Vista-Carlsbad Interceptor (Reach 1) Access Road Project Project-Level Environmental Checklist City of Vista, California August 2019
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Vista-Carlsbad Interceptor (Reach 1) Access Road Project Project-Level Environmental Checklist City of Vista, California August 2019 Prepared for: Prepared by: City of Vista HDR Engineering, Inc. This page is intentionally blank. Vista-Carlsbad Interceptor (Reach 1) Access Road Project Project-Level Environmental Checklist Contents Section 1. Project Description ....................................................................................................................... 1 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Project Goals and Objectives .............................................................................................................. 1 Proposed Project ................................................................................................................................. 2 Construction Details ............................................................................................................................ 7 Discretionary Actions and Approvals ................................................................................................ 10 Section 2. Project-Level Environmental Checklist ...................................................................................... 11 Comprehensive Sewer Master Plan Project Information .................................................................. 11 Supplemental Program Environmental Impact Report Tiering Evaluation........................................ 12 Environmental Factors Potentially Affected ...................................................................................... 13 Determination .................................................................................................................................... 13 Evaluation of Environmental Impacts ................................................................................................ 14 Aesthetics ................................................................................................................... 16 Agricultural Resources ............................................................................................... 18 Air Quality ................................................................................................................... 21 Biological Resources .................................................................................................. 24 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................... 32 Geology and Soils ...................................................................................................... 35 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...................................................................................... 40 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ............................................................................. 42 Hydrology and Water Quality ..................................................................................... 47 Land Use and Planning .............................................................................................. 54 Mineral Resources ..................................................................................................... 56 Noise .......................................................................................................................... 57 Population and Housing ............................................................................................. 60 Public Services ........................................................................................................... 62 Recreation .................................................................................................................. 64 Transportation/Traffic ................................................................................................. 66 Utilities and Service Systems ..................................................................................... 69 Energy ........................................................................................................................ 73 Tribal Cultural Resources ........................................................................................... 74 Wildfire ....................................................................................................................... 76 Mandatory Findings of Significance ........................................................................... 78 References ........................................................................................................................................ 80 Tables Table 1. Contributing Drainage Flows ........................................................................................................... 7 Table 2. Proposed Temporary Construction Easements .............................................................................. 8 Table 3. Proposed Permanent Easements ................................................................................................... 8 Table 4. Vegetation Community Impacts .................................................................................................... 28 Table 5. Jurisdictional Resource Impacts ................................................................................................... 30 August 2019 | i Vista-Carlsbad Interceptor (Reach 1) Access Road Project Project-Level Environmental Checklist Figures Figure 1. Regional Map ................................................................................................................................. 3 Figure 2. Project Area ................................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 3. Proposed Access Road (West) ...................................................................................................... 5 Figure 4. Proposed Access Road (East) ....................................................................................................... 6 Figure 5. Contributing Drainages .................................................................................................................. 9 Figure 6. Federal Emergency Management Agency Floodplain Map ........................................................ 53 Appendices Appendix A1. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (2019) Appendix A2. Carlsbad Tribal, Cultural, and Paleontological Resources Guidelines (2017) Appendix B. Biological Resources Letter Report (July 2019) Appendix C. Cultural Resources Letter Report (July 2019) ii | August 2019 Vista-Carlsbad Interceptor (Reach 1) Access Road Project Project-Level Environmental Checklist Section 1. Project Description Background In November 2017, the City of Vista (City) certified the Supplemental Program Environmental Impact Report (SPEIR) for the 2017 Comprehensive Sewer Master Plan (2017 CSMP) (State Clearinghouse No. 2007091072). The 2017 CSMP identifies a set of recommended projects for inclusion in the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and operations and maintenance (O&M) program. The SPEIR analyzed the potential environmental impacts of these improvements, as contemplated in the CSMP and is incorporated by reference, including the adopted mitigation monitoring and reporting program (MMRP). The O&M Program component of the 2017 CSMP provides a continuation of the City’s existing condition assessment program consistent with the City’s adopted Sanitary Sewer Management Plan (SSMP). The O&M Program also includes the replacement/rehabilitation of the City’s existing pumping stations and the repair, upgrade, and rehabilitation of existing access roads. The City maintains multiple easements to facilitate access to the conveyance and pumping facilities within and outside its service area. These easements range from 10 to 20 feet in width to accommodate maintenance equipment. The SPEIR for the 2017 CSMP analyzed the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed repair, upgrade, and/or rehabilitation of two existing unpaved access roads as part of the O&M Program. One of the two access roads for future maintenance described in the SPEIR is located along the existing Vista-Carlsbad (VC) Interceptor Reach 1 (VC1 or Project) and traverses the cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad (Figure 3-20 of the SPEIR). The VC1 pipeline is 36-inches in diameter and conveys approximately eight million gallons per day (MGD) on average. The VC1 pipeline is co-owned by the Cities of Vista and Carlsbad and is the major pipeline that conveys each cities’ untreated, wastewater to the Encina Wastewater Authority for treatment and disposal. When VC1 was constructed in 1985, an earthen access road was also constructed to provide maintenance access to sewer manholes, some requiring culverts to convey run-off across the roads. This earthen access road has degraded over time primarily due to erosion from stormwater discharged south from State Route (SR) 78 and contributing drainages to the north. Due to the placement of the existing access road, sedimentation and debris have clogged the culverts, diverting drainages along the access road and resulting in additional erosion. Direct access by way of an improved road is also not provided to a number of manholes within the Project area. Project Goals and Objectives The City’s goal for implementing the proposed Project is to provide all weather access to the manholes