Desert Quartzite Final EISEIR Appendix D Regional
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DESERT QUARTZITE SOLAR PROJECT FINAL PLAN AMENDMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT APPENDIX D REGIONAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND APPLICABLE STATUTES, REGULATIONS, PLANS, AND STANDARDS DESERT QUARTZITE SOLAR PROJECT FINAL PLAN AMENDMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT APPENDIX D - REGIONAL AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND APPLICABLE STATUTES, REGULATIONS, PLANS, AND STANDARDS D.1 INTRODUCTION This appendix describes the regional and background information, and the Federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, plans, and standards that are applicable to each of the resources evaluated in Chapters 3 and 4 of the Desert Quartzite Solar Project (DQSP) California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan/Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Final PA/EIS/EIR). D.2 AIR RESOURCES D.2.1 Regional and Background Information Regional Climate The Project site is located in southeastern California, in the Colorado Desert. The climate in the Blythe area is categorized as a desert climate, with dry, hot summers and mild winters. The region is characterized by extreme fluctuations of daily temperatures, strong seasonal winds, and clear skies. January is the coldest month, with a mean low temperature of 41.7 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). July is the hottest month, with a mean high temperature of 108.4°F. Temperature and precipitation data were measured at Blythe from July 1948 through June 2016 (Western Regional Climate Center [WRCC] 2018a). The mean temperature for the Blythe station is 73.7°F, and the mean annual precipitation is 3.55 inches. More than half of the precipitation occurs between November and March. Although rainfall occurs primarily in the winter months, the region is periodically influenced by subtropical weather conditions, especially sudden monsoonal late summer storms. Monthly average temperatures and precipitation for the area are summarized in Table D.2-1. A wind rose from Blythe Airport, for the years 2008 to 2018, is shown in Figure D.2-1. This figure shows the predominant wind directions in the Project area are from the northwest, south, and southwest. Table D.2-1. Monthly Average Temperature and Precipitation, Blythe Meteorological Station Monthly Average Temperature (°F) Precipitation (Inches) Month Maximum Minimum Mean January 66.9 41.7 0.48 February 71.9 45.4 0.44 March 78.5 50.2 0.35 April 86.4 56.5 0.15 May 95.2 64.5 0.02 June 104.5 72.7 0.02 July 108.4 81.1 0.28 August 106.7 80.3 0.60 APPENDIX D‐1 M:\Denver_GIS\Projects\DesertQuartzite\Figures\FIG_03_02_01_WindRose.mxd Desert Quartzite Solar Project EIS/EIR A A I N A A R N O O F I gure D.2-1 Fi Z I L R A B lythe Airport A C Wind Rose Diagram Date: 3/8/2019 Sources: AECOM, ESRI, IEM, US Census N E V ADA U T AH Fresno Las Vegas A R I Z ONA C A L I F ORNIA Blythe Airport " Phoenix 3/8/2019 3/8/2019 San Diego Map extent shown in red. DESERT QUARTZITE SOLAR PROJECT FINAL PLAN AMENDMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Table D.2-1. Monthly Average Temperature and Precipitation, Blythe Meteorological Station Monthly Average Temperature (°F) Precipitation (Inches) Month Maximum Minimum eanM September 101.5 73.1 340. October 89.8 60.8 260. November 75.9 48.6 190. December 66.6 41.3 410. Annual 87.7 59.7 553. Source: WRCC 2018a Existing Air Quality Air Quality Standards The Federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and the California Clean Air Act (CCAA) both require the establishment of standards for ambient concentrations of air pollutants, called Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS). The Federal standards, the National AAQS (NAAQS) established by USEPA, are typically higher (less protective) than the California state (CAAQS), which are established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The Federal and state air quality standards are listed in Table D.2-2. The times over which the various air quality standards are measured range from 1 hour to an annual average. The standards are read as a concentration, in parts per million (ppm), or as a weighted mass of material per a volume of air, in milligrams or micrograms of pollutant in a cubic meter of air (mg/m3 or μg/m3, respectively). Table D.2-2. Federal and State Ambient Air Quality Standards Pollutant Averaging Time Federal Standard California Standard 3 3 Ozone (O3) 8 Hour 0.070 ppm (137 μg/m ) 0.070 ppm (137 μg/m ) 1 Hour — 0.09 ppm (180 μg/m3) Carbon Monoxide 8 Hour 9 ppm (10 mg/m3) 9.0 ppm (10 mg/m3) (CO) 1 Hour 35 ppm (40 mg/m3) 20 ppm (23 mg/m3) Nitrogen Dioxide Annual 0.053 ppm (100 μg/m3) 0.030 ppm (57 μg/m3) a (NO2) 1 Hour 0.100 ppma (188 μg/m3) 0.18 ppm (339 μg/m3) b Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Annual 0.030 ppm for certain areas — 24 Hour 0.14 ppm for certain areas 0.04 ppm (105 μg/m3) 3 Hour 0.5 ppm (1,300 μg/m3) — 1 Hour 0.075 ppmb (196 μg/m3) 0.25 ppm (655 μg/m3) Particulate Matter Annual — 20 μg/m3 (PM10) 24 Hour 150 μg/m3 50 μg/m3 Fine Particulate Matter Annual 12.0 μg/m3 12 μg/m3 (PM2.5) 24 Hour 35 μg/m3 — 3 Sulfates (SO4) 24 Hour — 25 μg/m Lead 30 Day Average — 1.5 μg/m3 Calendar Quarter 1.5 μg/m3 — Rolling 3-Month Average 0.15 μg/m3 — APPENDIX D‐2 DESERT QUARTZITE SOLAR PROJECT FINAL PLAN AMENDMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Table D.2-2. Federal and State Ambient Air Quality Standards Pollutant Averaging Time Federal Standard California Standard Hydrogen Sulfide 3 1 Hour — 0.03 ppm (42 μg/m ) (H2S) Vinyl Chloride 24 Hour — 0.01 ppm (26 μg/m3) (chloroethene) Visibility Reducing In sufficient amount to Particulates produce an extinction coefficient of 0.23 per 8 Hour — kilometer due to particles when the relative humidity is less than 70%. Notes: a -To attain the 1-hour national standard, the 3-year average of the annual 98th percentile of the 1-hour daily maximum concentrations at each site must not exceed 100 ppb. b - On June 2, 2010, a new 1-hour SO2 standard was established and the existing 24-hour and annual primary standards were revoked. To attain the 1-hour national standard, the 3-year average of the annual 99th percentile of the 1-hour daily maximum concentrations at each site must not exceed 75 ppb. The 1971 SO2 national standards (24-hour and annual) remain in effect until one year after an area is designated for the 2010 standard, except that in areas designated nonattainment for the 1971 standards, the 1971 standards remain in effect until implementation plans to attain or maintain the 2010 standards are approved. Source: CARB 2015a, USEPA 2015b Criteria Air Pollutants The following subsections describe the source and associated health effects of the Criteria Air Pollutants. Ozone (O3) Ozone (O3) is not directly emitted from stationary or mobile sources, but is formed as the result of chemical reactions in the atmosphere between directly emitted O3 precursors, primarily nitrogen oxides (NOx), and hydrocarbons (volatile organic compounds or VOCs) being of primary concern, in the presence of sunlight. Pollutant transport from the South Coast Air Basin (Los Angeles Area) is one source of the pollution experienced in the eastern Riverside County portion of the Mojave Desert Air Basin (MDAB). The 1- and 8-hour ozone concentrations measured at the eastern border of Riverside County have been very slowly decreasing over time. The raw collected air quality data indicate that the ozone violations occurred primarily during the sunny and hot periods typical during May through September. O3 is considered a respiratory irritant and prolonged exposure can reduce lung function, aggravate asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. Exposure to levels of ozone above the current ambient air quality standard can lead to human health effects such as lung inflammation, tissue damage, impaired lung function, coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and the worsening of asthma symptoms. Harmful health effects are associated with outdoor workers, athletes, children and others who spend greater amounts of time outdoors during smoggy periods. APPENDIX D‐3 DESERT QUARTZITE SOLAR PROJECT FINAL PLAN AMENDMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) The entire MDAB is classified as attainment for the state 1-hour and annual and Federal annual NO2 standards. The NO2 attainment standard could change due to the new Federal 1-hour standard, but a review of the air basin-wide monitoring data suggests that the prospective new standard would not changes the status for NO2 in the MDAB. Approximately 90 percent of the NOx emitted from combustion sources is nitric oxide (NO), while the balance is NO2. NO is oxidized in the atmosphere to NO2, but some level of photochemical activity is needed for this conversion. The highest concentrations of NO2 typically occur during the fall. The winter atmospheric conditions can trap emissions near ground level, but with less substantial photochemical activity (sun light), NO2 levels are relatively low. In the summer the conversion rates of NO to NO2 are high, but the relatively high temperatures and windy conditions disperse pollutants, preventing the accumulation of NO2. The NO2 concentrations in the Project area are well below the NAAQS and CAAQS. NO2 is a respiratory irritant and may affect those with existing respiratory illness, including asthma. Exposure to NO2 along with other traffic-related pollutants, is associated with respiratory symptoms, episodes of respiratory illness and impaired lung functioning.