RIALTO HABITAT NATURE CENTER (RHNC)ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION UPDATE
Project Purpose and Objectives
Project Description
Environmental Documentation (CEQA Plus)
Schedule
Environmental Impacts
Approvals & Permits
Questions / Comments
Agenda
Create an outdoor, passive recreational park with environmental education opportunities for Rialto residents, underserved DAC and SDAC communities, and neighboring community residents.
Provide surface water quality improvements, open space, and ecosystem and freshwater wildlife habitat by achieving the following basic objectives:
Creating Wetlands & Wildlife Habitat
Creating a Community Water Feature, Walking Trails, and Education Experience.
Present an opportunity for the City to provide these surrounding underserved communities and all City and nearby residents with additional public open space, passive recreational areas, and environmental education programs Project Purpose and Objectives
Project Description
An environmental document and supporting technical studies are currently being prepared in accordance with CEQA (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations Section 15000 et seq.). Specifically, an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) will be prepared to evaluate potential environmental effects resulting from the RHNC.
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15070, a “public agency shall prepare…a proposed negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration…when: (a) The Initial Study shows that there is no substantial evidence…that the Project may have a significant impact on the environment, or (b) The Initial Study identifies potentially significant effects but revisions to the Project plans or proposal are agreed to by the applicant and such revisions would reduce potentially significant effects to a less-than-significant level.” Environmental Documentation(CEQA Plus)
Because the Project would be partially funded by state and federal grants, compliance with CEQA and NEPA is required.
The Water Board requires preparation of necessary technical studies and documentation demonstrating that a project is in compliance with applicable federal cross-cutting environmental authorities.
The SWRCB refers to such documentation as “CEQA-Plus.”
Project must comply with CEQA, and
Applicable federal cross-cutting authorities (i.e. environmental protection acts, regulations, etc.).
The IS/MND expands beyond the typical content requirements of an initial study to include consideration of federal cross-cutting environmental review requirements.
Environmental Documentation Cont.
Technical Studies
Air Quality & Greenhouse Gasses Assessment – Complete
Cultural Resources Assessment – Complete
Preliminary Geotechnical Exploration and Review of Conceptual Plan – Complete Biological Resources Assessment – Pending
Draft complete pending CSLS final review – Completion 7-22-23 Tribal Consultation (AB 52) – Pending
Draft Consultation Letter pending review– Completion 7-22-23 Tribal Consultation – 30-day period
IS/MND – In Process
Admin Draft pending Enplanners internal review – Completion 7-26-23 CEQA Plus Progress Update
Based on the issues evaluated in the IS/MND, preliminary determination indicates the Project would have either no impact or a less-than-significant impact related to most of the following issue areas identified in the Environmental Checklist, included as Appendix G of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Preliminary Environmental Impacts
Aesthetics
Agriculture and Forestry Resources
Air Quality
Energy
Geology and Soils
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Hydrology and Water Quality
Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Land Use and Planning
Mineral Resources
Noise
Population and Housing
Public Services
Recreation
Transportation
Utilities and Service Systems
Wildfire
Potentially significant impacts were identified for biological resources, cultural resources, and tribal cultural resources; however, the following slide illustrates the mitigation measures included in the IS/MND of which would reduce all impacts to a less-than-significant level.
Biological Resources
Pre-Construction Nesting Bird Survey Mitigation
If grading or site disturbance is to occur between January 1 through August 15 for raptors and February 15 through August 31 for all other avian species, a nesting bird survey shall be conducted within all suitable habitat, on-site and within 300-feet surrounding the site (as feasible) to determine the presence of nests or nesting birds.
Cultural Resources
Discovery of Unknown Cultural Resources Mitigation
Discovery of Unknown Human Remains Mitigation
Specific performance standards shall be met prior to implementing or continuing construction activities, which may result in damage to or destruction of unknown sensitive cultural resources or human remains.
Tribal Cultural Resources
Discovery of Unknown Tribal Cultural Resources Mitigation Specific performance standards shall be met prior to implementing or continuing construction activities, which may result in damage to or destruction of unknown sensitive tribal cultural resources.
Preliminary Mitigation Measures
For federal cross-cutting compliance, the federal laws and regulations that apply to the Project are addressed within the CEQA Plus document. Based on preliminary effect determinations, no project-related impacts would occur regarding compliance of the following :
Preliminary Federal Compliance
Endanger Species Act
Magnuson-stevens Fishery Conservation And Management Act, Essential Fish Habitat National Historic Preservation Act
Clean Air Act
Coastal Zone Management Act
Coastal Barriers Resources Act
Farmland Protection Act
Floodplain Management EO 11988
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Protection of Wetlands EO 11990
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
Safe Drinking Water Act/ Source Water Protection
Environmental Justice E) 12898
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act
Climate Change
Prepare & Submit Draft CEQA Plus IS/MND for City Review 2 weeks
Revise document as necessary (1 week)
Prepare & Submit CEQA Plus IS/MND for Public Review
File Notice of Completion (NOC) & Summary Form with SCH File and distribute Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt an MND Distribute CEQA Plus IS/MND to SCH and local agencies for public review (30 day review period) State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Review
Response to Public Review Comments (2 weeks)
Prepare and Submit Final CEQA Plus IS/MND
2 weeks
File Notice of Determination (NOD)
Schedule for CEQA Review (Approx. 80 days)
CEQA Plus
City of Rialto
Water Board for NEPA/CEQA Approval
Department of Water Resources
California Department of Fish & Wildlife
US Fish & Wildlife
Permits
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
Approvals & Permits
Questions/Comments?