OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower Demolition DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT PREPARED FOR: Port of Oakland PREPARED BY: MARCH 2013 OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARCH 2013 [DRAFT] Table of Contents 1. Introduction and Executive Summary .................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Purpose of the Draft EIR ............................................................................... 1-2 1.2 Summary of the Proposed Project .............................................................. 1-3 1.3 Relationship to Existing Plans and Documents ......................................... 1-4 1.4 Organization of this Draft EIR ...................................................................... 1-4 1.5 Summary of Environmental Impacts ........................................................... 1-6 1.5.1 Project Alternatives ................................................................................................... 1-7 1.5.2 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................................. 1-7 1.6 Areas of Known Controversy and Issues to be Resolved .......................... 1-8 2. Description of the Proposed Project ...................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Background .................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Project Objective ........................................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Project Location ............................................................................................. 2-2 2.4 Project Characteristics ................................................................................ 2-11 2.5 Intended Uses of This Draft EIR ................................................................. 2-17 3. Project Setting .......................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Land Use Setting ............................................................................................ 3-1 3.2 Environmental Setting .................................................................................. 3-2 3.3 Development Setting .................................................................................... 3-4 4. Environmental Impacts ............................................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Aesthetics ....................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 4-3 4.1.3 CEQA Thresholds of Significance ........................................................................ 4-4 South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower Demolition Draft EIR [i] OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARCH 2013 [DRAFT] 4.1.4 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 4-4 4.2 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................... 4-9 4.2.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 4-9 4.2.2 Existing Conditions ................................................................................................. 4-10 4.2.3 CEQA Thresholds of Significance ..................................................................... 4-24 4.2.4 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................ 4-25 4.2.5 Mitigation Measures .............................................................................................. 4-25 4.2.6 Level of Significance after Mitigation ............................................................. 4-26 5. Alternatives to the Proposed Project ..................................................................... 5-1 5.1 “No Project” Alternative ............................................................................... 5-2 5.2 Renovating the South Field ATCT................................................................ 5-2 6. Public Involvement ................................................................................................... 6-1 7. List of Preparers ........................................................................................................ 7-1 7.1.1 Lead Agency ................................................................................................................. 7-1 7.1.2 Draft EIR Preparation ................................................................................................ 7-1 8. References ................................................................................................................. 8-1 9. List of Acronyms ....................................................................................................... 9-1 List of Appendices Appendix A: Notice of Preparation and Initial Study Checklist Appendix B: Cultural Resources Assessment Appendix C: Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower Demolition [ii] Draft EIR OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARCH 2013 [DRAFT] List of Tables Table 3-1 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Projects ................................................. 3-4 Table 4-1 Description and Current Use of South Field ATCT Floors .................................... 4-17 Table 4-2 Terminal 1 Complex History and Modifications ....................................................... 4-18 Table 4-3 Criterion for Eligibility under CRHR ............................................................................... 4-24 List of Exhibits Exhibit 2-1 Location Map ............................................................................................................................. 2-3 Exhibit 2-2 Project Vicinity Map ................................................................................................................ 2-7 Exhibit 2-3 Terminal 1 Complex ................................................................................................................ 2-9 Exhibit 2-4 Design Drawing of Terminal 1 and the South Field ATCT (West Section) ..... 2-13 Exhibit 2-5 Photo of the South Field ATCT (Floors 3 to 10) from the Terminal 1 Roofline ..................................................................................................................................... 2-15 Exhibit 4-1: South Field ATCT, View 1,720 feet from South Field ATCT ....................................... 4-7 South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower Demolition Draft EIR [iii] OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARCH 2013 [DRAFT] THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower Demolition [iv] Draft EIR OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARCH 2013 [DRAFT] 1. Introduction and Executive Summary Consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA, Public Resources Code §21000 et seq.) and the CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 14, §15000 et seq.), this Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) evaluates the environmental effects of demolishing floors 3 through 10 of the South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at Oakland International Airport (OAK or Airport) (the Proposed Project). This Draft EIR has been prepared by the Port of Oakland (the Port), the owner and operator of OAK, as the lead agency in conformance with the requirements of CEQA. An Initial Study Checklist was prepared in December 2012 which identified the resource areas that could be subject to significant impacts from the Proposed Project and that would require incorporation of mitigation measures where feasible. Based on a preliminary review of the project site and in consideration of the demolition activities associated with the Proposed Project, the Port determined that potentially significant effects may occur to aesthetics and cultural resources, because the South Field ATCT is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR). As a result, these resources are evaluated further in the Draft EIR. The Port determined that impacts related to hazards and hazardous wastes would be less than significant with mitigation incorporated. Proposed Project impacts related to air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, transportation/traffic, utilities and service systems, and cumulative impacts would be less than significant. The Proposed Project would have no impact on agricultural and forestry resources, biological resources, geology and soils, hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, mineral resources, population and housing, public services, or recreation. Federal, State, regional, and local agencies, as well as the public were afforded an opportunity to comment on the findings of the Initial Study Checklist through the 30-day scoping period (December 19, 2012 to January 21, 2013) associated with circulation of the Notice of Preparation (NOP) for this Draft EIR. A public scoping workshop was held on South Field Airport Traffic Control Tower Demolition Draft EIR [1-1] OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARCH 2013 [DRAFT] January 7,