Madera Station Relocation Project Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority MADERA STATION RELOCATION PROJECT VOLUME 1 DRAFT INITIAL STUDY/ MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION SAN JOAQUIN JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY October 2020 June 2020 ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – SUBJECT TO CHANGE Page | i Madera Station Relocation Project Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Draft Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration Volume 1 Madera Station Relocation Project San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority October 2020 Prepared for: San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority 949 Channel Street Stockton, CA 95202 Prepared by: AECOM 300 Lakeside Dr Oakland, CA 94612 Madera Station Relocation Project Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Table of Contents ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED ........................................ xiii MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION ..................................................................... xiv 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ......................................................................................................... 2 1.2. Project Setting .................................................................................................... 5 1.3. Project Location .................................................................................................. 6 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................... 8 2.1. Project Environmental Footprint .......................................................................... 8 2.2. Phase 1 – San Joaquins Relocated Station .......................................................10 2.2.1. Platform ..................................................................................................10 2.2.2. Trackwork ...............................................................................................10 2.2.3. Bus Depot ..............................................................................................10 2.2.4. Parking ...................................................................................................10 2.2.5. Access Road ..........................................................................................10 2.2.6. Roadway Network ..................................................................................12 2.2.7. Buildings and Structures .........................................................................12 2.2.8. Trains .....................................................................................................12 2.3. Phase 2 – HSR Interim Operating Segment Station ...........................................12 2.3.1. Platform ..................................................................................................12 2.3.2. Trackwork and Overhead Contact System .............................................17 2.3.3. Bus Depot ..............................................................................................17 2.3.4. Parking ...................................................................................................18 2.3.5. Access Road ..........................................................................................18 2.3.6. Road Network ........................................................................................18 2.3.7. Buildings and Structures .........................................................................18 2.3.8. Trains .....................................................................................................19 2.4. Construction Period ...........................................................................................19 2.5. Preliminary Project Capital Cost Estimates ........................................................20 2.6. Operations .........................................................................................................20 2.7. Required Permits ...............................................................................................21 2.8. Public Outreach .................................................................................................22 October 2020 Page | i Madera Station Relocation Project Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority 3. INITIAL STUDY ....................................................................................................................... 23 3.1. AESTHETICS ....................................................................................................23 3.2. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES .............................................29 3.3. AIR QUALITY ....................................................................................................37 3.4. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ..............................................................................51 3.5. CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................84 3.6. ENERGY ...........................................................................................................90 3.7. GEOLOGY AND SOILS .....................................................................................97 3.8. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS .................................................................. 111 3.9. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ................................................... 119 3.10. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY ............................................................ 133 3.11. LAND USE AND PLANNING ........................................................................... 143 3.12. MINERAL RESOURCES ................................................................................. 154 3.13. NOISE ............................................................................................................. 156 3.14. POPULATION AND HOUSING ........................................................................ 163 3.15. PUBLIC SERVICES ......................................................................................... 166 3.16. RECREATION ................................................................................................. 173 3.17. TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................................ 176 3.18. TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................. 186 3.19. UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS ............................................................. 190 3.20. WILDFIRE........................................................................................................ 198 3.21. MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE ................................................ 202 4. LIST OF PREPARERS ......................................................................................................... 207 5. REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 208 October 2020 Page | ii Madera Station Relocation Project Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Figures Figure 1-1 San Joaquins Service Map ............................................................................. 1 Figure 1-2 Existing Madera San Joaquins Station at Madera Acres ................................ 5 Figure 1-3 Existing Madera Station .................................................................................. 6 Figure 1-4 Proposed Relocated Station at Avenue 12 ..................................................... 7 Figure 2-1 Proposed Project Environmental Footprint ..................................................... 9 Figure 2-2 Proposed Design for Project Phase 1 – San Joaquins Relocated Station (Overview) ........................................................................................ 11 Figure 2-3 Proposed Design for the Project Phase 1 – San Joaquins Relocated Station (Detailed View) .................................................................................. 13 Figure 2-4 Proposed Design for the Project Phase 2 – HSR Interim Operating Segment Station (Overview) ......................................................................... 14 Figure 2-5 Proposed Design for the Project Phase 2 – HSR Interim Operating Segment Station (Detailed View)................................................................... 15 Figure 2-6 Proposed Design for the Project Phase 2 – HSR Interim Operating Segment Station (Station Close-In View) ...................................................... 16 Figure 3.2-1 Farmland Classifications ............................................................................... 31 Figure 3.4-1 Special-Status Plant Species ....................................................................... 53 Figure 3.4-2 Designated Wetlands Part 1 .......................................................................... 54 Figure 3.4-3 Designated Wetlands Part 2 .......................................................................... 55 Figure 3.7-1 California Earthquake Zone Map ................................................................... 99 Figure 3.7-2 Potential for Soil Erosion to Water ............................................................... 102 Figure 3.7-3 Potential for Soil Erosion to Wind ...............................................................