Waste. Solid waste releases GHG emissions in the form of methane when these materials decompose. Solid waste emissions are calculated based on generation rates and emissions factors in CalEEMod.
• Water and Wastewater. Project GHG emissions would be generated from energy consumption associated with water and wastewater c onveyance and treatment. Water and wastewater emissions are calculated based on the estimated consumption in the Project Water Supply Assessment (Albert A Webb Associates , Water Supply Assessment, Beaumont Summit Station Specific Plan Project , November 2021) and emissions factors in CalEEMod. • Off-Road Equipment. Operational off-road emissions would be generated by off-road cargo handling equipment used during operational activities. Off -road emissions were calculated with emissions rates derived from CARB’s OFFROAD database. For this project it was assumed that the warehouses would include 51 forklifts and 9 off-highway trucks for loading and unloading goods per the SCAQMD High Cube Warehouse Truck Trip Study White Paper 7 . It should be noted that Project Design Feature (PDF) AQ-1 indicates that the Project does not include cold storage. Cold storage is also not an allowed use in the Specific Plan. Therefore, this analysis models the warehouses as unrefrigerated, and the Project would not include emissions from transport refrigeration units (TRUs).
• Emergency Backup Generators. As the Project warehouses are speculative, it is unknown whether emergency backup generators would be used. Backup generators would only be used in the event of a power failure and would not be part of the Project’s normal daily operations. Nonetheless, emissions associated with this equipment were included to be conservative. Emissions from an

7 SCAQMD, High Cube Warehouse Truck Trip Study White Paper Summary of Business Survey Results , June 2014.

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emergency backup generator for each warehouse building were calculated separately from CalEEMod; refer to Appendix A. However, CalEEMod default emissions rates were used. If backup generators are required, the end user would be required to obtain a permit from the SCAQMD prior to installation. Emergency backup gene rators must meet SCAQMD's Best Available Control Technology (BACT) requirements and comply with SCAQMD Rule 1470 (Requirements for Stationary Diesel-Fueled Internal Combustion and Other Compression Ignition Engines), which would minimize emissions.
• Mobile Sources. Mobile sources are emissions from motor vehicles. The Project generated traffic was obtained from the Project ’s Traffic Impact Study prepared by Kimley-Horn and Associates (July 2021). Project trip generation from the Trip Generation Analysis is based on the following Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) land use categories:

Phase 1
▪ ITE Land Use 154: High-Cube Short-Term Storage (2,199.095 thousand square feet, 3,079 total daily vehicle trips , which include 493 truck trips). ▪ ITE Land Use 150: Warehousing (358.370 thousand square feet, 613 total daily vehicle trips, which include 166 truck trips).

Phase 2
▪ ITE Land Use 310: Hotel (220 rooms, 1,758 daily vehicle trips). ▪ ITE Land Use 820: Shopping Center (25 thousand square feet, 1,361 total daily vehicle trips, 898 net trips after pass -by reduction).
▪ ITE Land Use 932: High-Turnover (Sit-Down) Restaurant (15 thousand square feet, 1,608 total daily vehicle trips, 1,539 net trips after pass -by reduction). ▪ ITE Land Use 934: Fast -Food Restaurant with Drive-Through (10 thousand square feet, 4,675 total daily vehicle trips, 4,290 net trips after pass -by reduction).

Phase 1 of the Project would generate 3,692 daily trips, which includes 3,033 passenger car trips and 659 truck trips . Passenger car/employee commute trip lengths use CalEEMod default lengths for projects in Riverside County, truck trip lengths are assumed to be 33.2 miles one way.8 Phase 2 of the project would generate 8,485 daily vehicle trips. Full Project buildout would (Phase 1 and Phase 2) would generate 12,177 total daily vehicle trips. Warehouse truck mix percentages are based on the SCAQMD Truck Trip Generation Study applied to ITE truck percentages. Mobile source emissions rates in CalEEMod have been updated with EMFAC2021 emissions rates consistent with the methodology described in the CalEEMod User’s Guide (Appendix A, Section 5.2).9 It should be noted that EMFAC2021 emissions rates include CARB SAFE Rule adjustment factors.10

8 California Air Resources Board, Appendix B: Emissions Estimation Methodology for On-Road Diesel-Fueled Heavy -Duty Drayage Trucks at California Ports and Intermodal Rail Yards , 2007. Available at: https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/msei/onroad/downloads/drayage_trucks/appbf.pdf 9 California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA), CalEEMod User Guide Appendix A: Calculation Details, Section 5.2 Methodology for Converting EMFAC2017 Emission Rates into CalEEMod Vehicle Emission Factors , May 2021. 10 California Air Resources Board, EMFAC2021 Volume III Technical Document, March 21, 2021.

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Emissions reductions attributable mitigation measures were applied in CalEEMod are derived from methodologies compiled in the CAPCOA report Quantifying GHG Measures .11 Each measure was assessed to determine its consistency with CAPCOA criteria for the use of the measure. The following mit igation measure were applied in CalEEMod include:
• Transportation Demand Management Measures: TRT -1 (Implement Trip Reduction Program), TRT-7 (Market Commute Trip Reduction Option), and TRT -11 (Employee Vanpool/Shuttle). • A-1 - Electric Landscape Equipment.
• BE-1 – Exceed Title 24. The project would be required to comply with CALGreen Tier 2, which requires a 30 percent improvement.
• SW-1 – 75 Percent Reduction in Solid Waste Disposal.

Additionally, the following design features/mitigation measures were quanti fied outside of CalEEMod:
• Electric Cargo Handling Equipment . Electric cargo handling equipment (see Project Design Feature (PDF) AQ-2, below) emissions from energy consumption were calculated based on 51 forklifts and 9 yard trucks operating for 12 hours per day and the Southern California Edison (SCE) electricity CO2e emissions factor from CalEEMod. As noted above, the assumptions for the equipment is based on the SCAQMD High Cube Warehouse Truck Trip Study White Paper (2014). • On-Site Renewable Energy . Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on Phase 1 or other source of renewable energy generation on-site would provide 100 percent of the expected building load (i.e., the Title 24 electricity demand and the plug -load, conservatively anticipated to be approximately 8.87 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year per square foot (sf)12, 13). With expected energy consumption at 8.87 kWh/ sf, a PV panel array covering approximately one quarter of the proposed roof space would provide sufficient on-site renewable energy generation to offset consumption. The final PV generation facility size would require approval by Southern California Edison (SCE). SCE’s Rule 21 governs operating and metering requirements for any facility connected to SCE’s distribution system. Should SCE limit the off-site export, the proposed project could utilize a battery energy storage system (BESS) to lower off-site export while maintaining on- site renewable generation to offset consumption.

Should the energy consumption characteristics of a future tenant differ from this projection, there is sufficient space on the rooftop for the system to roughly triple on-site generation. The building would include an electrical system, roof structure consideration, and other infrastru cture sufficiently sized to accommodate the PV arrays. The electrical system and infrastructure would be clearly labeled with noticeable and permanent signage.

Project Design Features
The Project applicant proposes the following Project Design Features (PD Fs) that would be incorporated into the Project design and constructed or implemented as part of the Project. PDFs are specific design and/or operational characteristics proposed by the Project Applicant that are incorporated into the

11 California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Measures , August 2010. 12 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey. Table PBA4. Electricity consumption t otals and conditional intensities by building activity subcategories, 2012. 75th percentile value for Nonrefrigerated Distribution Cent er = 8.5kWh/year/sf 13 Additional consumption of 30 Level 2 EV chargers providing 6 hours of charge time for two employee shifts pe r day = 0.37kWh/year/sf

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Project and part of t he Project description and Specific Plan. Because PDFs are incorporated into the Project, they do not constitute mitigation measures. It should be noted that PDF AQ -1 indicates that the Project would not include cold storage. Cold storage is also not an al lowed use in the Specific Plan.

Therefore, this analysis models the warehouses as unrefrigerated. PDF AQ-2 notes that all cargo handling equipment would be powered by electricity. Emissions from diesel cargo handling equipment are provided in the impact analysis for informational purposes and implementation of PDF AQ-2 is reflected under the mitigated scenario. Additional emissions benefits from implementation of PDF AQ -3 through PDF AQ-18 are conservatively not quantified; no credit is taken for these meas ures.

PDF AQ-1 The Project does not include cold storage.

PDF AQ-2 All Phase 1 outdoor cargo handling equipment (including yard trucks, hostlers, yard goats, pallet jacks, and forklifts) shall be powered by electricity. Each building shall include the necessary charging stations for cargo handling equipment. The building manager or their designee shall be responsible for enforcing these requirements . Note that SCAQMD Rule 2305 (Warehouse Indirect Source Rule) Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions (WAIRE) points may be earned for electric/zero emission yard truck/hostler usage.

PDF AQ-3 Tenant lease agreements for Phase 1 shall include contractual language restricting trucks and support equipment from nonessential idling longer than 5 minutes while on site.

PDF AQ-4 All heavy-duty vehicles registered in California entering or operated on Phase 1 shall be model year 2010 or later. This requirement shall be included as part of tenant’s agreement with third-party carriers. Tenants shall maint ain records on its fleet equipment and ensure that all heavy-duty trucks accessing the Phase 1 use year 2010 or newer engines. The records shall be maintained onsite and be made available for inspection by the City. Encouraging the use of model year 2010 or newer trucks and other efficiency measures could incentivize near zero emission (NZE) or zero emission (ZE) truck visits, which would facilitate compliance with SCAQMD Rule 2305 2305 (Warehouse Indirect Source Rule).

PDF AQ-5 Phase 1 facility operators s hall be required to train managers and employees on efficient scheduling and load management to eliminate unnecessary queuing and idling of trucks.

The building manager or their designee shall be responsible for enforcing these requirements.

PDF AQ-6 Phase 1 tenants shall train its staff in charge of keeping vehicle records in diesel technologies and compliance with CARB regulations, by attending CARB -approved courses. Facility operators shall maintain records on-site demonstrating compliance and make records available for inspection by the local jurisdiction, air district, and state upon request. The building manager or their designee shall be responsible for enforcing these requirements.

PDF AQ-7 Phase 1 tenants shall maintain records on its fleet equipmen t and vehicle engine maintenance to ensure that equipment and vehicles serving the warehouses within the project are in good condition, and in proper tune pursuant to manufacturer’s

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specifications. The building manager or their designee shall be responsible for enforcing these requirements.

PDF AQ-8 The facility operator for Phase 1 shall ensure that site enforcement staff in charge of keeping the daily log and monitoring for excess idling will be trained/certified in diesel health effects and technologies, for example, by requiring attendance at California Air Resources Board-approved courses (such as the free, one-day Course #512). The building manager or their designee shall be responsible for enforcing these requirements.

PDF AQ-9 Phase 1 tenants shall include contractual language in tenant lease agreements that requires the tenant be in, and monitor compliance with, all current air quality regulations for on-road trucks including CARB’s Heavy-Duty (Tractor-Trailer) Greenhouse Gas Regulation, Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP), and the Statewide Truck and Bus Regulation.

PDF AQ-10 The Phase 1 site shall install 30 light-duty vehicle charging stations and conduit for 59 future electric light -duty vehicle charging stations. Spaces with conduit for future charging stations shall have properly sized and listed raceways/conduits, dedicated branch circuits, service panel or subpanel(s). Both the service panel or subpanel(s) and the raceway termination location shall be visibly marked as “EV CAPABLE .” PDF AQ-11 Designate 119 parking spaces for clean air/electric vehicle/vanpool parking on the Phase 1 site.

PDF AQ-12 Phase 1 t enants shall enroll in the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program and tenants shall use carriers that a re SmartWay carriers.

PDF AQ-13 The Phase 1 facility operator shall provide tenants with an information packet that:
▪ Provides information on incentive programs, such as the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program (Moyer Program) and V oucher Incentive Program, and other similar funding opportunities to upgrade their fleets. The Moyer Program On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles Voucher Incentive Program (VIP) provides funding to individuals seeking to purchase new or used vehicles with 2013 or l ater model year engines to replace an existing vehicle that is to be scrapped. ▪ Recommends the use of electric or alternatively fueled sweepers with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters;
▪ Recommends the use of water-based or low VOC cleaning; and ▪ For occupants with more than 250 employees, information related to SCAQMD Rule 2202, which requires the establishment of a transportation demand management program to reduce employee commute vehicle emissions.

PDF AQ-14 Signs shall be installed at each Phase 1 exit driveway, providing directional information to the City’s truck route. Text on the sign shall read “To Truck Route” with a directional arrow. Truck routes shall be clearly marked pursuant to the Municipal code.

PDF AQ-15 The Phase 1 site shall be designed such that any check-in point for trucks is well inside the facility to ensure that there are no trucks queuing outside the facility. Vehicles can access the building using paved roads and parking lots. Further, the applicant shall pr ovide

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signage to ensure that no trucks are queuing outside the facility . Signage shall also be placed at the entrance of the site for the community in case of complaints and shall include the phone number of the building manager or designee. The building manager or designee shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this measure tenant and third - party truck owners.

PDF AQ-16 The Phase 1 portion of the Project shall provide funding for 30 grants for the purchase of zero emission vehicle passenger cars for on-site employees. The program shall prioritize applicants who live in the City of Beaumont and the surrounding area (i.e., employees that are residents of Beaumont, Banning, or Calimesa) and who do not already own a zero emission vehicle. Additionally, grantees must be employed at the Project site for a minimum of five years. Grantees employed for less than five years must return the zero emission vehicle so that it can be used by a current employee .

PDF AQ-17 Phase 1 shall install photocatalytic pavements or pavement coatings (such as PURETi Coat or PlusTi) that lessens pavement -related radiative forcing by reducing heat absorption and the convective re-release (pavement emissivity) from solar radiation, as well as naturally decomposing surrounding at mospheric NO2 when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

PDF AQ-18 During Phase 1, t he Project shall improve vegetation and tree canopy for all sensitive receptors’ properties located within a 300 -foot radius of the Project boundary for a maximum one-time contribution of $5,000 per sensitive receptor’s property. The funds may be used for vegetation installation, the vegetation itself, and vegetation irrigation. If the Applicant provides reasonable evidence to the City of contacting the property owners of the s ensitive receptor(s) and offering to plant vegetation and tree canopy, and the offer is declined or the property owner(s) cannot be reached, no further action shall be required.

4.7.5 Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Impact 4.7-1 Would the Project generate GHG emissions, either directly or indirectly, that could have a significant impact on the environment?
Level of Significance: Significant Unavoidable Impact
Short -Term Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Project would result in direct emissions of CO2, N2O, and CH4 from construction equipment and the transport of materials and construction workers to and from the Project site. The GHG emissions only occur during temporary construction activities and would be cease once construction is complet e. The total GHG emissions generated during all phases of construction were combined and are shown in Table 4.7-2, Construction-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions .

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Table 4.7-2: Construction-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions Category MTCO2e
Phase 1 Construction
Construction Year 1 (2023) 3,809
Construction Year 2 (2024) 4,041
Total Phase 1 Construction Emissions 7,850
Phase 1: 30-Year Amortized Construction Emissions 262
Phase 2 Construction
Construction Year 3 (202 6 ) 698
Construction Year 4 (202 7 ) 299
Total Phase 2 Construction Emissions 997
Phase 2: 30-Year Amortized Construction Emissions 33
Source: CalEEMod version 2020.4.0. Refer to Appendix F for model outputs.

As shown, Phase 1 of the Project would result in the generation of approximately 7,850 MTCO2 e over the course of construction and Phase 2 would generate approximately 997 MTCO 2 e over the course of construction. Construction GHG emissions are typically summed and amortized over a 30 year period and then added to the operational emissions. The amortized Project Phase 1 construction emissions would be 262 MTCO2e per year while the amortized Project Phase 2 construction emissions would be 33 MTCO2e per year. Total amortized emissions for Project Buildout woul d be 295 MTCO2 e per year. Once construction is complete, the generation of these GHG emissions would cease .

Long -Term Operational Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Operational or long -term emissions occur over the life of the Project. GHG emissions would result from direct emissions such as Project generated vehicular traffic, on-site combustion of natural gas, and operation of any landscaping equipment. Operational GHG emissions would also result from indirect sources, such as off-site generation of electrical power, the energy required to convey water to, and wastewater from the Project , the emissions associated with solid waste generated from the Project, and any fugitive refrigerants from air conditioning or refrigerators.

Phase 1 Operational Emissions
GHG emiss ions associated with Phase 1 of the Project are summarized in Table 4.7-3, Phase 1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions . As shown in Table 4.7-3, the Project ’s unmitigated emissions would be approximately 20,646 MTCO2 e annually from both construction and operations . Project-related GHG emissions would exceed the City’s 3,000 MTCO2e per year threshold. The majority of the GHG emissions (67 percent of unmitigated emissions and 96 percent of mitigated emissions ) are associated with non-construction related mobile sources. Emissions of motor vehicles are controlled by State and Federal standards, and the Project has no control over these standards.

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Table 4.7-3: Phase 1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Emissions Source
MTCO2e per Year
Unmitigated Mitigated Mitigated 20408
Area and Indirect Stationary Sources
Construction Amortized Over 30 Years 262 262 262
Area Source 1 0.12 0.07 0.07
Energy2 1,512 1,355 470
Off-road (Forklifts and Yard Trucks)3 3,649 848 848
Emergency Backup Generator 59 59 59
Waste 1,211 303 303
Water and Wastewater4 83 83 32
Solar PV5 N/A -2,417 -2,417
Subtotal 6,776 493 -443
Mobile Sources3
Warehouse Trucks6 8,856 8,856 5,949
Warehouse Passenger Cars6 5,014 4,754 3,943
30 Zero Emission Vehicles7 N/A -99 -78
Subtotal 13,870 13,511 9,814
Total 20,646 14,004 9,371
Beaumont GHG Threshold 3,000 3,000 3,000
Exceeds Threshold? Yes Yes Yes

1. Mitigation Measure GHG-4 requires electric landscaping equipment, which would reduce area source emissions.

2. Mitigation Measure GHG-2 requires buildings to meet or exceed CALGreen Tier 2 standards.

3. PDF AQ-2 requires cargo handling equipment (including yard trucks, hostlers, yard goats, pallet jacks, and forklifts) to be powered by electricity. Unmitigated emissions from diesel equipment are disclosed for informational purposes.

4. Water consumption is based on the Project’s Water Supply Assessment.

5. Mitigation Measure GHG-1 requires the installation of photovoltaic solar panels to offset energy emissions.

6. Mitigation Measure AQ -3 (refer to the Projects Air Quality Assessment) requires implementation of a TDM progra m.

7. The Project would provide a grant program for the purchase of 30 electric passenger cars for on -site employees per PDF AQ-16. Note that these emissions reductions have been included for informational purposes and are not considered as part of the sig nificance determination.

8. 2040 emissions are provided for informational purposes only. Emissions decrease in future years due to phased -in emissions standards, fleet turnover, and more stringent renewable electricity goals pursuant to state regulations.

Source: CalEEMod version 2020.4.0. Refer to Appendix F for model outputs.

Phase 2 Operational Emissions
GHG emissions associated with Phase 2 of the Project are summarized in Table 4.7-4: Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions . As shown in Table 4.7-4, the Project’s unmitigated emissions would be approximately 11,580 MTCO2e annually from both construction and operations. Project -related GHG emissions would exceed the City’s 3,000 MTCO2e per year threshold. The majority of the GHG emissions (86 percent unmitigated and 90 percent mitigated) are associated with non-construction related mobile sources.

Emissions of motor vehicles are controlled by State and Federal standards, and the Project has no control over these standards.

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Table 4.7-4: Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Emissions Source
MTCO2e per Year
Unmitigated Mitigated Mitigated 2040
Stationary Sources
Construction Amortized Over 30 Years 33 33 33
Area Source 1 0.02 0.01 0.01
Energy2 1,284 1,085 679
Waste 3 221 55 55
Water and Wastewater4 99 99 24
Subtotal 1,639 1,272 791
Mobile Sources
Employee, Delivery, and Retail Customers5 9,943 9,831 8,021 Subtotal 9,943 9,983 8,021
Total 11,580 11,103 8,812
Beaumont GHG Threshold 3,000 3,000 3,000
Exceeds Threshold? Yes Yes Yes

1. Mitigation Measure GHG-4 requires electric landscaping equipment, which would reduce area source emissions.

2. Mitigation Measure GHG-2 requires buildings to meet or exceed CALGreen Tier 2 standards.

3. PDF AQ-2 requires cargo handling equipment (including yard trucks, hostlers, yard goats, pallet jacks, and forklifts) to be powered by electricity. Unmitigated emissions from diesel equipment are disclosed for informational purposes.

4. Water consumption is based on the Project’s Water Supply Assessment.

5. Mitigation Measure AQ-3 (refer to the Projects Air Quality Assessment) requires implementation of a TDM program.

6. 2040 emissions are provided for informational purposes only. Emissions decrease in future years due to phased -in emissions standards, fleet turnover, and more stringent renewable electricity goals pursuant to state regulations.

Source: CalEEMod version 2020.4.0. Refer to Appendix F for model outputs.

The Project includes numerous PDFs that would minimize emissions. For example, the project would not include cold storage, which would reduce emissions from electricity consumption and transport refrigeration units (TRUs). All cargo handling equipment (forklifts, yard trucks, etc.) is required to be electrically powered to reduce on-site criteria pollutant emissions. All heavy-duty vehicles registered in California and entering or operated on the project sit e shall be model year 2010 or later. In order to promote the use of alternative fuels and clean fleets and facilitate future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment, the Project would install 30 light -duty vehicle charging stations, install conduit for 59 future electric light -duty vehicle charging stations, and designate 119 parking spaces for clean air/electric vehicle/vanpool parking. Additionally, the Project would require future tenants to attend CARB training for record keeping and ensuring vehicles comply with CARB regulations and are in good condition, enroll in the EPA’s SmartWay program, provide information on CARB’s Carl Moyer Voucher Incentive Program to upgrade fleets, include signage for truck routes and locate check-in points to ensure truck queues do not occur outside of the facility.

Additionally, MM AQ-3 through MM AQ-6 have been identified in Section 4.2, Air Quality to reduce operational emissions. MM AQ -3 requires the implementation of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program to reduce single occupant vehicle trips and encourage transit. MM AQ-4 requires the buildings to be designed to accommodate electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, MM AQ -5 prohibits idling

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when engines are not in use, and MM AQ-6 is required to incentivize the use of cleaner operating trucks to reduce emissions .

Standard Conditions (SC) GHG -1 through SC GHG-9, as required by the California Building Code, would provide designated parking to promote the use of alternative fuels and clean fleets, facilitate future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment, and limit idling times. MM GHG-1 requires the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to offset the Project’s ene rgy consumption and MM GHG-2 requires the Project to meet or exceed CALGreen Tier 2 standards to further improve energy efficiency.

Additionally, MM GHG-3 requires the Project to divert 75 percent of waste from landfills and MM GHG-4 requires landscape equipment to be 100 percent electric.

In addition, the Project would be required to comply with SCAQMD Rule 2305 which would directly reduce emissions or to otherwise facilitate emissions reductions. Alternatively, warehouse operators can choose to pay a mitigation fee. Funds from the mitigation fee will be used to incentivize the purchase of cleaner trucks and charging/fueling infrastructure in communities nearby. Although Rule 2305 focuses on air quality pollutant emissions, the rule would facilitate cleaner vehicles and supporting infrastructure that would also result in GHG benefits.

Warehouse owners and operators are required to earn Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions (WAIRE) Points each year. WAIRE points are a menu -based system earned by emission reduction measures. Warehouse operators are required to submit an annual WAIRE Report which includes truck trip data and emission reduction measures. WAIRE points can be earned by completing actions from a menu that can include acquiring and us ing natural gas, Near-Zero Emissions and/or Zero-Emissions on- road trucks, zero-emission cargo handling equipment, solar panels or zero-emission charging and fueling infrastructure, or other options.

A preliminary WAIRE calculation has been conducted for the proposed Project. The Project would include rooftop solar (refer to MM GHG-1) and nine zero emission yard trucks that would operate for approximately 8 hours per day, 365 days per year. Based on the SCAQMD WAIRE User Calculator the Project would have a Warehouse Points Compliance Obligation (WPCO) of 1,122 and would earn 9,283 points. As a result, the Project more than fulfill its WPCO and would bank 8,161 points.14 As shown in Table 4.7-3 and Table 4.7-4, mitigation and PDFs would individually reduce Phase 1 and Phase 2 stationary emissions to below the City’s industrial threshold of 3,000 MTCO 2e, however mobile source emissions would continue to exceed the threshold. The TDM program required by MM AQ-3 will reduce GHG emissions from employees commuting to work, however the number of delivery trips and retail customer trips would not be reduced by a TDM program.

Implementation of these PDFs, mitigation measures, and standard conditions would reduce Phase 1 GHG emissions to 34,306 MTCO2 e per year and Pha se 2 GHG emissions to 11,311 MTCO2e per year, the

14 Note that this calculation is preliminary and provided for informational purposes. The WAIRE Points Compliance Obligation is determined by the actual number of truck trips to the facility based on logs of truck trips submitted on January 1 after the first year of operation. The trip rates that SCAQMD uses in the WAIRE User Calculator would be slightly different than what is used in the Project’s Traffic St udy.

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Project’s emissions would still exceed the 3,000 MTCO2e per year threshold. Additional mitigation to further reduce these emissions is not feasible.

Additional mitigation to reduce the Project’s mobile emissions is not feasible due to the limited ability of the City of Beaumont to address emissions resulting from trucks, cars, and/or emissions generated by these trucks outside of the City’s limits. As with all land use projects, the Project’s mobi le and transportation related GHG emissions are a function of two parameters: emissions control technology and vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

CARB is directly responsible for regulating mobile and transportation source emissions in the State.

Regarding the first parameter, California addresses emissions control technology through a variety of legislation and regulatory schemes, including the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (Executive Order S-01-07) (LCFS), a regulatory program designed to encourage the use of cleaner low-carbon transportation fuels in California, encourage the production of those fuels, and therefore, reduce GHG emissions and decrease petroleum dependence in the transportation sector. The regulatory standards are expressed in terms of the “carbon intensity” of gasoline and diesel fuel and their substitutes. Different types of fuels are evaluated to determine their “life cycle emissions” which include the emissions associated with producing, transporting, and using the fuels. Each fuel is then given a carbon intensity score and compared against a declining carbon intensity benchmark for each year. Providers of transportation fuels must demonstrate that the mix of fuels they supply for use in California meets these declining benchmarks for each annual compliance period. In 2018, CARB approved amendments to the LCFS, which strengthened the carbon intensity benchmarks through 2030 to ensure they are in -line with California’s 2030 GHG emission reduction target enacted through SB 32. This ensures tha t the transportation sector is meeting its obligations to achieve California’s GHG reduction targets. The state is also implementing legislation and regulations to address the second parameter affecting transportation related GHG emissions by controlling for VMT. Examples of this include SB 375, which links land use and transportation funding and provides one incentive for regions to achieve reductions in VMT, and SB 743, which discourages VMT increases for passenger car trips above a region-specific benchmark. However, the state has determined that VMT regulations are not applicable to heavy trucks, such as those that will utilize the proposed Project and generate the majority of the Project’s GHG emissions.

As such, the City of Beaumont has no regulatory control over emissions control technology and therefore limited ability to control or mitigate emissions associated with truck emissions associated with this Project.

Additional mitigation to further reduce the Project’s non-mobile emissions is also not feasible. The Project’s PDFs already address non-mobile emissions to extent possible, by designing buildings to provide environmental design features, incorporate energy and water conservation measures, and p rovide electrical, heating, ventilation, lighting, and power systems that meet CALGreen Standards (MM GHG-2 requires the Project to meet or exceed CALGreen Tier 2 standards, which exceeds code requirements).

Further, the project would offset energy demand with solar PV infrastructure (MM GHG-1), divert 75 percent of solid waste from landfills (MM GHG-3) and require landscape equipment to be 100 percent electric (MM GHG-4). Additionally, the project includes design features to require electric cargo handling equipment, EV charging stations, among various others describe above.

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The reliance on carbon offsets to reduce either the Project’s mobile or non-mobile emissions is also not feasible, as no local programs are available that would meet CEQA’s criteria for a valid mitigation measure.

To reduce emissions, purchased offset credits must be genuine, quantifiable, additional, and verifiable.

Even offset credits purchased from CARB -approved offset project registries have been determined to not adequately assure that purchased offset credits accurately and reliably represent actual emissions reductions or cannot guarantee that such reductions are additional to any reduction that would occur under business -as-usual operations and reductions required by law. Such offsets have been determined to not comply with CEQA’s definition of a valid mitigation measure. See Golden Door Properties, LLC v.

County of San Diego (2020) 50 Cal.App.5th 467.

The City of Beaumont, the lead agency for the Project and the entity responsible for enforcing any mitigation measures incorporated into the Project and relied upon to reduce impacts to a less than significant level, has no enforcement authority over offset credits that fund carbon reduction projects outside of the City. Many offset credits “sell” reductions in emissions generated outside of California, which may not be genuine or verifiable. International offsets are even more difficult to verify, guarantee and enforce. Even CARB does not have enforcement authority over such reduction s, let alone the City of Beaumont. Thus, the purchase of offset credits is not a feasible mitigation measure to reduce the emissions impact of the proposed Project.

Therefore, despite the incorporation of all feasible mitigation measures, the remaining mob ile emissions in Phase 1 and Phase 2 cannot feasibly be mitigated because neither the Project nor the City has the regulatory authority to control tailpipe emissions. For additional information, Table 4.7-3 and Table 4.7-4 show anticipated Phase 1 and Phas e 2 emissions in 2040, as current State and Federal regulations continue to reduce GHG emissions. However even by 2040, mobile source emissions would remain above the City’s threshold.

Project Buildout Operational Emissions
GHG emissions associated with the entire Project are summarized in Table 4.7-5, Project Buildout Greenhouse Gas Emissions. As shown in Table 4.7-5, at Project Buildout, the combination of Phase 1 and Phase 2, the unmitigated emissions would be approximately 32,226 MTCO2 e annually from both construction and operations. Project -related GHG emissions would exceed the City’s 3,000 MTCO2e per year threshold. The majority of the GHG emissions (74 percent unmitigated and 93 percent mitigated) are associated with non-construction related mobile sources. Emissions of motor vehicles are controlled by State and Federal standards, and the Project has no control over these standards.

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Table 4.7-5: Project Buildout Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Emissions Source
MTCO2e per Year
Unmitigated Mitigated Mitigated 20408
Area and Indirect Sources
Construction Amortized Over 30 Years 295 295 295
Area Source 1 0.14 0.08 0.08
Energy2 2,796 2,440 1,149
Off-road (Forklifts and Yard Trucks)3 3,649 848 848
Emergency Backup Generator 59 59 59
Waste 1,432 358 358
Water and Wastewater4 182 182 56
Solar PV5 N/A -2,417 -2,417
Subtotal 8,413 1,765 348
Mobile Sources3
Trucks, Employees, Delivery, and Retail
Customers6 23,813 23,441 17,913
30 Zero Emission Vehicles7 N/A -99 -78
Subtotal 23,813 23,342 17,835
Total 32,226 25,107 18,183
Beaumont GHG Threshold 3,000 3,000 3,000
Exceeds Threshold? Yes Yes Yes

1. Mitigation Measure GHG-4 requires electric landscaping equipment, which would reduce area source emissions.

2. Mitigation Measure GHG-2 requires buildings to meet or exceed CALGreen Tier 2 standards.

3. PDF AQ-2 requires cargo handling equipment (including yard trucks, hostlers, yard goats, pallet jacks, and forklifts) to be powered by electricity. Unmitigated emissions from diesel equipment are disclosed for informational purposes.

4. Water consumption is based on the Project’s Water Supply Assessment.

5. Mitigation Measure GHG-1 requires the installation of photovoltaic solar panels to offset energy emissions.

6. Mitigation Measure AQ -3 (refer to the Projects Air Quality Assessment) requires implementation of a TDM program.

7. The Project would provide a grant program for the purchase of 30 electric passenger cars for on -site employees per PDF AQ-16. Note that these emissions reductions have been included for informational purposes and are not considered as part of the significance de termination.

8. 2040 emissions are provided for informational purposes only. Emissions decrease in future years due to phased -in emissions standards, fleet turnover, and more stringent renewable electricity goals pursuant to state regulations.

Source: CalEEMod version 2020.4.0. Refer to Appendix F for model outputs.

Since mitigated future mobile source emissions exceed the City’s 3,000 MTCO2e threshold and no additional feasible mitigation beyond MM AQ -3 through MM AQ -6 (refer to Section 4.2, Air Quality ) and MM GHG-1 through MM GHG-4 are available to further reduce emissions, this impact remains significant and unavoidable.

Standard Conditions and Requirements
Standard Conditions are existing requirements and standard conditions that are based on local, state, or federal regulations or laws that are frequently required independently of CEQA review. Typical standard conditions and requirements include compliance with the provisions of the Building Code, SCAQMD Rules, etc. The City may impose additional conditions during the approval pro cess, as appropriate. Because

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Standard Conditions are neither Project specific nor a result of development of the Project, they are not considered to be either PDFs or Mitigation Measures.

SC GHG-1 Require construction equipment to turn off when not in u se per Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 2449.

SC GHG-2 In accordance with California Title 24 Standards, buildings will be designed to have 15 percent of the roof area “solar ready” that will structurally accommodate later installation of rooftop solar panels. If future building operators pursue providing rooftop solar panels, they will submit plans for solar panels prior to occupancy.

SC GHG-3 Install water-efficient irrigation systems and devices, such as soil moisture -based irrigat ion controls and sensors for landscaping according to the City’s Water Efficient Landscape Requirements (Section 17.06.030 of the City’s Municipal Code).

SC GHG-4 Design buildings to be water -efficient. Install water-efficient fixtures in accordance with Section 5.303 of the California Green Building Standards Code Part 11.

SC GHG-5 Recycle and/or salvage for reuse a minimum of 65 percent of the nonhazardous construction and demolition waste in accordance with Section 5.408.1 of the California Green Building Standards Code Part 11.

SC GHG-6 Provide storage areas for recyclables and green waste and adequate recycling containers located in readily accessible areas in accordance with Section 5.410.1 of the California Green Building Standards Code Part 11.

SC GHG-7 Provide designated parking for any combination of low -emitting, fuel efficient and carpool/van pool vehicles. At least eight percent of the total parking spaces are required to be designated in accordance with Section 5.106.5.2, Designated Parking for Clean Air Vehicles, of the California Green Building Standards Code Part 11.

SC GHG-8 Provide at least six percent of the total parking spaces to facilitate future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment in accordance with Section 5.106.5.3.2, Mu ltiple Charging Space Requirements, of the California Green Building Standards Code Part

11. SC GHG-9 Limit idling time for commercial vehicles to no more than five minutes per Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 2485.

Mitigation Measures
Refer to MM AQ -1 through MM AQ-6 in Section 4.2, Air Quality. The following additional mitigation is also required.

MM GHG-1 Phase 1 of t he Project shall install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or other source of renewable energy generation on-site, or otherwise acquire energy from the local utility that has been generated by renewable sources, that would provide 100 percent of the expected building load (i.e., the Title 24 electricity demand and the plug -load,

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conservatively anticipated to be approximately 8.87 kilowatt hours per year [kWh/year] per square foot 15,16).

With expected energy consumption at 8.87 kWh/sf, a PV panel array covering approximately one quarter of the proposed roof space would provide sufficient on - site renewable energy generation to offset consumption. The final PV generation facility size requires approval by Southern California Edison (SCE). SCE’s Rule 21 governs operating and metering requirements for any facility connected to SCE’s distribution system. Should SCE limit the off-site export, the proposed Project may utilize a battery energy storage system (BESS) to lower off -site export while maintaining on-site renewable generation to offset consumption.

Should the energy consumption characteristics of a future tenant differ from this projection, there is sufficient space on the rooftop for the system to roughly triple on - site generation. The building shall include an electrical system and other infrastructure sufficiently sized to accommodate the PV arrays. The electrical system and infrastructure must be clearly labeled with noticeable and permanent signage.

MM GHG-2 Prior to the issuance of a Phase 1 or Phase 2 building permit, the Project Applicant or successor in interest shall provide documentation to the City of Beaumont demonstrating that the Project is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and meet or exceed CalGr een Tier 2 standards in effect at the time of building permit application.

MM GHG-3 The development (Phase 1 and Phase 2) shall divert a minimum of 75 percent of landfill waste. Prior to issuance of certificate of occupancy, a recyclables collection and load area shall be constructed in compliance with Riverside County Waste Management Department’s Design Guidelines for Recyclable Collection and Loading Areas .

MM GHG-4 Prior to the issuance of Phase 1 or Phase 2 occupancy permits, the Planning Department shall confirm that tenant lease agreements include contractual language that all landscaping equipment used onsite shall be 100 percent electrically powered .

This requirement shall be included in the third-party vendor agreements for landsca pe services for the building owner and tenants, as applicable.

Level of Significance
Significant and unavoidable impact. No additional feasible mitigation measures are available that can reduce impacts to less than significant. As explained above, the Proj ect incorporates all feasible mitigation measures that could be implemented to further reduce the Project’s GHG emissions below the 3,000 MTCO2 e threshold. There are no additional measures available that would further reduce emissions because the majority of the Project’s emissions come from mobile sources which are regulated by the State and not the City of Beaumont. Further, for the reasons dis cussed above, the purchase of offset credits is not feasible, as no local programs exist, and those offset registries that are available would not

15 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey. Table PBA4. Electricity consumption totals and conditional intensities by building activity subcategories, 2012. 75th percentile value for Nonrefrigerated Distribution Cent er = 8.5kWh/year/sf. 16 Additional consumption of 30 Level 2 EV chargers providing 6 hours of charge time for two employee shifts per day = 0.37kWh/year/sf .

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meet CEQA’s definition of a verifiable, enforceable, and therefore, valid, mitigation measure. Impacts would remain significant and unavoidable.

Impact 4.7-2 Would the Project conflict with an applicable plan, policy, or regulation of an agency adopted for the purpose of reducing GHG emissions?
Level of Significance: Significant Unavoidable Impact
Sustainable Beaumont: The City’s Roadmap to Greenhouse Gas Reductions (Climate Action Plan)
The City approved Sustain Beaumont (Climate Action Plan) in 2015 , which serves as a long -term plan for achieving sustainability by utilizing resources effectively and reducing GHG emissions. By using energy more efficiently, harnessing renewable energy to power buildings, recycling waste, and enhancing access to sustainable transportation modes, the City can keep dollars in the local economy, create new green jobs, and improve community quality of life. The goals outlined in the Climate Action Plan are shown in Table 4.7-6, City of Beaumont, Sustainable Beaumont Plan (Climate Action Plan) Consistency . As shown in Table 4.7-6, the Project would not conflict with the goals in the Climate Action Plan.

Table 4.7-6: City of Beaumont, Sustainable Beaumont Plan (Climate Action Plan) Consistency SBCOG Goals Compliance
GOAL 1: Increase energy efficiency in existing
residential units.

N/A: This is not a residential project therefore this goal is not applicable.

GOAL 2: Increase energy efficiency in new
residential development.

N/A: This is not a residential project therefore this goal is not applicable.

GOAL 3: Increase energy efficiency in existing
commercial units.

N/A: The Project site is undeveloped; therefore, this goal is not applicable.

GOAL 4: Increase energy efficiency in new
commercial development .

Consistent: Project is required to comply with the provisions of the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards
and the Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen).

GOAL 5: Increase energy efficiency through
water efficiency.

Consistent: The Project will incorporate low flow appliances and water efficient landscaping.

GOAL 6: Decrease energy demand through
reducing urban heat island effect.

Consistent: The Project will incorporate light colored materials to reduce heat absorption in accordance with Section
140.3(a) of the California Building Code.

GOAL 7: Decrease GHG emissions through
reducing vehicle miles traveled.

Consistent: The Project will incorporate a Transportation Design Management program (refer to MM AQ -3 in the
Section 4.2 Air Quality).

GOAL 8: Decrease GHG emissions through
reducing solid waste generation.

Consistent: The Project will comply with AB 939 and will divert at least 50 percent of solid waste from landfills.

Additionally, MM GHG-3 requires the Project to divert
75 percent of its solid waste from landfills
GOAL 9: Decrease GHG emissions through
increasing clean energy use.

Consistent: Project is required to comply with the provisions of the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards
and CALGreen. MM GHG-2 requires the Project to
meet CalGreen Tier 2 standards.

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SBCOG Goals Compliance
GOAL 10: Decrease GHG emissions from new
development through performance
standards
N/A: The City has not implemented the GHG Screening
Table.

Source: City of Beaumont, Sustainable Beaumont: The City’s Roadmap to Greenhouse Gas Reductions, October 2015.

Riverside County Climate Action Plan Greenhouse Gas Screening Tables Although the Project is currently located in the City of Beaumont, the Project area was annexed from Riverside County in 2016. Under the Riverside County CAP, projects that generate less than 3,000 MTCO2e are considered less than significant, projects that generate more than 3,000 MTCO 2e must achieve at least 100 points on the Riverside County GHG Emissions Screening Tables (Screening Tables) to demonstrate consistency with CAP. Projects that achieve 100 points on the Screening Tables are also considered less than significant. The Screening Tables establishes a points system that assigns values for each GHG emissions mitigation design element or operational program feature incorporated into a given development project. For informational purposes, the Project is also shown to be consistent with the Riverside County CAP.

Table 4.7-7, Riverside County Climate Action Plan Screening Table identifies potential design features and their associated scores for commercial/industrial projects. Typical development projects for this category of the Screen Tables include retail commercial, big box retail, office buildings, business parks, and typical warehousing. However, more unusual types of industrial projects, such as cement manufacturing , metal foundries, refrigerant manufacturing, electric generating stations, and oil refineries, cannot use the Screening Tables because the emission sources for those types of uses were not contemplated in the Riverside County CAP. Table 4.7-7 shows that t he proposed Project has the potential to achieve 100 points on the Screening Tables.

Table 4.7-7: Riverside County Climate Action Plan Screening Table Feature Description Assigned
Point Value
Insulation
2017 Title 24 Requirements (walls: R -13; roof/attic: R-30) 0 Modestly Enhanced Insulation (walls: R-13; roof/attic: R-38) 9 Enhanced Insulation (rigid wall insulation: R -13; roof/attic: R-38) 11 Greatly Enhanced Insulation (spray foam wall insulated walls R -15 or higher) roof/attic R-38 or higher) 12
Windows
2016 Title 24 Windows (0.57 U-factor, 0.4 solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) 0 Modestly Enhanced Window Insulation {0.4 U-Factor, 0.32 SHGC) 4 Enhanced Window Insulation {0.32 U -Factor, 0.25 SHGC) 5 Greatly Enhanced Window Insulation {0.28 or less U -Factor, 0.22 or less SHGC) 7 Cool Roof
Modest Cool Roof (CRRC Rated 0.15 aged solar reflectance, 0.75 thermal emittance) 7 Enhanced Cool Roof (CRRC Rated 0.2 aged solar reflectance, 0.75 thermal emittance) 8

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Feature Description Assigned
Point Value
Greatly Enhanced Cool Roof (CRRC Rated 0.35 aged solar reflectance, 0.75 thermal emittance) 10
Air Infiltration
Air barrier applied to exterior walls, calking, and visual inspection such as the HERS Verified Quality Insulation Installation (QII or equivalent) 7 Blower Door HERS Verified Envelope Leakage or equivalent 6 Thermal Storage of
Building
Modest Thermal Mass (10% of floor or 10% of walls: 12" or more thick exposed concrete or masonry. No permanently installed floor covering such as carpet, linoleum, wood or other insulating materials)
2 Enhanced Thermal Mass (20% of floor or 20% of walls: 12" or more thick exposed concrete or masonry. No permanently installed floor covering such as carpet, linoleum, wood or other insulating materials)
4 Enhanced Thermal Mass (80% of floor or 80% of walls: 12" or more thick exposed concrete or masonry. No permanently installed floor covering such as carpet, linoleum, wood or other insulating materials)
14 Indoor Space Efficiencies
Heating/Cooling
Distribution System
Minimum Duct Insulation (R -4.2 required) 0
Modest Duct insulation (R-6) 5
Enhanced Duct Insulation (R -8) 6
Distribution loss reduction with inspection (HERS Verified Duct Leakage or equivalent) 8
Space Heating/
Cooling Equipment
2016 Title 24 Minimum HVAC Efficiency (EER 13/75% AFUE or 7.7 HSPF} 0 Improved Efficiency HVAC (EER 14/78% AFUE or 8 HSPF) 4
High Efficiency HVAC (EER 15/80% AFUE or 8.5 HSPF) 5
Very High Efficiency HVAC (EER 16/82% AFUE or 9 HSPF) 7 Water Heaters
2016 Title 24 Minimum Efficiency (0.57 Energy Factor) 0 Improved Efficiency Water Heater (0.675 Energy Factor) 8 High Efficiency Water Heater (0.72 Energy Factor) 10
Very High Efficiency Water Heater (0.92 Energy factor) 11 Solar Pre -heat System (0.2 Net Solar Fraction) 2
Enhanced Solar Pre -heat System (0.35 Net Solar Fraction) 5 Daylighting
All peripheral rooms within building have at least one window or skylight 0 All rooms within the living space have daylight (through use of windows, solar tubes, skylights, etc.) 1
All rooms daylighted 1
Artificial Lighting
Efficient lights (25% of In -unit fixtures considered high efficacy. High efficacy is defined as 40 lumens/watt for 15 watt or less fixtures: 5O lumens/watt for 15 to 40 watt fixtures, 60 lumens/watt for fixtures >40watt)
5 High Efficiency lights (50% of in-unit fixtures are high efficacy) 7

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Feature Description Assigned
Point Value
Very High Efficiency Lights (100% of in -unit fixtures are high efficacy) 8 Appliances
Energy Star Commercial Refrigerator (new) 2
Energy Star Commercial Dish Washer (new) 2
Energy Star Commercial Cloth e s Washing 2
Miscellaneous Commercial Building Efficiencies
Building Placement
North/south alignment of building or other building placement such that the orientation of the buildings optimizes conditions for natural heating, cooling, and lighting
4 Shading At least 90% of south-facing glazing will be shaded by vegetation or overhangs at noon on Jun 21st 6
Clean Energy
Photovoltaic
Solar panels provide 30 percent of power needs of the project 8 Solar panels provide 40 percent of power needs of the project 12 Solar panels provide 50 percent of power needs of the project 16 Solar panels provide 60 percent of power needs of the project 19 Solar panels provide 70 percent of power needs of the project 23 Solar panels provide 80 percent of power needs of the project 26 Solar panels provide 90 percent of power needs of the project 30 Solar panels provide 100 percent of power needs of the project 34 Wind Turbines
Wind turbines provide 30 percent of power needs of the project 8 Wind turbines provide 40 percent of power needs of the project 12 Wind turbines provide 50 percent of power needs of the project 16 Wind turbines provide 60 percent of power needs of the project 19 Wind turbines provide 70 percent of power needs of the project 23 Wind turbines provide 80 percent of power needs of the project 26 Wind turbines provide 90 percent of power needs of the project 30 Wind turbines provide 100 percent of power needs of the project 34 Irrigation and Landscaping
Water Efficient
Landscaping
Eliminate conventional turf from landscaping 0
Only moderate water using plants 2
Only low water using plants 3
Only California Native landscape that requires no, or only supplemental, irrigation 5 Water Efficient
Irrigation Systems
Low precipitation spray heads <. 75"/hour, or drip irrigation 1 Weather based Irrigation control systems combined with drip irrigation (demonstrate 20% reduced water use) 3