CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETEMINED TO BE CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 19 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES.
CONTACT: Sarah Aguila
City of Fresno – Department of Public Utilities
1626 E Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Phone: 559-621-1615
Email: [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE: Cleaning of Digester #2 and Cleaning and Rehabilitation of Digester #9 at the Fresno-Clovis
Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility
PROJECT LOCATIONS: 5607 W. Jensen Avenue
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the project is to clean and rehabilitate two existing digesters at the Regional Wastewater
Reclamation Facility, which includes cleaning,
dewatering, coating, and sealing of the interior surfaces of the digesters with an elastomeric polyurethane
material, as well as all associated facilities,
appurtenances, and incidentals.
The Project is exempt under Section 15301 (d)/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Class 1 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 proposed project is consistent with the Class 1 exemption. The Project entails the restoration of existing utility facilities. Following routine maintenance and inspections of the Digesters #2 and # 9, seepage stains and visible concrete surface cracks were discovered. This Project includes the routine cleaning and dewatering of the digesters, and removal and replacement of the existing interior coating, which has exceeded its life expectancy. The Project is necessary to correct deficiencies within the interior structure of the digesters in order to meet public health standards for a wastewater facility , as is consistent with a Section 15301 /Class 1 exemption. The proposed cleaning and restoration will not result in any expansion of the existing use of the digesters.
None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2, apply:
(a) Location The Project is not located in a sensitive environment or an environmental resource of hazardous or critical
concern as designated by federal, state, or local
agencies.
(b) Cumulative Impact The Project will not have a cumulative negative impact over time that is significant. A digester is
rehabilitated once every 7 or more years and the
impacts are beneficial to the operation of the
wastewater facility.
(c) Significant Effect The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. The
digester 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 not 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 digesters at the Fresno/Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation
Facility, which are not historical resources.
Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, a categorical exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project.
Date: May 9, 2024
Prepared by: Sarah Aguila