PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC (PG&E) POINT BUCHON OCEAN BOTTOM SEISMOMETER PROJECT California State Lands Commission 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 100 South Sacramento, CA 95825-8202 August 2011 Table of Contents Page TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 SECTION 1 PROJECT AND AGENCY INFORMATION 1-1 1.1 PROJECT TITLE..................................................................................................1-1 1.2 LEAD AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS .............................................................1-1 1.3 PROJECT APPLICANT NAME AND ADDRESS .................................................1-1 1.4 PROJECT LOCATION.........................................................................................1-1 1.5 ORGANIZATION OF PROPOSED MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION.....1-1 1.6 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES..................................................1-2 1.7 PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT.....................................................................1-3 1.8 PERMITS, APPROVALS AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS......................1-3 SECTION 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2-1 2.1 NEED FOR PROJECT.........................................................................................2-1 2.2 PROPOSED STRUCTURES ...............................................................................2-1 2.2.1 Temporary OBS Units.............................................................................2-4 2.2.2 Long-Term OBS Units.............................................................................2-5 2.2.3 Power and Data Transfer Cable .............................................................2-6 2.2.4 Onshore Component...............................................................................2-6 2.3 TRANSPORTATION AND INSTALLATION PROCEDURES AND METHODS....2-7 2.3.1 Installation of Temporary OBS Units.......................................................2-7 2.3.2 Installation of Long-Term OBS Units and Power/Data Transfer Cable ...2-8 2.3.3 Onshore Component.............................................................................2-11 2.3.4 Actions Within the Point Buchon Marine Protected Area (MPA)...........2-11 2.4 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF LONG-TERM OBS UNITS..................2-11 2.5 PROJECT SCHEDULE......................................................................................2-12 2.5.1 Temporary OBS Units...........................................................................2-12 2.5.2 Long-Term OBS Units...........................................................................2-12 2.6 PROJECT PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT.....................................................2-12 2.6.1 Personnel Requirements ......................................................................2-12 2.6.2 Equipment Requirements .....................................................................2-12 2.7 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE INSPECTION AND MITIGATION MONITORING....................................................................................................2-13 SECTION 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 3-1 3.1 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED...............................3-1 3.2 AGENCY DETERMINATION ...............................................................................3-2 3.3 ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST ...................................................................3.3.1-1 3.3.1 Aesthetics .........................................................................................3.3.1-1 3.3.2 Agriculture and Forest Resources ....................................................3.3.2-1 3.3.3 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions.........................3.3.3-1 3.3.4 Biological Resources ........................................................................3.3.4-1 August 2011 i PG&E Point Buchon Ocean Bottom Seismometer Project Proposed MND Table of Contents Page 3.3.5 Cultural Resources ...........................................................................3.3.5-1 3.3.6 Geology and Soils.............................................................................3.3.6-1 3.3.7 Hazards and Hazardous Materials....................................................3.3.7-1 3.3.8 Hydrology and Water Quality............................................................3.3.8-1 3.3.9 Land Use and Planning.....................................................................3.3.9-1 3.3.10 Mineral Resources..........................................................................3.3.10-1 3.3.11 Noise............................................................................................... 3.3.11-1 3.3.12 Population and Housing..................................................................3.3.12-1 3.3.13 Public Services ...............................................................................3.3.13-1 3.3.14 Recreation ......................................................................................3.3.14-1 3.3.15 Commercial and Recreational Fisheries .........................................3.3.15-1 3.3.16 Transportation / Traffic....................................................................3.3.16-1 3.3.17 Utilities and Service Systems..........................................................3.3.17-1 3.3.18 Mandatory Findings of Significance................................................3.3.18-1 SECTION 4 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE POLICY 4-1 4.1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................4-1 4.1.1 CSLC Policy............................................................................................4-2 4.1.2 Methodology ...........................................................................................4-2 4.1.3 “Communities of Concern” Definitions ....................................................4-3 4.2 SETTING .............................................................................................................4-3 4.2.1 Project Study Area..................................................................................4-3 4.2.2 Study Area Demographics......................................................................4-4 4.2.3 Communities of Concern Identified Within the Project Study Area .........4-7 4.3 ANALYSIS AND CONDITIONS............................................................................4-8 4.3.1 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions...........................................4-8 4.3.2 Aesthetics ...............................................................................................4-8 4.3.3 Fisheries .................................................................................................4-9 4.3.4 Onshore Resources..............................................................................4-10 4.3.5 Community Benefits..............................................................................4-10 SECTION 5 MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM 5-1 5.1 AUTHORITY ........................................................................................................5-1 5.2 MITIGATION COMPLIANCE RESPONSIBILITY .................................................5-1 5.3 GENERAL MONITORING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES...........................5-1 5.4 MITIGATION MONITORING TABLE....................................................................5-2 SECTION 6 MND PREPARATION SOURCES AND REFERENCES 6-1 6.1 CSLC STAFF .......................................................................................................6-1 6.2 INFORMATION PROVIDED ON BEHALF OF PG&E ..........................................6-1 6.3 REFERENCES.....................................................................................................6-2 SECTION 7 ACRONYM AND ABBREVIATION LIST 7-1 PG&E Point Buchon Ocean Bottom ii August 2011 Seismometer Project Proposed MND Table of Contents Page APPENDICES APPENDIX A: MV MICHAEL UHL SPECIFICATIONS APPENDIX B: MV MICHAEL UHL SPILL PLAN APPENDIX C: AQ EMISSION CALCS APPENDIX D: TENERA REPORT APPENDIX E: GREENE REPORT APPENDIX F: NOISE BACKGROUND APPENDIX G: ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ASSESSMENT APPENDIX H: MARINE WILDLIFE CONTINGENCY PLAN TABLES Table ES-1 Environmental Issues and Potential Impacts .................................... ES-4 Table ES-2 Summary of Applicant Proposed Measures (APMs) and Recommended Mitigation Measures (MMs)...................................... ES-4 Table 1-1. Federal, State, and Local Permitting Agencies ....................................1-4 Table 2-1. Applicant-Proposed Measures (APMs) ..............................................2-14 Table 3.1-1. Environmental Issues and Potential Impacts .................................3.1.2-2 Table 3.3.3-1. Federal and State Attainment Status for San Luis Obispo County APCD Portion of the South Central Coast Air Basin..........3.3.3-4 Table 3.3.3-2. Air Quality Data from the Project Area ...........................................3.3.3-5 Table 3.3.3-3. Federal and State Ambient Air Quality Standards..........................3.3.3-7 Table 3.3.3-4. Lbs/Day Emission Totals................................................................3.3.3-9 Table 3.3.3-5. Total GHG Emissions through Project Duration (tons).................3.3.3-12 Table 3.3.3-6. Bay Area Air Quality Management District GHG Significance Thresholds (Updated 2011) .........................................................3.3.3-13 Table 3.3.5-1. Historic Listings within the Project Vicinity .....................................3.3.5-4 Table 3.3.5-2. Shipwrecks Identified in San Luis Obispo