CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPLICATION NO. P22-01024
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETERMINED TO BE CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 19 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES.
APPLICANT: Beth Field
Department of Public Utilities
City of Fresno
2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
PROJECT LOCATION: Replacement of approximately 15,598 linear feet of various diameter water mains throughout the Calwa Towns hip. See Exhibit A.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Environmental Assessment Application No. P22-01024 was filed by Beth Field of the City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities, UP&E Division, on behalf of the City of Fresno. The project proposes to replace 11,882 linear feet of 8- inch diameter water main, 1,066 linear feet of 12- inch diameter water main, and 2,650 linear feet of 16-inch diameter water mains located in the Calwa Township that have reached the end of their useful life and are experiencing unexpected failures.
This project is exempt under Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15302/Class 2 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines as follows:
Under Section 15301/Class 1, the proposed project is exempt from CEQA requirements when the project consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use.
Under Section 15302/Class 2, the proposed project is exempt from CEQA requirements when the project consists of replacement or reconstruction of existing utility structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.
The proposed project is consistent with the Class 1 and Class 2 exemptions because the project is requesting to make improvements to existing underground water mains within the City of Fresno by replacing them with new mains. The existing water mains will be replaced with similar sized water mains and there will be negligible or no net expansion of current capacity.
Existing water services will serve the same purpose and will be provided from the replacement mains. The replacement water mains will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced.
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to the project.
(a) Location The Project is not located in a sensitive environment or an environmental resource of hazardous or critical
concern as de signated by federal, state, or local
agencies.
(b) Cumulative Impact The Project will not have a cumulative negative impact over time that is significant. A well is
rehabilitated once every 10 or more years and the
impacts are beneficial to the operation of the well and surrounding aquifer.
(c) Significant Effect The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. The well
rehabilitations are routine maintenance following
industry standards.
(d) Scenic Highways The Project will not result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources,
within a highway officially designated as a state
scenic highway. The Project is n ot located near
scenic highways.
(e) Hazardous Waste Sites The Project is not located on a hazardous waste site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to
Section 65962.5 of the Government Code.
(f) Historical Resources The Project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.
The Project is limited to rehabilitation of reclamation wells, which are not historical resources.
Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significa nt effect on the environment. A categorical exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project and the area is not environmentally sensitive.
Date: April 12, 2022
Prepared By: Erik Young, Planner II
Submitted by: Ralph Kachadourian
Ralph Kachadourian
Supervising Planner
City of Fresno
Planning & Development
Department
(559) 621-8172
Exhibit A
Calwa Township – Replacement of Water Mains