Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Merced County Regional Waste Management Authority Landfill-Gas-to-Energy Project June 2019 PREPARED FOR: Merced Regional Waste Management Authority Merced County Regional Waste Management Authority 7040 North Highway 59 Merced, California 95348 (209) 723-4481 Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Merced County Regional Waste Management Authority Landfill-Gas-to-Energy Project Prepared for: Merced Regional Waste Management Authority Merced County Regional Waste Management Authority 7040 North Highway 59 Merced, California 95348 (209) 723-4481 Contact: Jerry Lawrie, Environmental Resource Manager [email protected] Prepared By: Ascent Environmental, Inc. 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 300 Sacramento, California 95814 916/444-7301 Contact: Chris Mundhenk June 2019 18010098.02 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................................................................................... iii 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Introduction and Regulatory Guidance ................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Why this Document? ..................................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Summary of Findings ................................................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 Environmental Permits ................................................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.5 Document Organization ............................................................................................................................................. 1-3 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Project Location ............................................................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Project Background ...................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Project Objectives ........................................................................................................................................................ 2-6 2.4 Existing Operations and Facilities ............................................................................................................................ 2-6 2.5 Project Description ...................................................................................................................................................... 2-7 3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Aesthetics ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.2 Agriculture and Forest Resources ........................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3-11 3.4 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................................................. 3-20 3.5 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 3-45 3.6 Energy ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3-47 3.7 Geology and Soils ...................................................................................................................................................... 3-50 3.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ..................................................................................................................................... 3-55 3.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ........................................................................................................................ 3-60 3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality ................................................................................................................................ 3-64 3.11 Land Use and Planning ............................................................................................................................................ 3-70 3.12 Mineral Resources ....................................................................................................................................................... 3-71 3.13 Noise .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3-72 3.14 Population and Housing .......................................................................................................................................... 3-80 3.15 Public Services ............................................................................................................................................................ 3-82 3.16 Recreation .................................................................................................................................................................... 3-85 3.17 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................................ 3-86 3.18 Tribal Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................................................... 3-88 3.19 Utilities and Service Systems .................................................................................................................................. 3-90 3.20 Wildfire .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3-93 3.21 Mandatory Findings of Significance ..................................................................................................................... 3-95 4 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4-1 5 REPORT PREPARERS ................................................................................................................................................................. 5-1 Merced County Regional Waste Management Authority Landfill-Gas-to-Energy Project Initial Study i Table of Contents Ascent Environmental Appendices (included in a CD on back cover) Appendix A – Air Quality and Climate Change Modeling Results Appendix B - Biological Resources Setting Report Appendix C – Biological Communities Maps Appendix D – Cultural Resources Inventory Appendix E – Energy Modeling Calculations Appendix F - Noise Modeling Results Figures Figure 2-1 Project Location ............................................................................................................................................................ 2-2 Figure 2-2 Pipeline Route ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-3 Figure 2-3 Proposed Facilities at Highway 59 Landfill ........................................................................................................... 2-9 Figure 2-4 Proposed Facilities at UC Merced Central Plant ................................................................................................ 2-11 Figure 3.2-1 Farmlands within Project Vicinity ............................................................................................................................ 3-9 Figure 3.4-1 Critical Habitat ............................................................................................................................................................ 3-22 Figure 3.10-1 Flood Hazard Zones within the Project Vicinity ................................................................................................ 3-66 Tables Figure 2-1 Project Location ............................................................................................................................................................ 2-2 Figure 2-2 Pipeline Route ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-3 Figure 2-3 Proposed Facilities at Highway 59 Landfill ..........................................................................................................