CITY OF FRESNO
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
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.
CONTACT: Soheil Mortezaeifar, Project Manager
City of Fresno – Department of Public Utilities
1626 E Street
Fresno, CA 93706
Phone: 559-621-1604
Email: Soheil.Mortezaeifar
@fresno.gov
PROJECT TITLE: Wellhead Treatment and Site Improvements at Pump Station 347
PROJECT LOCATIONS: 2220 N. Armstrong, Fresno, CA 93727; located on N Armstrong Avenue between E. Clinton Avenue and E.
Floradora Avenue. (APN: 574-22-219T)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Installation of a wellhead treatment system to remove naturally occurring contaminants from an existing
municipal potable water supply well to meet public health standards and site improvements
Prior to installation of t he wellhead treatment system, a concrete pad will be constructed to support the treatment components. The installation includes: a filtration
package consisting of eight vessels, along with
associated valves and piping, a backwash sump, and an
8-inch backwash pipeline that connects the sump to an
existing sewer manhole located approximately 10 feet
deep in the street. Minimal electrical conduit work will be installed to supply power to the newly installed valves and instrumentation. The tr eatment system will also be equipped with instrumentat ion to enable automated
operation and monitoring, bot h locally and through the City’s existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
Site improvements include the installation of a new
sidewalk from the existing pr operty to the Right of Way (ROW), requiring a permanent easement dedication and
ROW acquisition, replacement of existin
g drive approach
to align with new proposed sidewalk, replacement of front CMU with a wrought iron fence, and landscaping
improvements within the site and along the frontage.
The Project is exempt under Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Under Section 15301/Class 1, projects are exem pt from CEQA requirements when they consist of the operation, repai r, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilit ies, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. This exemption includes work on existing facilities of both investor and publicly owned utilities used to provide electric power, natural gas, sewerage, or other public utility services.
The Project described herein represents the minor alteration of the already existing Pump Station 347 (PS 347). To addr ess elevated manganese concentrations in the well water that exceed the secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (sMCL) and for the purposes of site improvement, the Project includes:
1. Installation of:
a. Concrete slab (slab (24 ft x 8 ft x 16 inches thick) b. Filtration package (eight vessels)
c. Backwash sump (2 ft x 2 ft x 8 ft deep)
d. 8-inch backwash pipeline connecti ng the sump to an existing sewer manhole approximately 10 feet deep in the street
e. New sidewalk along site’s existing frontage to the ROW, which will require a permanent easement dedication.
2. Replacement of:
a. Existing chemical and electrical conduits
b. Existing drive approach to align with new proposed sidewalk. c. Replacement of fr ont CMU wall with a wrought iron fence.
3. Landscaping improvements withi n the site and along the frontage
All work will occur within existing and publicly-owned drinking water well site. The Project will not expand the use of the existing facility, nor will it relocate any existing facilities or structures. As noted above, t he Project is merely to add the water filtration package, construct existing pipe and appurtenances, and site improvements which involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Once the wellhead treatment system and site improvements are comple te, the City will be able to us e the site as originally intended.
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. The work is entirely located in an existing
well site.
(b) Cumulative Impact The Project will not have a cumulative negative impact over time that is significant. The Project
merel
y entails adding to existing facilities.
(c) Significant Effect The Project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. All work
will be limited to the existin
g well site.
(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 well site where the filter package is being added
is not considered 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: 04/16/2025
Prepared by: Debbie Khounsavath, Planner