CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL & STATUTORY EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED HEREIN IS DETERMINED TO BE CATEGORICALLY
AND STATUTORILY EXEMPT FROM THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 18 AND 19 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES.
CONTACT: Debbie Khounsavath, Planner II
City of Fresno – Department of Public Utilities
1626 E. Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Phone: 559-621-1624
Email: [email protected]
PROJECT TITLE: Britten Avenue Sewer Extension Project Planning Study (Project)
PROJECT LOCATIONS: East of South Cherry Avenue, between Central Avenue and American Avenue , in Fresno County,
119.7795488°W 36.6733598°N
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Residents of the Britten Avenue Community (Community) are presently relying upon individual septic systems and leach fields for sewage disposal. Water
quality samples collected from the taps of three homes in the Community contained nitrate and/or uranium levels
meeting or exceeding the maximum contaminant level
(MCL) for drinking water. The source for the nitrate is likely residential septic tanks and fertilizer runoff from neighboring agricultural areas, whereas the uranium
originates from natural deposit s in the groundwater
aquifer. The Community desires to connect to the City’s sewer collection system.
The Community is identified as a Disadvantaged
Community (DAC) under the State Water Resources
Control Board (SWRCB) Division of Financial Assistance
Criteria. As such, the sewer improvements are eligible for 100 percent grant funding through the California State
Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) Clean
Water State Revolving Fund program.
Prior to proceeding with any construction of water
improvements, a planning study (Project) must be
completed. The Project involves preparation of financial, technical, and environmental packages including 90%
plans, construction specifications, project cost estimates, and environmental documentation that will address the
system’s water quality and wastewater deficiencies. The City of Fresno, as the Lead Agency for the Project, is also preparing and submitting a planning application to
SWRCB to fund the Project.
The Project is exempt under Section 15306 /Class 6 and Section 15262 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Under Section 15306/Class 6, projects are exempt from CEQA requirements when they consist of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded.
Under Section 15262, a project involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded does not require the preparation of an EIR or Negative Declaration but does require consideration of environmental factors. This section does not apply to the adoption of a plan that will have a legally binding effect on later activities.
The City will use Self Help Enterprises ( SHE) to perform the task s of the Project, which includes preparation of financial, technical, and environmental packages including 90% design plans, construction specifications, project cost estimates, environmental review that will address the system’s water quality and wastewater deficiencies, and preparation of an application for construction funding. SHE will also conduct community outreach, and information gathering such median household income, and other demographic information relating to the Community . The Project includes a Preliminary Engineering Report which consists of design and environmental review . The Project is essentially a feasibility study to determine project viability and continuity for construction. These activities involved in the Project are not expected to trigger new environmental concerns since they involve data collection and document preparation. Thus, the entirety of the Project is exempt under Sections 15306/Class 6 and 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines.
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.
(c) Significant Effect The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. All work
will be limited to information collection and planning studies.
(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 well site where the filter package and concrete
pad being added is not considered historical
resources.
Furthermore, the proposed project is not expected to have a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, a categorical and statutory exemption, as noted above, has been prepared for the project.
Date: March 25, 2025
Prepared by: Debbie Khounsavath