+ ARCO Pipeline Removal Combined Project 06DRP-00000-00002 County of Santa Barbara (Lead Agency) 06-058-DP City of Goleta (Responsible Agency) FINAL Mitigated Negative Declaration Vicinity Map Owner/Applicant Consultant Engineer Atlantic Richfield Company ARCADIS U.S., Inc Padre Associates, Inc. 6 Centerpointe Dr. 4640 Admiralty Way, Suite 523 5290 Overpass Road #217 La Palma, CA 90623 Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Goleta, CA 93111 For More Information Contact: Santa Barbara County Energy Division, (805) 568-2513 ARCO Pipeline Removal (06DRP-00000-00002) February, 2010 FINAL Mitigated Negative Declaration Page 1 0.0 DOCUMENT FORMATTING NOTE The proposed project involves activity in both the County of Santa Barbara and the City of Goleta jurisdictions; as such, the applicant, Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), submitted applications to both agencies. Pursuant to Section 15051, Title 14, California Code of Regulations, the County and City agreed to designate the County as lead CEQA agency. Due to the differences in policy and environmental thresholds, the environmental analysis was divided into separate sections specific to each agency’s geographic jurisdiction. Therefore, this document is formatted with a discussion specific to the County portion of the project followed by a discussion specific to the City segment. Note that some information may be presented in both jurisdictional sections of the document and that as the lead CEQA agency for all aspects of the project in both jurisdictions; the County has fully studied and addressed all potential project impacts. The City-specific discussions are provided to ensure that the project is explicitly reviewed in the context of both the County and the City regulatory criteria. The proposed project work will be performed in four distinct geographic areas within the Third Supervisorial District, involving three riparian creeks and one marine terrace as follows and shown on Figure 1: 1. Eagle Canyon Creek Area- in the County of Santa Barbara 2. Eagle Canyon Ranch Marine Terrace Area- in the County of Santa Barbara 3. Tecolote Creek Area- in the City of Goleta 4. Bell Creek Area- near the Venoco Ellwood Onshore Facility (EOF) in the City of Goleta Figure 1 - Project Location Map ARCO Pipeline Removal (06DRP-00000-00002) February, 2010 FINAL Mitigated Negative Declaration Page 2 1.0 REQUEST/PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.1 County Request/Project Description Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) seeks to obtain a Demolition and Reclamation Permit (D & R) and a Coastal Development Permit requiring a public hearing (CDH) from the County of Santa Barbara to remove several abandoned pipelines and ancillary equipment associated with its former Dos Pueblos oil and gas production operation. A relatively small portion of pipeline is proposed to be abandoned in place. These pipelines originate on the former Dos Pueblos oil and gas production site, currently owned by Makar Properties, and traverse in an easterly direction across Eagle Canyon Creek and the privately owned Eagle Canyon Ranch within a former right- of-way easement leased by ARCO. The pipelines terminate on the Eagle Canyon Ranch property, with one exception. Segments of a former crude oil transport pipeline can be found eastward across the City of Goleta limit boundary. See Section 1.2 below for that discussion. ARCO proposes to remove all above-ground portions of the abandoned pipelines. Buried segments of the pipeline bundle for which ARCO has responsibility will also be removed from the Eagle Canyon Ranch property at the property owner’s request. Less than 50 cubic yards of grading is proposed. Removal of the pipeline will require the use of mechanized equipment. Structures proposed to be removed as part of this abandonment project include: • The remaining above-ground portions of a 6-inch diameter former crude oil transport pipeline running from Dos Pueblos (Makar) property to Bell Creek; • An abandoned pipeline bundle (5 lines) and associated concrete, metal, and wood pipe supports remaining on the Dos Pueblos property (a distance of approximately 300 feet), Eagle Canyon Ranch (approximately 1/3 mile), and across Eagle Canyon Creek (two metal supports atop wooden beams); Removal of the pipeline at Eagle Canyon Ranch work area will require the use of an excavator and crane. Approximately 200 feet of pipeline is located underground and will have to be precisely located and exposed prior to removal. Removed pipeline will be placed on a flatbed truck and transferred the primary staging area located on Eagle Canyon Ranch. At Eagle Canyon Creek, a temporary scaffold will be built in the creek bed to be used for removal of the pipeline and pipeline support structures. Prior to removal, the pipeline will be tapped and residual fluid will be removed. Once residual fluid is removed the pipeline will be cut at the approximate centerline and on each end outside the eastern and western bank of Eagle Canyon Creek. Each pipeline segment will be filled with sorbent pads and a plug will be placed over the end. Once plugged the pipeline segment will be rigged with a pulling sling and pulled from the creek bed to the upland areas on the eastern and western sides with the use a small bulldozer. The pipeline support structures will then be removed with the use of equipment staged on the bank of the Eagle Canyon Creek. An opening in the tree canopy will need to be created for lifting operations. Approximately 6 to 10 eucalyptus trees will need to be removed in the vicinity of the pipe supports in order to remove the pipelines. Additionally, understory vegetation will be trimmed back or matted down with planking to provide a clear working are for project personal involved in lifting operations. Removed materials will be transported to the primary staging area with the use of flat bed truck. ARCO Pipeline Removal (06DRP-00000-00002) February, 2010 FINAL Mitigated Negative Declaration Page 3 Access to the eastern side of Eagle Canyon Creek is provided through an existing unpaved road that runs west across Eagle Canyon Ranch from the Ellwood Pier access road. Access to the western side of Eagle Canyon Creek and will be provided through an existing access road on the neighboring Makar property. The majority of equipment and personal will access the site on the eastern side. Equipment Equipment estimated to be used as part of this removal project is based on the work activities required for each area. However, equipment may be subject to modifications based on the contractor selected to perform construction activities and specific equipment availability at the time of project execution. In some cases, an equivalent piece of equipment may be utilized that serves the same purpose or function of those listed above. The equipment proposed for the removal work consists of: Eagle Canyon Creek Area Pipe tapping machine, air compressor, generator, crane, diaphragm pump or vacuum truck, hand tools, four wheel pipe cutter, pneumatic hacksaw, and/or gasoline-powered cut-off saw, sorbent pads and end caps for cut pipe sections, front-end loader or similar piece of equipment, small bulldozer (Cat D6 or equivalent), crane, and roll-off bins/55-gallon capacity drums. Eagle Canyon Ranch Marine Terrance Area Vegetation/tree trimming spread, air knife unit, pipe tapping machine, air compressor, skid-steer loader, backhoe, or similar piece of equipment, crane, excavator, grout delivery truck, inline grout pump, flatbed truck, forklift, or similar piece of equipment, diaphragm pump or vacuum truck, hand tools, four wheel or hydraulic pipe cutter, pneumatic hacksaw, and/or gasoline- powered cut-off saw, containment pans, sorbent pads (in addition to those listed in Section 3.0 for spill response requirements), pipe caps/fittings, welding machine, and roll-off bins/55-gallon capacity drums. Schedule Field work activities are proposed to occur between the dates of July 1 through November 1 (or possibly until November 15 if significant rainfall does not occur). This time period represents the normal dry season, which would allow work to be completed in the creek areas during low-flow conditions and would minimize the potential for stormwater pollution to result from Project implementation. Although not currently anticipated, it is possible that work activities in upland marine terrace areas away from the creek areas could be completed outside of the dry season referenced above. If any upland work activities are performed outside of the dry season, standard best management practices and erosion control measures would be implemented to minimize the potential for stormwater runoff from construction/disturbed areas to occur. Any additional Project schedule limitations specified in permits/approvals issued for the Project would be adhered to. Following are the estimated work-day durations for each major project component in the County: Eagle Canyon Creek work activities: 18 days Eagle Canyon Ranch Marine Terrace work activities: 82 days ARCO Pipeline Removal (06DRP-00000-00002) February, 2010 FINAL Mitigated Negative Declaration Page 4 Logistics Key elements of the Work Plan include: designated work hours and days of operations, parking requirements, access, equipment staging, onsite security, pipeline tapping and residual fluid removal procedures, pipeline removal procedures, pipeline support structure removal procedures. The Work Plan also includes an Oil Spill Prevention and Contingency Plan, Waste Management Plan, Traffic Control Plan, Post Construction Soil Sampling and Analysis Plan. The Work Plan is subject to review and refinement as a part of the environmental review and permit process to ensure consistency with County policies and regulations. 1.2 City Request/Project Description Prior to initial oilfield exploration in 1929, the subject properties consisted of vacant farm and ranch land. The Ellwood Oil Field discovery well was drilled on what is now the Sandpiper Golf Course in June of 1928. From 1928 until 1994, oil and gas were extracted from wells that penetrated the Ellwood Field.