I: CORONA. QUARRy COUNTY ·······QF······.' - . -' '. RIVERSIDE- '. ~ - .' -. --- . ' .'" -". - -, -. , Screencheck Submitted: December 23, 1988 Second Screen check Submitted: February 10, 1989 . Draft Submitted: March 2, 1898 Final Submitted: Final Certified: CORONA QUARRY· (Riverside County SMP No. 168) Environmental Impact Report (Riverside Colinty No. 316) (SCn No. 88081517) Project Developer: CalMatCo. 3200 San Fernando Road Los Angeles, California 90065 Contact Person: G. Thomas Davis (213)258·2777 Prepared by: FMA 15641 Red Hill Avenue, Suite 205 Tustln,Californla 92680 Contact Persons: Donna McCormick Richard K. Goacher (714) 259·9300 In Association Witll: Don Harris and Associates Hultt·Zollars, Inc. Kunzman Associates Mestre Greve Associates SclentlDc Resources Tierra Madre Consultants Lead Agency: County .of Riverside Planning Department 4080 Lemmi Street, 9th Floor Riverside, California 92501 Engineering Geologist: Steve Kupferman (714) 787·1377 CORONA QUARRY TABLE OF CONTENTS No, Section 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Purpose and Scope 1 1.2 EIR Issues Matrix 4 2.0 Project Description 9 2.1 Project Location 9 2.2 Project Objectives 9 2.3 Project Description 19 3.0 Environmental Setting/Potential Impacts/Mitigation Measures 28 3.1 Hydrology and Drainage 28 3.2 Noise and Vibration 32 3.3 Ail Quality 40 3.4 Vegetation and Wildlife 45 3.5 Cultural, Historical and Prehistorical Resources 52 3.6 Visual Aesthetics 54 3.7 Traffic 70 3.8 Public Safety 74 3.9 Fire Hazards 77 4.0 Mandatory CEQA Topics 79 4.1 Cumulative Impact Analysis 79 4.2 . Unavoidable Adverse Impacts 80 4.3 Alternatives to the Proposed ProjeCt 81 4.4 Growth Inducing Impact of the Proposed Project 83 4.5 The Relationship Between Local Short-term Uses of Man's Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement . of Long-term Productivity 84 4.6 Irreversible/Irretrievable Commitment of Energy Supplies and Other ResoUrces Should the Project be Implemented 4.7 General Plan Consistency 85 4.8 Effects Not Found to be Significant 86 4.9 Monitoring of Mitigation Measures 87 CORONA QUARRY Section 5.0 Appendix 5.1 Environmental Assessment Form/NaP/Responses 5.2 Organizations and Persons Consulted 5.3 References 5.4 List of EIR Prejlarers 5.5 Hydrology Report 5.6 Noise. and Vibration Report 5.7 Air Quality Report 5.8 Biotic. Report 5.9 Archaeology Report 5.10 Geological Slope Stability 5.11 Traffic Report 5.12 Blasting Reports 5.13 Letter from Temeseal Water Company. II CORONA QUARRY LIST OF EXHIBITS No. Exhibit Page 1 Regional Vicinity Map 10 2 Local VicinityMap 11 3 Orange County-Temescal Valley Production- Consnmption Region : 12 4 Temescal W8$h Resource Area 13 . 5 Potential Reclamation - l 16 6 Potential Rec1aniation -n 17 7 Potential R.eclamation - m 18 8 Jurisdictional Context 20 9 Mining-Processing Flow Diagram 22 10 Mining Plan - Phase 1 23 11 Mining Plan - Phase 2 24 12 Mining Cross-Sections· 26 13 Hydrology Map 29 14 Noise Monitoring Locations 33 15 Plant Communities 47 16 Animal Habitats .. 48 17 Riverside CountY Stephens lCangaroo Rat Study Area . 50 18 Visibility Comparisons 56 19 Views. from the West 57 20 Pre-Project View from BelAir Residential Area 58 21 Mid-ProjeCt View from BelAir Residential Area 59 22 End-Project View from BelAir Residential Area 60 23 Views from the North 61 24 Pre-Project View from Corona Hills 62 25 Mid,Project View from Corona Hills 63 26 End-Project View from Corona Hills . 64 27 Views from the South . 65 28 Pre~Project View from lnterchange 66 29 Mid-Project View from lnterchange 67 30 End-Project View Interchange 68 31 Existing Traffic . 71 32 Existing Plus Project Traffic 73 III CORONA QUARRY LIST OF TABLES No. Thbk. Page 1-1 Agencies Responsible for Issuing Permits For Corona Quarry 3 1-2 EIR Issues Matrix 4 2-1 Estimated Aggregate Production 25 3-1 Existing Noise Levels 32 3-2 Typical Sound Levels 34 3-3 Combined Mining and Processing Plant Noise Levels at Nearest Residential Areas 37 3-4 Increase in Traffic Noise Level 39 3-5 Ambient Air Monitoring Air Quality Levels 41· 3·6 Processing Plant Emissions 42 3-7 Vehicular Emissions Reductions Realized By the Establishment of Corona Quarry 43 3-8 Total Emissions for Corona Quarry 44 3-9 Corona Quarry Soils 45 . 3-10 Corona Quarry Generated Delivery Vehicles 72 Iv 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared pursuant to the State ofCalifornia's Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to evaluate the potential impacts ofthe proposed construction aggregate mining operation in the TemeseaI Valley region of Riverside County. The purpose of this document is to inform decision-makers and the general public of any significant adverse enviroririlental effects associated with the proposed actions, and to identify measures which may be taken to mininiize these effects. The project site is known as the Corona Quarry. It is located near the TemeseaI Wash, east of the City of Corona,in an unincorporated portion of Riverside County. (See Figures land 2.) The project applicant, CalMat Co., proposes to mine arid process rock from this site in quantities offrom 300,000 to over 5 million tons per year, dependent upon resource quality and market conditions. Additionally, the applicant proposes to implement a reclamation plan concurrent with and following completion of mining operations. The reclamation plan will provide for the rehabilitation and reuse of mined areas. This document has been prepared as a "Focused" EIR, under the direction of the County of Riverside, which is the Lead Agency for this projeci; Thefocused scope of this EIR reflects the environmental setting of the site and the general characteristics of the proposed project. The applicant has filed for a Surface Mining Permit (No. 168) and Reclamation Plan appliCation with the County of Riverside to enlarge upon the existing Surface Mining Permit and Reclamation Plan. This application was reviewed by the Planning Department, who prepared ahEnvironmental Assessment Evaluation of the project. Based upon this information, the County determined that the project may have significant effects on the environment and an EIR should be prepared to focus on the following issues: 1. HydrolQgy - There may be hydrology-related impacts associated with the mining, including drainage, erosion, flooding, groundwater, surface and subsurface water quality. The Environmental Assessment indicated that erosion of soils on this site is considered high on slopes . of 15-50 percent. Mining will disturb large areas of the site, thus increasing the potential for this hazard. The westerly portion of the site, along Temescal Wash, is in a 100-year floodplain and the datil inundation area for Lake Mathews. Proposed processing facilities will be sited within this 100-year floodplain. The Riverside County General Plan indicates that heavy industry is generally unsuitable in floodplains unless a site investigation indicates that hazards can be mitigated. Impacts to groundwater and surface water quality may result from this project, especially with regard to the wash-water used for screening and washing of aggregates. 2. Noise and Vibration - Noise and vibrations from the proposed mining (including blasting) and processing, as well as from truck traffic, may impact adjacent neighborhoods, such as Home Gardens and El Cerrito. Similar to adjacent mining properties, hours of operation will be· restricted to daytime hours in order to mitigate noise and vibration impacts to the nearby land uses. 3. Air Quality - The cumulative effects of dust, mining and processing, vehicular emissions, and the production of asphalt typieaIly associated with such operations may cause significant effects to regional air qualitY. 4. Biological Resources - Mining and processing may produce impacts upon the riparian and coastal sage plant communities. Portions of the east end of the site are within the range and habitat of the Stephens kangaroo rat, a federally- and state-listed endangered species. Sensitive species may exist in the portion of the site traversed by Temescal Wash, although this area has been disturbed by mining in the past. Habitats will be eliminated by mining. 5. Archaeoloflica1 Resources - The possible existence of these resources are unknown at this tinle. Study is necessary to determine if anY inlpact upon historical or archaeological resources is possible. 6. Visibility and Aesthetics - Implementation of the Corona Quarry operation will cause significant inlpacts upon the local visual and aesthetic resources. The site is .within one mile and within the view of theCororia Freeway, I-15,an eligible State Scenic Highway. Many mining and industrial uses are already visually impacting aesthetics in this area. The proposed mining operation will result in noticeable landform and topographic changes to the site. Over 1,000 vertical feet of elevation change are anticipated. On a.clear day this operation will be visible from much of the surr9unding area. 7, Circulation - . Cajalco Street and Magnolia Avenue will be inlpacted by this project. Significant truck traffic will be necessary to haul the anticipated 5 million tons of rock, concrete, and asphalt froin the site for the rrrst 10 years alone. 8; Public Safety - The Corona Quarry project may generate public safety inlpacts related to site access and blasting. 9. Fire Hazard; The project is within a regional rrre hazard area as identified by the Riverside County General Plan. The Notice of Preparation(NOP) for this EIR was circulated and publicly reviewed for a 30-day period betWeen August 18, 1988 and September 16, 1988. The Environtnental Assessment Form and NOP both. indicated that the proposed project would involve the expansion of an existing ten-acre aggregate quarry over a 337-acre site, and the installation of a crushing, screening and washing plant, a con.crete batch plant and an asphalt plant on-site.