MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION EXXONMOBIL SANTA YNEZ UNIT (SYU) OFFSHORE POWER SYSTEM RELIABILITY – B PHASE 2 PROJECT July 2014 Lead Agency: California State Lands Commission 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 100 South Sacramento, California 95825 Applicant: ExxonMobil Production Company CORP-WGR-936, 222 Benmar Houston, Texas 77060 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... i LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................... v APPENDICES ................................................................................................................ vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ........................................................... vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 1 1.0 PROJECT AND AGENCY INFORMATION .......................................................... 1-1 1.1 PROJECT TITLE ............................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 LEAD AGENCY AND PROJECT SPONSOR .................................................... 1-1 1.3 PROJECT LOCATION ...................................................................................... 1-1 1.4 ORGANIZATION OF MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION ....................... 1-5 1.5 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ............................................... 1-5 1.6 PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT .................................................................. 1-7 1.7 APPROVALS AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ..................................... 1-7 1.7.1 Regulatory Background and History ........................................................ 1-7 1.7.2 Regulatory Jurisdiction and Authorizations Required .............................. 1-8 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 NEED FOR PROJECT ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 PROJECT LOCATION ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Pre-Retrieval/Removal Surveys ............................................................... 2-2 2.2.2 Pre-Project Preparation Activities ............................................................ 2-3 2.2.3 CIV Vessel Mobilization ........................................................................... 2-4 2.2.4 Retrieval of Out-of-Service Cables .......................................................... 2-4 2.2.5 Cable Replacement ............................................................................... 2-14 2.2.6 Cable Execution Contingencies ............................................................. 2-22 2.2.7 Testing and Energization ....................................................................... 2-24 2.2.8 Post-Installation Marine Biological Survey ............................................. 2-25 2.3 EQUIPMENT/PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS .............................................. 2-25 2.3.1 Equipment Requirements ...................................................................... 2-25 2.3.2 Offshore Vessel Requirements .............................................................. 2-27 2.3.3 Personnel Requirements ....................................................................... 2-27 2.4 PROJECT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE ..................................................... 2-28 2.5 SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ...................... 2-28 2.5.1 Cable Protection System Components .................................................. 2-29 ExxonMobil OPSR-B i July 2014 Project MND Table of Contents 2.5.2 Crossing Protection ............................................................................... 2-29 2.5.3 Bags Containing Sand or Other Materials ............................................. 2-30 2.6 PROJECT OPERATIONS ............................................................................... 2-30 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS AND CHECKLIST .............................................. 3-1 AGENCY DETERMINATION ....................................................................................... 3-2 3.1 AESTHETICS .................................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................................. 3-3 3.1.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................... 3-4 3.1.3 Impact Analysis ....................................................................................... 3-6 3.1.4 Mitigation Summary ................................................................................. 3-7 3.2 AGRICULTURE AND FOREST RESOURCES ................................................. 3-8 3.2.1 Environmental Setting .............................................................................. 3-8 3.2.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................... 3-8 3.2.3 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-10 3.2.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................... 3-10 3.3 AIR QUALITY .................................................................................................. 3-11 3.3.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................................ 3-11 3.3.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................. 3-13 3.3.3 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-16 3.3.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................... 3-22 3.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES (TERRESTRIAL) ............................................... 3-23 3.4.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................................ 3-23 3.4.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................. 3-29 3.4.3 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-31 3.4.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................... 3-36 3.5 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES (MARINE) .......................................................... 3-37 3.5.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................................ 3-38 3.5.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................. 3-59 3.5.3 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-62 3.5.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................... 3-82 3.6 CULTURAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL ......................................................... 3-84 3.6.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................................ 3-84 3.6.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................. 3-88 3.6.3 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-91 3.6.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................... 3-95 3.7 GEOLOGY AND SOILS .................................................................................. 3-96 3.7.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................................ 3-96 3.7.2 Regulatory Setting ................................................................................. 3-98 3.7.3 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................... 3-99 3.7.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................. 3-101 3.8 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ................................................................ 3-102 3.8.1 Environmental Setting .......................................................................... 3-102 3.8.2 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3-104 3.8.3 Impact Analysis ................................................................................... 3-106 July 2014 ii ExxonMobil OPSR-B Project MND Table of Contents 3.8.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................. 3-107 3.9 HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ................................................ 3-108 3.9.1 Environmental Setting .......................................................................... 3-108 3.9.2 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3-109 3.9.3 Impact Analysis ................................................................................... 3-112 3.9.4 Mitigation Summary ............................................................................. 3-117 3.10 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY ......................................................... 3-119 3.10.1 Environmental Setting .........................................................................