Dred Hendrickson
MERCED COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC Merced, CA 95340
DEVELOPMENT (209) 385-7654
(209) 726-1710
COUNTY www.co.merced.ca.us
Equal Opportunity Employer
February 6, 2020
Joseph Angulo
Acting Deputy Director, Public Works
City of Merced
1776 Grogan Road
Merced, CA 95341
RE: Merced County Comments for City of Merced Municipal Well Site 22 Project Dear Mr. Angulo:
Thank you for the opportunity to review and provide comment on the Municipal Well Site 22 Project scope and notice of preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR).
The County recognizes its role as a responsible agency for the EIR, resulting primarily from the project site location within the jurisdiction of unincorporated Merced County. As a result, the project is subject to the Merced County General Plan and County Code, and environmental review should include consideration of County policy and/or regulation contained in those documents.
City and County staff have previously met to discuss each agency's role in an environmental review process that would satisfy regulations contained in the County's existing groundwater mining and export ordinance (County Code §9.27). Based on prior discussion and the City's NOP for this project, the City intends to conduct environmental analysis and draft a CEQA document that would satisfy the requirements of County Code and enable the County to consider the environmental effects of the project alongside the project itself in accordance with CEQA (§15096). Specifically, this includes review of analysis related to effects on the local and/or regional groundwater system, and whether the project will result in increased groundwater overdraft, land subsidence, uncontrolled movement of inferior quality groundwater, the lowering of groundwater levels, increased groundwater degradation, streamflow depletion and depleted groundwater basins if the drought extends into future years (MCC §9.27.020.4).
With the above understanding, the County also recommends that any Groundwater Sustainability Agency that may be affected by the project be contacted for comment or identified as a responsible agency where appropriate.
The County looks forward to working with the City to support long-term service needs in a sustainable and thoughtful manner. Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on this project, and please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Sincerely
st4
Deputy Director - Planning
(209)385-7654 x4425
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