Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final Environmental Impact Report SCH# 2010122037 PREPARED FOR: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District 330 Distel Circle Los Altos, CA 94022 May 2012 Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final Environmental Impact Report SCH# 2010122037 PREPARED FORR: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District 330 Distel Circle Los Altos, CA 94022 CONTACT: Meredith Manning Senior Plannerr Phone: 650.691.1200 Fax:650.691.0485 [email protected] PREPARED BY: Ascent Environmental, Inc. 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 210 Sacramento, CA 95814 www.ascentenvinc.com CONTACT: Gary Jakobs Principal 916.444.7301 May 25, 2011 10010041.01 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1‐1 2 COMMENTS AND RESPONSES ........................................................................................................... 2‐1 3 CHANGES TO THE DEIR ...................................................................................................................... 3‐1 4 REPORT PREPARATION ..................................................................................................................... 4‐1 Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final EIR i Table of Contents Ascent Environmental This page intentionally blank. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District ii Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final EIR 1 INTRODUCTION On December 13, 2012, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD or District) released for public review the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project. The project, described in detail in the DEIR, provides for phased public access to the summit of Mount Umunhum and various potential open space‐related public improvements, including environmental restoration, trails, a camp site, picnic tables, and a visitor center. The site housed the former Almaden Air Force Station, a radar station active during the Cold War. Most or all of the existing structures— which have been substantially modified to remove asbestos‐containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and lead‐based paint—would be removed. Three options are proposed for the most prominent structure, a five‐story concrete structure that served as the base for the radar antenna: preservation in place, partial demolition, or full demolition. The MROSD is the lead agency for the project. As lead agency, the District has principal responsibility for approving and carrying out the proposed project. The DEIR public review period ended on February 10, 2012. In accordance with § 15088 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the MROSD, as the lead agency, has reviewed the comments received on the DEIR for the Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project and has prepared this FEIR (FEIR), which includes written responses to the comments received. As required by CEQA Guidelines § 15088(b), MROSD provided each public agency that submitted written comments on the DEIR with proposed written responses to that public agency’s comments at least 10 days prior to certifying the Final EIR (FEIR). Chapter 2 of the FEIR consists of the written comments received on the DEIR, and presents responses to environmental issues raised in the comments (as required by the State CEQA Guidelines § 15132). The focus of the responses to comments is on the disposition of significant environmental issues that are raised in the comments, as specified by Section 15088(c) of the State CEQA Guidelines. Detailed responses are not provided to comments on the merits of the proposed project that do not raise significant environmental issues. However, when a comment is not directed to significant environmental issues, the response indicates such. Each comment letter has been reproduced and is followed by the responses to the comments. For example, the response to the second comment of the second letter would be indicated as Response to Comment 2‐2. In some instances, responses to comments may warrant clarifications of the text of the DEIR. In those cases, the text of the DEIR is revised and the changes compiled in Chapter 3, Clarifications and Revisions to the DEIR. The text deletions are shown in strikeout (strikeout) and additions are shown in double underline (double underline). This document and the DEIR together constitute the FEIR, which will be considered by MROSD prior to a decision on whether to approve the proposed project. Before deciding whether to approve the proposed project, MROSD, as required by CEQA Guidelines Section 15090, must first certify that the FEIR was completed in compliance with CEQA’s requirements, was reviewed and considered by the MROSD Board of Directors, and reflects the Board’s independent judgment and analysis. MROSD will also adopt findings of fact on the disposition of each significant environmental impact, as required by CEQA Guidelines §15091(a) and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, as required by CEQA Guidelines §15091(d). Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final EIR 1-1 Introduction Ascent Environmental This page intentionally blank. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District 1-2 Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final EIR 2 COMMENTS AND RESPONSES This section of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) contains comment letters received on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).Written responses are set out in Section 2.1 below. All comment letters and verbal comments are identified in Table 2‐1 below and are assigned a number. Table 2-1 List of Commenters Letter Commenter Date Agency/Organization Number 1 David Alexander January 12, 2012 N/A 2 Mike Alexander January 11, 2012 N/A 3 Bruce Bailey January 6, 2012 N/A 4 Elizabeth Bennett February 7, 2012 N/A 5 Hella Bluhm‐Steiber January 31, 2012 N/A 6 Daniel Bremond January 18, 2012 N/A 7 Doug Brown January 21, 2012 N/A 8 Jan Carey January 6, 2012 N/A 9 Jan Carey December 14, 2011 N/A 10 Brian Carr December 16, 2011 N/A 11 Stephanie Charette February 2, 2012 N/A 12 Katy Cooper January 26, 2012 N/A 13 Jill Croft December 24, 2011 N/A 14 Matthew Dailey January 10, 2012 N/A 15 Davis Family January 6, 2012 N/A 16 Bill & Linda Desler December 22, 2011 N/A 17 Robert Elmore February 1, 2012 N/A 18 Anthony Correia, President January 18, 2012 Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Field Employees Association 19 Dietrich Fellenz January 11, 2012 N/A 20 Jacob Finkle January 9, 2012 N/A 21 John Fox January 25, 2012 N/A 22 Raymond (Craig) Gamma January 27, 2012 N/A 23 Helen Garza January 6, 2012 N/A 24 Sue Gaumunt January 18, 2012 N/A 25 Michael Glazzy February 9, 2012 N/A 26 Anne Louise Heigho January 5, 2012 N/A 27 Fred Hines January 25, 2012 N/A 28 Carissa Zenorini Hobbs January 24, 2012 N/A 29 Ron Horii January 23, 2012 N/A 30 Leota Kuzma January 5, 2012 N/A Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final EIR 2-1 Ascent Environmental, Inc. Comments and Responses Table 2-1 List of Commenters Letter Commenter Date Agency/Organization Number 31 Corwin Lakin January 18, 2012 N/A 32 David and Barbara Leeson January 18, 2012 N/A 33 Jordan Makower, Science Consultant January 25, 2012 Pegasus Educational Services 34 Jordan Makower, Science Consultant January 5, 2012 Pegasus Educational Services 35 Shannon McElyea January 18, 2012 N/A 36 Evelyn McGarry January 6, 2012 N/A 37 Kristen M. Powell February 10, 2012 Logan & Powell, LLP for Communications & Control, Inc. 38 Betty Moore January 13, 2012 N/A 39 Larry E. Morris, M.D. January 18, 2012 Larry Emil Morris, M.D. 40 Katy Sanchez, Program Analyst December 21, 2011 Native American Heritage Commission 41 Jay Newman January 20, 2012 BFGC – IBI Group Architecture Planning 42 Jay Newman January 16, 2012 BFGC – IBI Group Architecture Planning 43 Zoltan Olah January 27, 2012 N/A 44 Leon Pappanastos January 26, 2012 N/A 45 Mary Peddy January 5, 2012 N/A 46 Joyce Pennell January 26, 2012 N/A 47 John Pfister, Environmental Engineer February 9, 2012 N/A 48 Patrick Pizzo January 17, 2012 N/A 49 Bryce R. January 14, 2012 N/A 50 Johnny C. Reed February 6, 2012 N/A 51 Steve Rodrigues January 6, 2012 N/A 52 Robin Saunders January 18, 2012 N/A 53 Kimberly Brosseau, Park Planner II February 8, 2012 County of Santa Clara, Parks and Recreation Department 54 Ignacio Gonzalez, Director of Planning and February 10, 2012 County of Santa Clara, Department of Development Planning and Development, Planning Office 55 Lisa Karpiniski, Environmental Action February 10, 2012 Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Committee Volunteer Shani Kleinhaus, Environmental Advocate 56 Kathrin A. Turner, Assistant Engineer, January 11, 2011 Santa Clara Valley Water District Community Projects Review Unit 57 Jim Showalter December 16, 2011 N/A 58 Richard Simpson December 22, 2011 N/A 59 Dennis Smith December 26, 2011 N/A 60 Rich Stephens January 8, 2012 N/A 61 Laura Sternberg December 23, 2011 N/A 62 Carol Sweetapple December 22, 2011 N/A 63 Mike Vandeman December 15, 2011 N/A Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District 2-2 Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project Final EIR Comments and Responses Ascent Environmental, Inc. Table 2-1 List of Commenters Letter Commenter Date Agency/Organization Number 64 Jaime Villareal January 26, 2012 N/A 65 Jaime Villareal January 20, 2012 N/A 66 Ed Von Runnen February 10, 2012 N/A 67 Jenny Walicek January 5, 2012 N/A 68 Karla Wernigaus January 26, 2012 N/A 69 Jeffrey White Not dated N/A 70 Bruce Williamson December 13, 2011 N/A 71 Beth Wyman January 5, 2012 N/A 72 Dave & Barb Leeson February 23, 2012 N/A 73 Verbal Comments Received at the Public January 18, 2012 DEIR Hearing 74 Leon Pappanastos May 5, 2012 N/A 75 William J.