2.4 Hazards and Hazardous Materials
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2.4 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2.4 Hazards and Hazardous Materials This section discusses potential impacts relating to hazards and hazardous materials resulting from the implementation of the Proposed Project. The analysis is based on the review of existing resources, technical data, and applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines, as well as the following technical reports prepared for the Proposed Project, in conformance with the County of San Diego (County) Report Requirements or other applicable standards. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Jacumba (Appendix 2.4-1) Draft Fire Protection Plan – Jacumba Solar Energy Project (Appendix 2.4-2) For a discussion on the Proposed Project’s impacts on public services, refer to Section 3.1.6, Public Services. This section is divided into an analysis of potential hazards to public safety and the environment related to hazardous materials, airports, emergency response and evacuation plans, and wildland fire. The discussion of hazards and hazardous materials describes sites with known hazardous materials contamination, sites with potential hazardous materials contamination, hazardous materials transportation, hazardous materials disposal, and hazardous materials release threats. The discussion of airports examines existing airport facilities and potential operational hazards within the County, and specifically within the Proposed Project area. The discussion of emergency response and evacuation plans identifies operations and plans that exist to protect lives and property in the event of a disaster within the County. The wildland fires analysis examines fire threat hazards, the potential for wild fires in the Proposed Project area wildland– urban interface areas and project impacts on fire and emergency services response times. Additionally, information contained in the previously listed technical reports was used in the preparation of the analysis below. Comments received in response to the Notice of Preparation (NOP) included concerns regarding potential for glare to affect gliders using the Jacumba Airport. These concerns are addressed in this section and glare is also analyzed as part of the analysis provided in Section 2.1, Aesthetics, of this EIR. A copy of the NOP and comment letters received in response to the NOP is included in Appendix 1-1 of this EIR. Recognizing there is some public interest regarding potential health effects and hazards from exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMFs), this section also provides information regarding these potential issues. However, this section does not consider EMFs in the context of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for determination of environmental impact because the available evidence as evaluated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and other regulatory agencies has not established that such fields pose a significant April 2016 8477 Jacumba Solar Energy Project EIR 2.4-1 2.4 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS health hazard to exposed humans and because there are no defined or adopted CEQA standards for defining health risks from EMFs. As a result, the EMF information is presented for informational purposes to the public and decision makers. 2.4.1 Existing Conditions Regional Overview The Proposed Project is located in a rural area with a history of agriculture, burning of refuse, and dumping, and with a high potential for wildland fire risk (CAL FIRE 2012). Other potential hazards include exposure to hazardous materials through transportation and disposal of these materials during construction of the Proposed Project, air traffic hazards from Jacumba Airport (used by gliders), and hazards associated with interference with emergency response which may occur within existing rights-of-way during construction. The conditions, as described below, pose the risk of exposure to hazardous materials or hazardous conditions on the site, or to/from adjacent sites. Hazardous Materials Hazardous materials may be encountered during construction activities. Hazardous materials typically require special handling, reuse, and disposal because of their potential to harm human health and the environment. The California Health and Safety Code, Section 25501, defines a hazardous material as: Any material that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. “Hazardous materials” include, but are not limited to, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, and any material that a handler or the administering agency has a reasonable basis for believing that it would be injurious to the health and safety of persons or harmful to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. Potential Hazardous Materials Associated with Historical Land Uses A variety of historical land uses and conditions in the Proposed Project area or nearby sites could potentially result in site contamination, representing potential hazards to humans and the environment when new land uses are proposed on those lands. Examples of historical land uses in rural areas that have the potential to result in current site contamination include: Burn Dump Sites – Burn ash refers to the debris, refuse, ash, and ash-contaminated soil that result from the open burning of municipal solid waste. Burn dump sites refer to April 2016 8477 Jacumba Solar Energy Project EIR 2.4-2 2.4 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS locations where the open burning of solid waste occurred. Burn ash can be commingled with other solid wastes, including incompletely burned refuse. Burn ash may contain concentrations of heavy metals, such as lead, that may be a potential risk to human health and, if excavated, may need to be disposed as either a California or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste. Landfills – Active, abandoned, and closed landfills present potential issues related to the exposure of humans to hazards, such as landfill gas migration, when a project is proposed on or near a landfill site. Historical Agriculture – Agricultural activities include the application of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides that have the potential to contaminate soil and groundwater. Soils contaminated by past agricultural activities are a growing concern, generally because of land use changes involving proposed housing developments on former agricultural lands. Petroleum – Petroleum hydrocarbons are the most commonly used group of chemicals in society today. Petroleum hydrocarbons encompass a wide range of compounds, including but not limited to fuels, oils, paints, dry cleaning solvents, and non-chlorinated solvents. These compounds are used in all facets of modern life and can cause soil and groundwater contamination if not properly handled. Underground storage tanks (USTs) and aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) that store petroleum are common sources of contamination into soils and groundwater in the County (County of San Diego 2011a). As part of the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment prepared for the Proposed Project (Appendix 2.4-1), a history of the site was compiled based on the review of historical aerial photographs and topographic maps, agency records, County Directory listings, building permit reports, and a site owner/representative interview. The research revealed that the site has not been previously developed or used and has remained in similar condition as it exists in today. The gen-tie route is less than half a mile in length and crosses a portion of one Assessor’s Parcel Number. The gen-tie route site consists of undisturbed land and crossing the East County (ECO) Substation driveway. No portion of the gen-tie route includes a groundwater well, septic system, chemical or petroleum storage, or an impacted fuel spill site. The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment identified no recognized environmental conditions or potential sources of hazardous materials or contamination on the Project properties. Hazardous Waste Transportation In California, unless specifically exempted, it is unlawful for any person to transport hazardous wastes unless the person holds a valid registration issued by the Department of Toxic Substances April 2016 8477 Jacumba Solar Energy Project EIR 2.4-3 2.4 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Control. The Department of Toxic Substances Control maintains a list of active registered hazardous waste transporters throughout the state. The process of transporting hazardous waste often involves transfer facilities. A transfer facility is any facility that is not an on-site facility that is related to the transportation of waste. These facilities include but are not limited to, loading docks, parking areas, storage areas, and other similar areas. Although not all transfer facilities hold hazardous waste, any operator of a facility that accepts hazardous waste for storage, repackaging, or bulking must obtain formal authorization for those activities through the hazardous waste permit process. Hazardous waste transporters are exempt from storage facility permit requirements so long as they observe the limits on storage time and handling. Hazardous Materials Disposal Through the RCRA, Congress directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create regulations that manage hazardous waste from “the cradle to the grave.” Under this mandate, the EPA has developed strict requirements for all aspects of hazardous waste management, including