HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 CEQA Electric Agenda Item # 10
Public Utility District
ACTION
To: Board of Directors
From: Joe Horvath
Date: February 18, 2009
Subject: Adoption of an Addendum to the CEQA Electric System Distribution
Project Mitigated Negative Declaration
1. WHY THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE BOARD
Board authorization is required to approve an addendum to the previously approved California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Electric System Distribution Project Mitigated Negative
Declaration (MND).
2. HISTORY
On January 15, 2008 the Board adopted the CEQA Electric System Distribution Project MND
and approved these projects for the purposes of CEQA. These projects include three major
components:
• The complete rebuild of the Donner Lake Substation;
• Installation of 12,000 feet of new distribution feeder to be under built on an existing
transmission line that connects Donner Lake and Tahoe Donner Substations;
• The replacement of high voltage fuses with a circuit switcher and associated relay
protection at the Tahoe Donner Substation.
3. NEW INFORMATION
The project actions specific to this CEQA Addendum involve minor changes at the Tahoe
Donner Substation project not previously described. These changes include the replacement
of three existing 4-inch feeder circuit conduits with 6-inch conduit and one new vault structure.
The feeder circuits exit the substation via underground conduits before rising up on poles
located near the substation on adjacent streets. If the existing feeder circuit cables were to
fail, the District could not pull in equivalent capacity cables into the existing 4 inch conduits.
This necessitates the replacement of these feeder conduits with a larger size conduit. The
District's current standard for main line feeder circuits is 6-inch conduit.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The source of funding for the Tahoe Donner Substation Upgrade project is rates.
5. RECOMMENDATION
Recommend that the Board take the following actions regarding the Addendum to the CEQA
Electric System Distribution Project MND:
a) Find that the District has officially considered this Addendum in light of the
Administrative Record on file for the adopted CEQA Electric System Distribution
Project MND (SCH# 2007122022) in compliance with California Code of
Regulations Section 15164.
b) Find that minor additions contained in the Addendum document will not have a
significant effect upon the environment due to the following: (1) The project does
not have the potential to reduce the habitat of any plant or wildlife species identified
in local or regional plans, policies or regulations, or by the California Department of
Fish and Game or United States Fish and Wildlife Service; (2) Mitigation measures
are incorporated into the project to minimize any potential impact to biological or
cultural resources and water quality.
c) Approve and adopt the Addendum to the CEQA Electric System Distribution
Project MND (SCH#2007122022).
d) Authorize the General Manager to sign the Addendum and attach it to the existing
CEQA Electric System Distribution Project MND on file with the District.
Stephen Hollabaugh Michael . Holley
Assistant General Manager General Manager
CaliforniaTRUCKEE DONNER
PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
i
Addendum t• the
Electric System DistributionProject
MitigatedNegativei
2007122022)
bf lI11
Prepared For
Board of Directors
Truckee Donner Public Utility District
11570 Donner Pass Road
Truckee, CA 96160
Prepared By
Inland Ecosystems
3239 Reno Vista Way
Reno, NV 89512 February 2009
Contact: Glenn Merron
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
ADDENDUM TO THE
ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM PROJECT
MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION (SCH#2007122022)
NAME OF PROJECT: Electric Distribution System Project
LOCATION: Truckee, California
LEAD AGENCY: Truckee Donner Public Utility District
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK:
A California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Initial Study of this project was
undertaken and prepared in accordance with Section 15603 of the Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) Guidelines and the Truckee Donner Public Utility District (District)
Environmental Guidelines for the purpose of ascertaining whether this project might have
a significant effect upon the environment. A copy of the Initial Study is incorporated
herein by reference. Such Initial Study documents reasons supporting adoption by the
District of the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) prepared for this project
(SCH#2007122022).
This Addendum to the adopted CEQA MND will comply with CEQA Guidelines Section
15164 that specifies the lead agency shall prepare an Addendum to a previously certified
CEQA document if some changes or additions are necessary but none of the conditions
described in Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent CEQA document have
occurred (See Appendix A). The District will adopt this Addendum and be responsible
for implementation of the additional changes to the original project description.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The District owns and operates an electric distribution system serving approximately
13,000 residential and commercial customers in Truckee, CA. Capital improvements to
the electric system are required to provide for load growth, increase system capacity, and
to maintain the operational flexibility of the system. The Tahoe Donner Substation
currently consists of 60 kV class fuses. The fuses no longer coordinate with Sierra
Pacific's or PG&E's 60 kV transmission line protection relays.
The project actions specific to this CEQA Addendum involve two additional changes at
the Tahoe Donner Substation not previously described as follows:
1) Two existing main electric distribution circuits which deliver power to the Tahoe
Donner subdivision exit the substation in a northerly direction, terminating at
TDPUD—CEQA Addendum 1 February 2009
Cultural Resources
Mitigation Measure CULT-1: Retain a Registered Professional Archeologist to
Minimize Construction Impacts on Cultural Resources
During construction the District will have a Registered Professional Archeologist on-call.
In the event that evidence of cultural resources is encountered during construction, the
archeologist would be notified to record such resources and gather available information.
The District will coordinate any findings with the appropriate state, federal, and tribal
entities according to standard reporting procedures to avoid disruption of any cultural
resources.
Hydrology and Water Quality
Mitigation Measure HWQ-1: Implement BMPs to Control Discharge of
Construction-Related Storm Water Sediment
The District will construct the project elements in accordance with the State Water
Resources Control Board (SWRCB) statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) General Permit for Discharges of Storm Water Associated with
Construction Activity that includes development of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention
Plan(SWPPP) for the protection of water quality.
FINDING:
The District has considered this CEQA Addendum in light of the Administrative Record
on file for the adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH# 2007122022). It is hereby
found that the minor additions to the adopted CEQA document will not have a significant
effect upon the environment due to the following findings.
(a): The project does not have the potential to reduce the habitat of any plant or wildlife
species identified in local or regional plans, policies or regulations, or by the California
Department of Fish and Game or United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(b): Mitigation measures are incorporated into the project to minimize any potential
impact to biological or cultural resources and water quality.
Date: By:
Michael D. Holley, General Manager
TDPUD—CEQA Addendum 3 February 2009
APPENDIX A
CEQA GUIDELINES
TDPUD—CEQA Addendum 5 February 2009
I'Vith the,oxurcisV,or reasollabIc ddigcricc at the tinic the previous TIR Yias cLqIiErd as couipkic or the
Negative Declaration was adopted.,shows any ofthe following:
(A)The project will[hive one or niore significzia effects nol discusscd in 0'ac,previous,Elk or restive.
40claratior;
(B)Sig-afficant effects previoaMy exanlined'will he snhstatntially more were 11nat shown in the prc"otls
EIR:
ic)Mitigation trtc�1111�a.S or alkeniaoves previot0y fowid not w be lea able would it)fact be fi,asible,and
w':Iuld substanwillY reducv nine or wore signili".nT effee,s of the project,but the project proponents
decline to"Adopt the mitigation me,aire or alternative;or
(D)Mitigatiqll rneasulv-�rat allcomilv<-s w1u,11 are considcrabiv(Ifferert trot tLose analyz"I.its the
previous FIR would suhstantiMly reduce one or more significant effects on the environnivii,but the
prvrjeut propoimas tICA11C W adopt the mitigation measure or alterative
ib)if changes w a prqicc.t or its 4:jrcumaanccs occur or new infornixg.)a bicornvs available Aftel awirtgon
of ncpativc declaration.the lead agoncyshall prepare a subsequent EIR if required sondes snYndivis`tnn
11a).Otherwise the leadagoucy shall determine whobar to prcpatei a;ubLquvol ncga is&vlatatmn.an
addendum,or no Anther docannentation.
fc)Once a project has been approved,the kad agency's role in ptoject ipp ovx is cornpleted,unless
further dwcycfionary approval v91 that project is required.Infonnation appir1rin",after an approval does rift
icquire reopcninge ot'llun approvak.If after the project is approved,any ol'9hc conditions th:scribod in
,mbdivision(a)occurs,asul),,equent ETR or negative declaration shatforify be prepareal by the public
agency whieli grants than next disc noionaryapproval for the patTieet.ill'arty.To thi,,situation no other
lesponsihic agency shalt grant an approval for the project until the subsequent Elk has been"rtlfiv4ol
subsequeW nq;ative dcclzra6un adopted.
(d)A subsequent EIR or suh.scquent negative declaration shall be given the saine notice and Public review
as required under Section I 54IN"?ot,Sccuon 15072 A subsequent LIR of ncgativc declaration shall state
where the previous document is available and can be reviewed.
Note;Authority cited:Public ltcaources UAc Section 21083;Reference,Section 2.1'160,Public
Resources Code;Sm,man v. oiPetaluma(19N6)N5 Cal-App.A 10(6 Benton 1'.Board of
fit9 1)2,26 Cal,App.3d W,7;and rort.Alojave Indian Tribe r.(ah,,krwa Depar"Inenr of
Heoilh Servires el ai,;I 994z),S UnI AppAth I514
15163. Supplement to an EIR
(1)The Lead or Responsible Agency tnay choose to prepare a supplertient to an EAR masher than a
subsequent PIR if
t I)Any ofihc eowh600s descrixJ in Seaton 15162 would Yequfic the preparation of EIR,
and
(2)Only minor additions oi Lhangesxvuld be necessity to rnake theprevwus FIR adequately apply to the
pro ect 11)the chaujfcd situation.
(b)The supplevoun't to the EIR neat curtain only the information necessary to make dic previous KIR
wtftqoate tk)r the prqIck;t as rcvAwAl.
TDPUD—CEQA Addendum 7 February 2009