Draft Environmental Impact Report Air Products Hydrogen Pipeline Project City of Carson Project Case CUP 1089-18 State Clearinghouse No. SCH 2020059038 September 2020 Prepared by: City of Carson Community Development 701 East Carson Street Carson, CA 90745 Prepared with the assistance of: MRS Environmental, Inc. 1306 Santa Barbara Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 This Page Left Intentionally Blank TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. ES-1 ES.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. ES-3 ES.2 Description of Proposed Project ............................................................................... ES-3 ES.3 Objectives of the Proposed Project .......................................................................... ES-4 ES.4 Description of Alternatives ...................................................................................... ES-5 ES.4.1 No Project Alternative ........................................................................................ ES-5 ES.4.2 New Pipeline Alternative .................................................................................... ES-5 ES.4.3 Pipeline Modifications Alternative ..................................................................... ES-6 ES.4.4 Truck Transport from the Air Products Carson Facility Alternative .................. ES-7 ES.4.5 Hydrogen Generation Unit Alternative ............................................................... ES-7 ES.5 Current Operations ................................................................................................... ES-8 ES.6 Impacts of Proposed Project, Alternatives, and Cumulative Development ............. ES-8 ES.6.1 Impacts Associated with the Proposed Project ................................................... ES-9 ES.6.2 Impacts Associated with the Alternatives ......................................................... ES-12 ES.6.3 Impacts Associated with the Cumulative Development ................................... ES-17 ES.7 Environmentally Superior Alternative ................................................................... ES-19 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Overview of Proposed Project ..................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 The Environmental Impact Report Process ................................................................. 1-4 1.2.1 Purpose and Intended Uses of the Environmental Impact Report ......................... 1-4 1.2.2 Agency Use of the EIR .......................................................................................... 1-4 1.2.3 Notice of Preparation and Initial Study ................................................................. 1-5 1.3 EIR Contents and Guide to the Reader ....................................................................... 1-6 1.3.1 EIR Contents .......................................................................................................... 1-6 1.3.2 Thresholds of Significance .................................................................................... 1-7 1.3.3 EIR Preparation and Certification Process ............................................................ 1-7 2.0 Proposed Project Description and Alternatives .................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Project Overview ......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Project Location .......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Background and Historic Operations ........................................................................ 2-14 2.4 Current Operations .................................................................................................... 2-14 2.5 Project Objectives ...................................................................................................... 2-14 2.6 Existing Pipeline ........................................................................................................ 2-15 2.7 New Pipeline Construction ........................................................................................ 2-16 Construction Personnel ........................................................................................ 2-16 Equipment and Staging Areas .............................................................................. 2-16 Construction Methods .......................................................................................... 2-17 Testing and Inspection ......................................................................................... 2-19 Access and Traffic Management ......................................................................... 2-20 Other Protection Measures ................................................................................... 2-20 2.8 Receiving Facilities ................................................................................................... 2-20 2.9 Pipeline Safety Measures .......................................................................................... 2-21 AIR PRODUCTS HYDROGEN PIPELINE PROJECT i PUBLIC DRAFT EIR SEPTEMBER 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 2-21 Leak Detection ..................................................................................................... 2-21 Cathodic Protection .............................................................................................. 2-21 Visual Inspections ................................................................................................ 2-22 One Call System .................................................................................................. 2-22 Pipeline Markings ................................................................................................ 2-22 2.10 Pipeline Operations ................................................................................................... 2-22 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System ............................................. 2-23 Emergency Response ........................................................................................... 2-23 Emergency Flare .................................................................................................. 2-23 2.11 Applicant Proposed Avoidance and Minimization Measures ................................... 2-24 2.12 Regulatory Oversight ................................................................................................ 2-26 2.13 References ................................................................................................................. 2-27 3.0 Cumulative Scenario ........................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Cumulative Methodology ............................................................................................ 3-1 3.2 Cumulative Projects .................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3 References ................................................................................................................... 3-9 4.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................................ 4.1-1 4.1.1 Environmental Setting .......................................................................................... 4.1-1 4.1.1.1 Meteorological Conditions............................................................................ 4.1-1 4.1.1.2 Temperature and Rainfall ............................................................................. 4.1-2 4.1.1.3 Wind Flow Patterns....................................................................................... 4.1-2 4.1.1.4 Air Quality Monitoring ................................................................................. 4.1-5 4.1.2 Baseline Operational Emissions ........................................................................... 4.1-7 4.1.3 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................................ 4.1-8 4.1.3.1 Federal Authority .......................................................................................... 4.1-8 4.1.3.2 State Authority .............................................................................................. 4.1-8 4.1.3.3 Local Authority SCAQMD ........................................................................... 4.1-8 4.1.4 Significance Thresholds ........................................................................................ 4.1-9 4.1.5 Project Impacts and Mitigation Measures........................................................... 4.1-10 4.1.5.1 Construction Emissions .............................................................................. 4.1-10 4.1.5.2 Operational Emissions ................................................................................ 4.1-14 4.1.6 Impact Discussion ............................................................................................... 4.1-16 4.1.7 Cumulative Effects.............................................................................................