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Home My WebLink About7 Public Hearing CEQA - Electric System Master PlanAgendaItem#rt7kHRUCKEEDONNERPublicUtilityDistrictPUBLICHEARINGTo:BoardofDirectorsFrom:SannaSchiosserDate:February05,2020Subject:PublicHearingfortheCEQAInitialStudyandProposedNegativeDeclarationfortheElectricSystemMasterPlan-20191.WHYTHISMATTERISBEFORETHEBOARDItistheBoard’spurviewtoconductaPublicHearingfortheCEQAInitialStudyandProposedNegativeDeclarationfortheElectricSystemMasterPlan-2019.2.HISTORYTheCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)InitialStudyandproposedNegativeDeclarationwerepresentedtotheBoardattheJanuary15,2020BoardMeeting.TheBoardauthorizedcirculationofthesedocumetsandscheduledaPublicHearingforFebruary5,2020.3.NEWINFORMATIONThePublicHearinghasbeenannouncedasrequiredbylaw.Thethirty-daypubliccommentperiodwillexpireonFebruary22,2020.AnActionItemtoconsideradoptingthedocumentsisproposedtobeincludedontheAgendafortheMarch4,2020BoardMeeting,subsequenttothecloseofthepubliccommentperiod.Commentsreceivedwillbeincorporatedintothethefinaldocuments,asrequired.4.FISCALIMPACTThereisnofiscalimpactassociatedwiththisitem.5.RECOMMENDATIONConductaPublicHearingfortheCEQAInitialStudyandProposedNegativeDeclarationfortheElectricSystemMasterPlan-2019.frZoJoeHorvathMichaelD.HolleyElectricUtilityDirectorGeneralManager CaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)ProposedNegativeDeclarationForTRUCKEEDONNERPUBLICUTILITYDISTRICTElectricSystemMasterPlan-2019 ProjectDescription:Theprojectistheadoptionofthe2019ElectricSystemMasterPlan,whichisanupdateoftheDistrict’sexistingElectricSystemMasterPlanthatwasadoptedinDecember2014.Theupdatedmasterplanservesanumberoffunctions.First,themasterplanisacomprehensiveplanningreportprovidinginformationonexistingDistrictelectricsystemfacilitiesandthecurrentlevelofserviceprovidedtotheDistrict’scustomers.Second,themasterplanisanoutlinefortheorderlyexpansionoftheDistrict’selectricsystemtoaccommodateanticipatedgrowthanddevelopmentofareasservedbytheDistrict.ThemasterplandocumentsanalysisoftheexistingelectricsystemtodetermineifitadequatelymeetsthedemandsofDistrictcustomers.Electricsystemcomponentsincludedintheanalysisincludesubstations,protectiveequipment,andoverheadandundergrounddistributionfacilities.Themasterplanidentifiescurrentsystemdeficienciesandproposedsystemimprovementsneededtoprovidethedefinedlevelofservice.Designcriteriadescribedinthemasterplanestablishthedesiredlevelofserviceforeachoftheelectricsystemcomponentsanddeterminetheadequacyoftheexistingsystem.Thislevelofserviceisalsoappliedtothedesignofproposedfutureprojects.Themasterplanutilizesgrowthprojectionsofnewresidentialandcommercialwaterserviceswithinthemasterplanstudyarea.TheseprojectionsarebasedonandareconsistentwiththegeneralplansofTownofTruckeeforareaswithintheirplanningjurisdiction.Themasterplanidentifieselectricsystemimprovementswhichwillbeneededtoaccommodatetheprojectedfuturedevelopment.Implementationofthemasterplanwithregardtoconstructionofproposednewfacilitiestoaccommodatedevelopmentwouldbeinresponsetolanduseplanningconductedthroughtheappropriateplanningagency.Thesitelocationsofindividualprojectsaredefinedtotheplanninglevel.Assuch,sitespecificissuesarenotdiscussedinthisInitialStudy.EnvironmentalissuesrelatedtotheproposedelectricsystemimprovementsarediscussedingeneralwithpotentialimpactsandlevelsofsignificanceidentifiedintermsofprojectspreviouslyundertakenbytheDistrictthataresimilarinscopetotheproposedimprovements.Adoptionofthemasterplanwillnot,inandofitself,constituteadecisiontoconstructanyoftheproposedimprovementsdiscussedinthemasterplan.Inthefuture,whentheneedtoproceedwithagivenprojecthasbeenidentified,adetaileddesignwillbepreparedandanappropriateenvironmentalreviewwillbeconducted.NoindividualproposedprojectwillbeconstructedwithoutaseparatedecisionbytheDistrict’sBoardofDirectors.ProjectLocation:Truckee,Californiaandsurroundingarea.TheMasterPlanencompassestheDistrict’sexistingelectricsystemservicearea.ProposedFinding:Projectwillnothaveasignificantimpactontheenvironmentanddoesnotrequiremitigationmeasures.InitialStudy:Attached ENVIRONMENTALINITIALSTUDY1.ProjectTitle:2019ElectricSystemMasterPlan2.LeadAgencyNameandAddress:TruckeeDonnerPublicUtilityDistrict11570DonnerPassRoadTmckee,California961613.ContactPersonandPhoneNumber:SannaSchiosser530-582-39454.ProjectLocation:Truckee,Californiaandsurroundingarea.TheMasterPlanencompassestheDistrict’sexistingelectricsystemservicearea.5.ProjectSponsor’sNameandAddress:TruckeeDonnerPublicUtilityDistrict11570DonnerPassRoadTruckee,California961616.GeneralPlanDescription:Generalplandesignationsvarythroughoutthemasterplanstudyarea.ThemasterplanupdateisinpartbasedonthecurrentgeneralplandesignationsoftheTownofTruckee.TheelectricsystemimprovementsproposedintheMasterPlanareintendedtoallowtheimplementationofthegeneralplanswithintheTownofTruckee.Inareasofexistingdevelopment,improvementsareproposedtoprovideanadequatelevelofservicetoexistingcustomersandtoaccommodateinfilldevelopmenttotheextentindicatedintheappropriategeneralplan.Forcurrentlyundevelopedareas,improvementsareproposedtoaccommodateprojectedlevelsofdevelopmentbasedongeneralplanusesanddensities.7.Zoning:Zoningvariesthroughoutthemasterplanstudyareaandisdefinedbytheappropriateplanningagency.8.DescriptionofProject:Theprojectistheadoptionofthe2019ElectricSystentMasterPlan,whichisanupdateoftheDistrict’sexistingElectricSystemMasterPlanthatwasadoptedinDecember2014.Theupdatedmasterplanservesanumberoffunctions.First,themasterplanisacomprehensiveplanningreportprovidinginformationonexistingDistrictelectricsystemfacilitiesandthecurrentlevelofserviceprovidedtotheDistrict’scustomers.Second,themasterplanisanoutlinefortheorderlyexpansionoftheDistrict’selectricsystemtoaccommodateanticipatedgrowthanddevelopmentofareasservedbytheDistrict.ThemasterplandocumentsanalysisoftheexistingelectricsystemtodetermineifitadequatelymeetsthedemandsofDistrictcustomers.Electricsystemcomponentsincludedintheanalysisincludesubstations,protectiveequipment,andoverheadandunderground distributionfacilities.Themasterplanidentifiescurrentsystemdeficienciesandproposedsystemimprovementsneededtoprovidethedefinedlevelofservice.Designcriteriadescribedinthemasterplanestablishthedesiredlevelofserviceforeachoftheelectricsystemcomponentsanddeterminetheadequacyoftheexistingsystem.Thislevelofserviceisalsoappliedtothedesignofproposedfutureprojects.Themasterplanutilizesgrowthprojectionsofnewresidentialandcommercialwaterserviceswithinthemasterplanstudyarea.TheseprojectionsarebasedonandareconsistentwiththegeneralplansofTownofTruckeeforareaswithintheirplanningjurisdiction.Themasterplanidentifieselectricsystemimprovementswhichwillbeneededtoaccommodatetheprojectedfuturedevelopment.Implementationofthemasterplanwithregardtoconstructionofproposednewfacilitiestoaccommodatedevelopmentwouldbeinresponsetolanduseplanningconductedthroughtheappropriateplanningagency.Thesitelocationsofindividualprojectsaredefinedtotheplanninglevel.Assuch,sitespecificissuesarenotdiscussedinthisInitialStudy.EnvironmentalissuesrelatedtotheproposedelectricsystemimprovementsarediscussedingeneralwithpotentialimpactsandlevelsofsignificanceidentifiedintermsofprojectspreviouslyundertakenbytheDistrictthataresimilarinscopetotheproposedimprovements.Adoptionofthemasterplanwillnot,inandofitself,constituteadecisiontoconstructanyoftheproposedimprovementsdiscussedinthemasterplan.Iiithefuture,whentheneedtoproceedwithagivenprojecthasbeenidentified,adetaileddesignwillbepreparedandanappropriateenvironmentalreviewwillbeconducted.NoindividualproposedprojectwillbeconstructedwithoutaseparatedecisionbytheDistrict’sBoardofDirectors.9.OtherAgenciesWhoseApprovalisRequired(andpermitsneeded):NootheragenciesarerequiredtoapproveorgrantapermitfortheadoptionoftheMasterPlanupdate.OtheragenciessuchastheTownofTruckee,NevadaCounty,PlacerCounty,Caltrans,andtheLahontanRegionalWaterQualityControlBoardwilllikelybeinvolvedwithpermittingwhentheDistrict’smovesforwardwiththeconstructionofagivenproject.10.EnvironmentalSettingoftheProject:TheTruckeeDonnerPublicUtilityDistrict’sserviceareaislocatedontheeastslopeoftheSierraNevadaMountainsapproximately100mileseastofSacramentoand40milessouthwestofReno,Nevada.Theservicearearangesinelevationfromapproximately5,600feettoapproximately7,500feetabovesealevel.Theareaisamixofresidentialsubdivisions,commercialandretailcenters,recreationalfacilitiesincludingskiingandgolf,aregionalairport,andlargeareasofundevelopedforestandrangeland.TheTruckeeRiverflowsthroughtheareaenroutefromLakeTahoetoPyramidLakeinNevada.LocaltributariesincludeColdCreek,DonnerCreek,MartisCreek,ProsserCreek andTroutCreek.LocallakesincludeDonnerLake,MartisCreekLakeandProsserCreekReservoir.Theareacontainsnumerouscultura’resourcesbothprehistoricandhistoric.Historicresourcesincludeoverlandemigranttrail,theDutchflatandDonnerLakeWagonRoad,thetranscontinentalrailroadandhistoricOldHighway40.TheTownofTruckeecontainsover160historicstructures.TherearealsoprehistoricarchaeologicalsitesassociatedwithNativeAmericaninhabitationoftheregion.ThefloraandfaunaoftheTruckeeareaaretypicalformountainousregionsoftheeastslopeoftheSierras.