APPENDIX C INITIAL STUDY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST FOR THE PALOS VERDES REEF RESTORATION PROJECT Prepared by: California State Lands Commission 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 100-South Sacramento, CA 95825 February 2017 MISSION STATEMENT The California State Lands Commission provides the people of California with effective stewardship of the lands, waterways, and resources entrusted to its care through preservation, restoration, enhancement, responsible economic development, and the promotion of public access. CEQA DOCUMENT WEBSITE www.slc.ca.gov/Info/CEQA.html Geographic Location: Latitude: N 33.720917 Longitude: W 118.349167 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTIAL STUDY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST .....................................................1 1.0 AESTHETICS ................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Recreational Facilities ..................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Scenic Roadways ............................................................................................ 3 1.1.3 Viewing Stations ............................................................................................. 3 1.1.4 Residential Communities near the Project Site ............................................... 4 1.1.5 Harbors near the Project Site .......................................................................... 4 1.2 Regulatory Setting ......................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Mitigation Summary ...................................................................................................... 5 2.0 AGRICULTURE AND FOREST RESOURCES .......................................................... 6 2.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Regulatory Setting ......................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Impact Analysis ............................................................................................................. 6 2.4 Mitigation Summary ...................................................................................................... 7 3.0 AIR QUALITY.................................................................................................................. 8 3.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Topography, Climate, and Meteorology ......................................................... 8 3.1.2 Air Pollutants .................................................................................................. 9 3.2 Regulatory Setting ......................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 10 3.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 13 4.0 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 14 4.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 14 4.1.1 Soft-Bottom Habitat ...................................................................................... 15 4.1.2 Hard-Bottom Habitat .................................................................................... 15 4.1.3 Biological Survey .......................................................................................... 16 4.1.4 Marine Mammals .......................................................................................... 16 4.1.4 Sea Turtles .................................................................................................... 17 4.1.5 Marine Birds ................................................................................................. 17 4.1.6 Federal- and State-Listed Species in the Project Area .................................. 17 4.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 18 4.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 18 4.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 21 5.0 CULTURAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................... 22 5.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 22 5.1.1 Archaeological Resources ............................................................................. 22 5.1.2 Submerged Historic Resources ..................................................................... 23 5.1.3 Paleontological Resources ............................................................................ 23 5.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 24 5.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 25 February 2017 i Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project Initial Study/Negative Declaration Appendix C – Table of Contents 6.0 GEOLOGY AND SOILS ............................................................................................... 26 6.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 26 6.1.1 Geologic Setting ............................................................................................ 26 6.1.2 Seismic Hazards ............................................................................................ 27 6.1.3 Landslides ..................................................................................................... 27 6.1.4 Currents and Sediment Movement ................................................................ 28 6.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 29 6.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 29 6.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 30 7.0 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS .............................................................................. 31 7.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 31 7.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 31 7.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 32 7.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 32 8.0 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.......................................................... 33 8.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 33 8.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 34 8.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 34 8.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 36 9.0 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY .................................................................. 37 9.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 37 9.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 38 9.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 38 9.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 40 10.0 LAND USE AND PLANNING ...................................................................................... 41 10.1 Environmental Setting ................................................................................................. 41 10.2 Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................... 41 10.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 42 10.4 Mitigation Summary .................................................................................................... 43 11.0 MINERAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................