Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Joint Powers Authority Land Mobile Radio Project March 2016 Federal Emergency Management Agency Department of Homeland Security 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200 Oakland, California 94607 This page intentionally left blank TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Project Background .................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Regulatory Background and Use of This Programmatic Environmental Assessment ............... 1-3 1.2.1 Regulatory Background................................................................................................. 1-3 1.2.2 Use of this Programmatic Environmental Assessment ................................................. 1-5 1.3 Cooperating Agencies ................................................................................................................ 1-8 1.4 Other Federal Agencies.............................................................................................................. 1-8 1.5 Purpose Of and Need for Action ................................................................................................ 1-9 1.6 Public Participation Process ....................................................................................................... 1-9 1.7 Organization of This Programmatic Environmental Assessment ............................................ 1-11 2.0 Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives .......................................................................... 2-1 2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Proposed Action......................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Geotechnical Investigations .......................................................................................... 2-2 2.2.2 General Land Mobile Radio Project Description........................................................... 2-2 2.2.3 LMR Project Site Types ................................................................................................. 2-3 2.2.4 LMR Project Site Components ...................................................................................... 2-3 2.2.5 Construction ............................................................................................................... 2-14 2.2.6 Operations .................................................................................................................. 2-17 2.3 Alternatives Eliminated from Further Analysis ........................................................................ 2-18 2.3.1 Cell on Wheels ............................................................................................................ 2-18 2.3.2 Satellites...................................................................................................................... 2-18 3.0 Affected Environment .................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Land Use and Planning ............................................................................................................... 3-2 3.1.1 Regulatory Background................................................................................................. 3-2 3.1.2 Resource Overview ....................................................................................................... 3-4 3.2 Geology, Seismicity, and Soils .................................................................................................. 3-10 3.2.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-10 3.2.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-11 3.3 Water Resources ...................................................................................................................... 3-21 3.3.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-21 3.3.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-25 Programmatic Environmental Assessment Federal Emergency Management Agency Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Joint Powers Authority Land Mobile Radio Project Page i March 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.4 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................ 3-34 3.4.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-34 3.4.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-36 3.5 Human Health and Safety ........................................................................................................ 3-43 3.5.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-43 3.5.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-46 3.6 Socioeconomics ....................................................................................................................... 3-47 3.6.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-47 3.6.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-47 3.7 Historic Properties ................................................................................................................... 3-50 3.7.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-50 3.7.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-56 3.8 Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 3-59 3.8.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-60 3.8.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-60 3.9 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions ............................................................................. 3-62 3.9.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-62 3.9.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-65 3.10 Noise ........................................................................................................................................ 3-69 3.10.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-69 3.10.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-69 3.11 Visual Quality ........................................................................................................................... 3-72 3.11.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-72 3.11.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-72 3.12 Recreation ................................................................................................................................ 3-75 3.12.1 Regulatory Background............................................................................................... 3-75 3.12.2 Resource Overview ..................................................................................................... 3-76 4.0 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Land Use .................................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................... 4-2 4.2 Geology, Soils, and Seismicity .................................................................................................... 4-9 4.2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................... 4-9 4.2.2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................... 4-9 Programmatic Environmental Assessment Federal Emergency Management Agency Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Joint Powers Authority Land Mobile Radio Project Page