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: sarah.a
[email protected]
PROJECT TITLE: 2-Water Booster Pump Station Redundancy
Improvements at the Fresno-Clovis Regional
Wastewater Reclamation Facility
PROJECT LOCATIONS: 5607 W. Jensen Avenue
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the project is to establish redundancy in the current 2-Water Booster Pump Station which would
allow for continued operati on without the immediate
failure of the mechanical pu mps; thereby, safeguarding critical assets at the Facilit
y
The Project is exempt under Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Class 1 consists of the operati on, repair, maintenance, permitt ing, 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 Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (Facility) relies on untreated non-potable water (2-water) production and conveyance for the functionality of critical equipment. The 2-water booster pump station is a critical system at the Facility as it provides flush water to the mechanical pumps, cooling water for the raw sewage pumps, provides water to the heat exchangers for their heating and cooling process, and is a large source of cleaning water. When the 2-water booster pumps fail, all the mechanical pumps immediately fail due to lack of flush water.
This project includes installation of a redundant storage tank, and the addition and reconfiguration of valves and piping to allow for isolation of the system elements. These improvements will provide redundancy to protect critical assets at the RWRF, and allow staff to perform more regul ar routine service and maint enance of the pump station components, thereby extending their useful life, as is consistent with a Section 15301/Class 1 exemption. The proposed installati on will not result in any expansion of the existing use of the 2-water system. T he redundant tank is intended to run when the current tank is taken offline for maintenance.
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
a
gencies.
(b) Cumulative Impact The Project will not have a cumulative negative impact over time that is significant. The installation of a redundant system to the current 2-water
pumpstation would allow for continued operations.
(c) Significant Effect The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.
(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 official ly designated as a state
scenic highway. The Project is not located near
scenic hi
ghways.
(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 the 2-water booster pump
system at the Fresno/Clovi s Regional Wastewater
Reclamation Facility, which are not historical
resources.
Furthermore, the proposed proj ect 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: January 13, 2025
Prepared by: Sarah Aguila