Initial Study Polystyrene Foam Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance July 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE .......................................................................... 1 SECTION 2.0 PROJECT INFORMATION ....................................................................................... 1 2.1 PROJECT TITLE ................................................................................................................. 1 2.2 PROJECT LOCATION ........................................................................................................ 2 2.3 LEAD AGENCY CONTACT .............................................................................................. 9 2.4 PROJECT-RELATED APPROVALS, AGREEMENTS AND PERMITS ....................... 11 SECTION 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................... 12 3.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE ................................................................... 12 SECTION 4.0 SETTING, ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST AND IMPACTS ........................... 16 4.1 AESTHETICS ..................................................................................................................... 33 4.2 AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST RESOURCES ............................................................. 38 4.3 AIR QUALITY .................................................................................................................... 40 4.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................. 46 4.5 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 54 4.6 GEOLOGY AND SOILS .................................................................................................... 56 4.7 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS .................................................................................... 58 4.8 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ............................................................... 65 4.9 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY ........................................................................ 74 4.10 LAND USE .......................................................................................................................... 92 4.11 MINERAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................... 94 4.12 NOISE ................................................................................................................................. 95 4.13 POPULATION AND HOUSING ........................................................................................ 97 4.14 PUBLIC SERVICES ........................................................................................................... 98 4.15 RECREATION .................................................................................................................... 99 4.16 TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................................................ 100 4.17 UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS .......................................................................... 104 4.18 MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE ........................................................... 127 SECTION 5.0 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 130 SECTION 6.0 AUTHORS AND CONSULTANTS ...................................................................... 139 EPS Foam Food Ware Ordinance Initial Study City of San José i July 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS FIGURES Figure 2.3-1 Regional Map .............................................................................................................. 5 Figure 2.3-2 Participating Jurisdictions ........................................................................................... 7 Figure 2.3-3 Existing Bans .............................................................................................................. 9 Figure 4.9-1 Principal Watersheds in Santa Clara County ............................................................ 75 Figure 4.17-1 EPS foam Disposal Paths ........................................................................................ 113 Figure 4.17-2 Fiber Disposal Paths ................................................................................................ 115 Figure 4.17-3 Fiber Disposal Paths (Commercial) ........................................................................ 117 Figure 4.17-4 Plastics Disposal Paths ............................................................................................ 119 Figure 4.17-5 PLA Disposal Paths ................................................................................................. 121 Figure 4.17-6 PLA Disposal Paths (Commercial) ......................................................................... 123 TABLES Table 2.3-1: Jurisdictions within Santa Clara County .......................................................................... 3 Table 4.0-1: Permitted Food Vendors in Santa Clara County ............................................................ 23 Table 4.0-2: Summary of Businesses and Facilities That May Sell, Use ........................................... 24 Table 4.0-3: EPS Substitute Products ................................................................................................. 28 Table 4.0-4: Anticipated Shift to EPS foam Substitutes ..................................................................... 31 Table 4.4-1: Wildlife Species Covered in the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan ........... 52 Table 4.7-1: Relevant Greenhouse Gas Plans and Policies for Participating Jurisdictions ................ 60 Table 4.9-1: Principal Watersheds and Creeks within Participating Jurisdictions ............................. 77 Table 4.9-2: Estimated Volume of Trash Reaching Storm Drain Inlets ............................................. 84 Table 4.17-1: Water Retailers for Jurisdictions within Santa Clara County ...................................... 104 Table 4.17-2: Sanitary Sewer Service for Jurisdictions within Santa Clara County ........................ 106 Table 4.17-3: Capacity of Waste Disposal and Diversion Facilities in Santa Clara County ............ 125 APPENDICES Appendix A Draft Ordinances (A1: City of San José & A-2: City of Sunnyvale) Appendix B Baseline Estimates of Disposable Polystyrene Foam Food Ware Appendix C Summary of Life Cycle Assessments Appendix D Information on Disposable Food Containers EPS Foam Food Ware Ordinance Initial Study City of San José ii July 2013 SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE This Initial Study of environmental impacts is being prepared to conform to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations §15000 et.seq.) and the regulations and policies of the City of San José. This Initial Study evaluates the potential environmental impacts that might reasonably be anticipated to result from implementation of a model Polystyrene Foam Food Ware Ordinance in 14 incorporated cities and towns within Santa Clara County, California. SECTION 2.0 PROJECT INFORMATION 2.1 PROJECT TITLE Polystyrene Foam Disposable Food Ware Ordinance 2.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT The project is adoption of an ordinance regulating the use of polystyrene foam food ware by restaurants and food service establishments. The proposed Polystyrene Foam Food Service Ware Ordinance (“Proposed EPS Food Ware Ordinance”) is a model ordinance that would regulate the use of polystyrene foam food service ware within participating jurisdictions in Santa Clara County. Participating jurisdictions for the model ordinance that currently do not have restrictions on expanded or extruded polystyrene (EPS) foam food ware include 14 of the 15 incorporated cities in Santa Clara County (Palo Alto and unincorporated County of Santa Clara jurisdictions already have bans in place). The Proposed Ordinance would phase-out the use of EPS foam food service ware at restaurants and food service establishments within Santa Clara County, as adopted by implementing jurisdictions. EPS foam food ware use at restaurants and other food vendors would be prohibited in all adopting cities and towns. Restrictions on use would be phased to allow restaurants using EPS food ware to transition to alternative products. Two options for additional regulation of EPS food ware products may also be adopted by any or all of the participating cities or towns and unincorporated Santa Clara County. The two options include: 1) a restriction of sales of EPS foam food service ware in retail stores and sales outlets; and 2) a restriction of sales of EPS coolers or ice chests which are not wholly encapsulated or encased within a more durable material. These options may be incorporated in EPS Food Ware Ordinance language for adoption by individual jurisdictions. In the City of San José, the ordinance would consist of revisions to Chapter 9.10 of Title 9 of the City’s Municipal Code to prohibit the use of polystyrene foam food ware by food vendors. EPS Foam Food Ware Ordinance Initial Study City of San José 1 July 2013 A copy of the draft model ordinance is provided in Appendix A-1. The draft ordinance for the City of Sunnyvale, which includes provisions to phase-out the sale of empty containers is provided in Appendix A-2. 2.3 PROJECT LOCATION The proposed model ordinance