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Addressing Cumulative Impacts of Pollution: A CEQA Perspective
A Forum Presented by the Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials
Commission
December 4, 2008
Greg Tholen, Principal Environmental PlannerBay Area Air Quality Management District
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Overview
California Environmental Quality Act District CEQA Guidelines Update BAAQMD Risk Thresholds for CEQA CEQA & Thresholds of Significance CEQA & Cumulative Impacts Concepts for Developing Thresholds
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California Environmental Quality Act
Identify significant adverse effects Identify alternatives to proposed
project Avoid or mitigate significant effects Provide meaningful public disclosure Allow informed decisions Applies to public agency discretionary
actions
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BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines Update BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines (1999) provide
guidance to local agencies on air quality analysis in environmental documents
Update efforts begin December 2008, scheduled completion mid-2009
Review existing thresholds, develop additional thresholds as needed
Develop justification and supporting evidence
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BAAQMD Risk Thresholds for CEQA
Cancer risk > 10 in one million Hazard Index > 1 Applies to new receptors locating
near existing sources AND to new sources locating near existing receptors
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Thresholds of Significance
Identifiable quantitative, qualitative or performance level of an effect
Adopted by resolution, rule or regulation
Developed through public review process
Supported by substantial evidence
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Addressing Impacts Under CEQA
Changes in existing physical conditions
Significant effects caused by project to existing environment
Significant effects caused by the existing environment to the project
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Cumulative Impacts When two or more individual effects,
considered together, are considerable “Cumulatively considerable” – incremental
effects are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past, current and probable future projects
Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant projects taking place over a period of time
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Mitigation Plans & Programs
Not cumulatively considerable if project complies with plan or mitigation program
Plan must provide requirements that will avoid or substantially lessen the cumulative problem in area project is located
Plan must be law or adopted by agency with jurisdiction over resources
Developed through public review process
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Concepts for Developing Thresholds Plan-based
Based in science, plans sets regional path to sustainable, healthy environment
Establishes “fair-share” reductions from all sectors
Health/risk indicators Identify significant adverse change in
effect Based on increased risk, health effects
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Example Risk Indicator
Source: Air Quality and Land Use Handbook (CARB, 2005)
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Example Risk Indicator
Source: Air Quality and Land Use Handbook (CARB, 2005)
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Levels of Impact Project alone – effect of single project
causes significant adverse change Effect of project is cumulatively
significant – incremental contribution Effect of multiple nearby existing
uses cause significant adverse impact to new project – existing environment to project
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Where Should the Threshold be Set at Each Level?
Impact LevelThreshol
d
Project Alone ?
Incremental Contribution of Single Project
?
Existing Environment to Project ?
