Attachment No. 5
Carmenita Norwalk Project - CEQA Overview
Purpose of CEQA
• CEQA is a broad, disclosure and conservation-based piece of legislation that requires an objective look at the potential physical environmental effects of a lead agency’s decision that emphasizes the efficient use of resources and the reduction of any potentially significant environmental effects. • It is meant to be a public disclosure document, and it is not intended to be a public policy advocacy document or to pass judgment or analyze whether a project is good or bad.
MND vs EIR
• CEQA requires the lead agency to examine all projects objectively based on the same criteria against an adopted set of thresholds of significance; here, the City, similar to many other nearby cities, has adopted thresholds of significance from other agencies, such as the County and SCAQMD, as the measure of when a project may result in a significant environmental impact.
• For all projects, an “Initial Study” is prepared to evaluate the Project under various topic areas (see below). A Mitigated Negative (an “IS/MND”) is the proper CEQA document to use when the initial study has identified potentially significant effects but mitigation measures are adopted and agreed to by the applicant and there is no substantial evidence in light of the whole record that the project, as mitigated, may have a significant effect on the environ ment. • EIR should be prepared when a project would result in a significant and unavoidable impact on the environment.
• IS/MND is not “abbreviated” CEQA but is the determination that all of the project’s potentially significant impacts can be mitigated through preparation of an Initial Study with adopted mitigation measures.
IS/MND T opics & Findings
Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines sets forth the Environmental Checklist Form with the following topic areas. Each topic area has multiple checklist questions:
• Aesthetics
• Agriculture & Forestry Resources
• Air Quality
• Biological Resources
• Cultural Resources
• Energy
• Geology & Soils
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Hazards & Hazardous Materials
• Hydrology & Water Quality
• Land Use & Planning
• Mineral Resources
• Noise
• Population & Housing
• Public Services
• Recreation
• Transportation
• Tribal Cultural Resources
• Utilities & Service Systems
• Mandatory Findings
The IS/MND found that all impact areas would either result in no impacts or less than significant impacts without the imposition of mitigation measures except for Cultural Resources (Archaeological Resources), Geology & Soils (Paleontological Resources), Noise (Vibration), Tribal Cultural Resources, and Mandatory Findings (Related to Archaeological & Paleontological Resources). For these topic areas, the IS/MND incorporated mitigation measures that resulted in the project, as mitigated, to result in no potential significant environmental impacts. In other words, after incorporating the mitigation measures, there is no impact that exceeds the City’s applicable threshold of significance.
IS/MND was reviewed by City staff and the City’s CEQA Peer Reviewers (Psomas & De Novo).
The findings set forth in the IS/MND are supported by the following technical studies:
Appendix A. Air Quality, Health Risk, Greenhouse Gas, and Energy Impact Report Appendix B. Health Risk Assessment
Appendix C. Historic Resources Assessment
Appendix D. Geotechnical Investigation
Appendix E. Cultural Resource Study
Appendix F. Paleontological Assessment
Appendix G. Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment
Appendix H. Subsurface Investigation Report
Appendix I. Preliminary Low Impact Development Plan
Appendix J. Preliminary Hydrology Study
Appendix K. Noise and Vibration Impact Analysis
Appendix L. Trip Generation Analysis and VMT Screening Analysis
Thresholds
Section 15064.7 - A threshold of significance is an identifiable quantitative, qualitative or performance level of a particular environmental effect, non-compliance with which means the effect will normally be determined to be significant by the agency and compliance with which means the effect normally will be determined to be less than significant.
IS/MND uses the following thresholds of significance:
• Regional emissions – SCAQMD – project would be less than all emissions thresholds • Localized emissions – SCAQMD – project would be less than all emissions thresholds • Health Risk/Cancer Risk – SCAQMD – project would be less than 10 in one million cancer risk threshold
• Operational Noise – City Municipal Code – project would not exceed City noise standards at nearby residences
• VMT Screening – County of Los Angeles – project would result in fewer than 110 net new daily passenger trips
SCAQMD Health Risk Threshold
Appellant refers to the Draft SCAQMD Health Risk Threshold, which is still in draft form and has not been formally adopted by SCAQMD. SCAQMD was routed the IS/MND and provided no comment requesting the use of the draft threshold. The current threshold, utilized by the IS/MND states that significant cancer risks would occur if risks exceed 10 in one million. The project would result in a cancer risk of 6.5 in one million at the nearest residence and 3.57 in one million at the nearest worker receptor.
Therefore, impacts would be less than significant utilizing SCAQMD’s threshold that is utilized across the City of Norwalk and surrounding jurisdict ions.