UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED LAZY K RANCH PERMITTEE-RESPONSIBLE OFF-SITE MITIGATION PRESERVE PROJECT Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration The following Initial Study has been prepared in compliance with CEQA. Prepared By: University of California Merced 5200 North Lake Road Merced, California 95343 April 2015 Contact: Phillip Woods, Director of Physical & Environmental Planning 5200 North Lake Road Merced, California 95343 (209) 349-2561 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Initial Study ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Public and Agency Review ......................................................................................................................... 1 Organization of the Initial Study ................................................................................................................ 2 1. PROJECT INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................... 3 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Project Need and Objectives ......................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Project Location .............................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 Project Site Characteristics ............................................................................................................ 6 2.5 Project Components ..................................................................................................................... 10 2.6 Project Construction Activities and Schedule .......................................................................... 15 2.7 Construction Control Measures ................................................................................................. 15 3. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS .................................................................................... 18 4. DETERMINATION .................................................................................................................................... 19 5. EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS .............................................................................. 20 5.1 Aesthetics ...................................................................................................................................... 21 5.2 Agricultural and Forestry Resources ......................................................................................... 23 5.3 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................... 25 5.4 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................... 31 5.5 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................................... 43 5.6 Geology and Soils ......................................................................................................................... 46 5.7 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ......................................................................................................... 48 5.8 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................ 52 5.9 Hydrology and Water Quality ................................................................................................... 55 5.10 Land Use and Planning ............................................................................................................... 58 5.11 Mineral Resources ........................................................................................................................ 60 5.12 Noise .............................................................................................................................................. 61 5.13 Population and Housing ............................................................................................................. 65 5.14 Public Services .............................................................................................................................. 66 5.15 Recreation ...................................................................................................................................... 67 5.16 Transportation and Traffic .......................................................................................................... 68 5.17 Utilities and Service Systems ...................................................................................................... 70 5.18 Mandatory Findings of Significance .......................................................................................... 72 6. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................. 74 7. REPORT PREPARERS ............................................................................................................................... 75 Appendices A. Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration B. Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculations C. Biological Resources Survey Report UC Merced i Lazy K Preserve Initial Study/MND 0974.004 April 2015 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Regional Location ......................................................................................................................................... 5 2 Project Vicinity .............................................................................................................................................. 8 3 Topographic Map ......................................................................................................................................... 9 4 Preliminary Proposed Pools...................................................................................................................... 12 5 Vernal Pool Restoration Design................................................................................................................ 13 6 Documented Vernal Pool Shrimp Occurrences ...................................................................................... 32 7 Documented Special-Status Amphibians, Plants, and Nesting Raptors ............................................. 33 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 SJVAB Air Quality Attainment Status ..................................................................................................... 25 2 SJVAPCD Air Quality Significance Thresholds ..................................................................................... 26 3 Estimated Construction Emissions (tons per year) ................................................................................ 28 4 Special-Status Species with Potential to Occur in Project Vicinity ...................................................... 34 5 Construction Equipment 50-Foot Noise Emission Limits ..................................................................... 62 UC Merced ii Lazy K Preserve Initial Study/MND 0974.004 April 2015 INTRODUCTION Initial Study The proposed project is the construction and operation of a Permittee-Responsible Off-site Mitigation Preserve by UC Merced on a 65.5-acre site on the Lazy K Ranch in Madera County. The University is proposing to enter into an agreement with the property owner for the establishment of this preserve which would provide compensatory mitigation for wetland impacts from the development of the UC Merced Campus. The proposed agreement with the property owner and the establishment of the preserve is a discretionary action of the University, and is therefore subject to compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15063 of the State CEQA Guidelines (Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Sections 15000 et seq.), an Initial Study is a preliminary environmental analysis that is used by the lead agency (the public agency principally responsible for approving or carrying out the proposed project) as a basis for determining whether an Environmental Impact Report, a Mitigated Negative Declaration, or a Negative Declaration is required for a project. The State CEQA Guidelines require that an Initial Study contain a project description, description of environmental setting, identification of environmental effects by checklist or other similar form, explanation of environmental effects, discussion of mitigation for significant environmental effects, evaluation of the project’s consistency with existing, applicable land use controls, and the name of persons who prepared the study. The purpose of this Initial Study is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts from the construction and operation of the proposed Lazy K Ranch Permittee-Responsible Off-site Mitigation Preserve to determine what level of environmental review is appropriate. As shown