Environmental Analysis 3/27/2008 LOS ANGELES RIVER IMPROVEMENT OVERALAY (LA RIO) ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION AESTHETICS In the southern reaches, the areas covered under the LA RIO district are bordered by mixed uses and thus have a varied visual character. Along Valleyheart Drive in the San Fernando Valley, the area meanders and is bordered by large shrubs that provide cool shaded walkways. In contrast, a wide, barren easement borders the Tujunga Wash, and in downtown Los Angeles there is only limited access to an intensely urban and industrial riverfront. In the San Fernando Valley, the river is concrete lined and linear. Trees next to buildings sparsely line the river where Bell Creek and Calabasas Creek meet. Light and glare in this area is primarily associated with outdoor lighting for buildings. There is outdoor lighting for parking lots and the high school sports field, as well as street lighting. In downtown Los Angeles, a series of Art Deco and Classical Revival style bridges span the area covered within the LA RIO district (County of Los Angeles 1996). Historic buildings and sites add to the unique landscape of the urban environment. Rail lines are found at various locations adjacent to the Los Angeles River and with the LA RIO districts. Depending on location, the number of rail lines and the frequency of their use vary. The rail lines that are used infrequently or not at all are more likely to have a neglected appearance, which can diminish the attractiveness of an area. During most of the year, the cement channels have minimal water flows, various amounts and species of vegetation (including weeds and nonnative species), litter and debris, and, in many locations, graffiti. AIR QUALITY The federal Clean Air Act requires each state to identify areas where the ambient air quality violates federal standards. States are required to develop, adopt, and implement a state implementation plan (SIP) to achieve, maintain, and enforce federal Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS) in these non-attainment areas. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for compiling and submitting the SIP to the USEPA. Local districts are responsible for preparing the portion of the SIP applicable within their boundaries (South Coast Air Quality Management District [SCAQMD] 2006). The LA RIO lies within the South Coast Air Basin, which is managed by SCAQMD. Air quality problems in the South Coast Air Basin include periodic violations of federal and state air quality standards for ozone, PM10, and PM2.5. The frequency with which ozone standards have been exceeded has declined significantly over recent decades. Through the implementation of air quality management plans, violations of the federal 1-hour ozone standard dropped from over 150 days per year prior to 1990 to fewer than 50 days per year in most years since 1999, except for the year 2003 (SCAQMD 2005a). However, violations of the federal 8-hour ozone standard have been at least exceeded by 80 days since 1999 (SCAQMD 1999, 2004, 2005b). No violations of federal or state 1 Environmental Analysis 3/27/2008 carbon monoxide standards have been recorded in the South Coast Air Basin since 2002. Areas that have been reclassified from non-attainment to attainment of federal air quality standards are automatically considered maintenance areas, although this designation is seldom noted in status listings. California classifies areas of the state as attainment, non-attainment, non-attainment- transitional, or unclassified with respect to the state AAQS. State and federal attainment status designations for the South Coast Air Basin are summarized in following table. Summary of Federal and State Attainment Status Designations for the South Coast Air Basin California Pollutant Averaging Time Federal Designation Designation Ozone 1-Hour No longer subject to Non-attainment standard 8-Hours Non-attainment – Severe Unclassified 17 Carbon 1-Hour Non-attainment-serious Attainment monoxide 8-Hours Non-attainment-serious Attainment Nitrogen Annual Average Maintenance Attainment dioxide 1-Hour Not applicable Attainment Sulfur dioxide Annual Average Attainment Not applicable 24-Hour Attainment Attainment 3-Hour Attainment Not applicable 1-Hour Not applicable Attainment PM10 Annual Average Non-attainment-serious Non-attainment 24-Hour Non-attainment-serious Non-attainment PM2.5 Annual Average Non-attainment Non-attainment 24-Hour Non-attainment Not applicable Lead Calendar Quarter No designation Not applicable 30-Day Not applicable Attainment Hydrogen 1-Hour Not applicable Unclassified sulfide Sulfates 24-Hour Not applicable Attainment Vinyl chloride 24-Hour Not applicable No designation Sources: CARB 2004; USEPA 2006 Green Book of attainment status designations The Severe-17 non-attainment designation for the federal 8-hour ozone standard indicates there is a 17-year deadline from the date of designation until the standard must be achieved. 2 Environmental Analysis 3/27/2008 The State and Local Air Monitoring Network Plan provides the results of the annual review of the air monitoring stations in California. These stations house monitoring instruments that measure ambient levels of air pollutants. The closest air monitoring station to the Canoga Park area is the Reseda Air Monitoring Station. Burbank West Palm Avenue Air Quality Monitoring Station is the one closest to the River Glen area, and Los Angeles-North Main Street Air Quality Monitoring Station is the station nearest the three downstream areas: Taylor Yard, Chinatown-Cornfields, and the Downtown Industrial area. At the Reseda monitoring station, ozone levels were higher than the standard state and national levels for 2005. No violation of other air quality standards was reported at this station. State and national ambient air quality standards for ozone were exceeded at the Burbank West Palm Avenue Station. Additionally, the national 24-hour PM10 standard was exceeded for 92 days during 2005. No other air pollutants were reported in violation of the ambient air quality standards at Burbank West Palm Avenue Station. Summary of 2005 Air Quality Data at Air Quality Monitoring Stations Burbank West Los Angeles- Palm North Main Reseda Avenue Street Ozone Highest 1-hour 0.138 0.142 0.121 observation National three- 0.106 0.089 0.076 year average of fourth highs Carbon Number of days 0 0 0 monoxide above national standard Number of days 0 0 0 above state standard Nitrogen Number of days 0 0 0 dioxide above state standard Sulfur Dioxide Number of days - 0 0 above national standard Number of days - 0 0 above state standard PM10 Estimated days * 92 70 over the 3 Environmental Analysis 3/27/2008 national 24- hour PM10 standard PM2.5 State annual * * * average Sources: CARB 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2005d, 2005e, 2005f, 2005g, 2005h, 2005i All measurements are in parts per million. *There was insufficient (or no) data available to determine the value. - Not monitored in this station. Ozone levels exceeded the state standard and were below the national standard at the Los Angeles-North Main Street Air Quality Monitoring Station. PM10 was above the national standard for 70 days during 2005. No other pollutants violation was reported for 2005 at the Los Angeles-North Main Street Air Quality Monitoring Station. CULTURAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES Cultural resources are locations of human activity, occupation, or use. They include expressions of human culture and history in the physical environment, such as archaeological sites, historic buildings and structures, or other culturally significant places. Cultural resources can also be natural features, plants, and animals or places that are considered to be important or sacred to a culture, subculture, or community. Resources may be important individually or as part of a grouping of complementary resources, such as a historic neighborhood. Historic Buildings and Structures: Historic building and structures are typically identified through archival and library research, followed by field reconnaissance and recordation. Historic buildings and structures are architecturally, historically, or artistically important individual and groups of residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation properties. In the City of Los Angeles there are several types of historic designations: • Historic-Cultural Monument designation by the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission and approved by the City Council; • Designation by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) as being of cultural or historical significance within a designated redevelopment area; • Inclusion by the City Council in an Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ); • Listed or eligible for listing on the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR); • California Point of Historical Interest; • California Historical Landmark; or • Listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Traditional cultural properties are places associated with the cultural practices or beliefs of a living community. The significance of these places is derived from the role the 4 Environmental Analysis 3/27/2008 property plays in a community’s cultural identity, as defined by its beliefs, practices, history, and social institutions. Identifying any traditional cultural property or sacred site requires direct consultations with potentially affected communities. For Native American communities, there is a consultation protocol that begins when the specific project locations are defined. The California Native American