County of Humboldt Samoa Peninsula Wastewater Project Draft Environmental Impact Report SCH #2018042083 January 2019 Funding has been provided in full or in part through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board using funds from Proposition 1. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the foregoing, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Samoa Peninsula Wastewater Project SCH #2018042083 Prepared for: County of Humboldt, Lead Agency 3015 H Street Eureka, CA 95501 Attention: John Ford, Planning and Building Department Director (707) 445-7245 Prepared by: GHD 718 Third Street Eureka, CA 95501 Contact: Pat Kaspari (707) 443-8326 and SHN 812 West Wabash Avenue Eureka, CA 95501 Contact: Bob Brown (707) 441-8855 January 2019 This page intentionally left blank Table of Contents Table of contents Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... viii 1. Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 1-1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Project Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 Project Location ................................................................................................................... 1-1 Project Description .............................................................................................................. 1-1 Permits and Approvals Required ........................................................................................ 1-3 Project Objectives ............................................................................................................... 1-4 Summary of Project Alternatives ................................................................................................... 1-4 Public Review of the Draft EIR ...................................................................................................... 1-5 Executive Summary Matrix ............................................................................................................ 1-5 2. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Overview of the California Environmental Quality Act Process ........................................... 2-1 2.2 Background .......................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Purpose and Authority ......................................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Lead Agency Determination ................................................................................................ 2-2 2.5 Intended Uses of the EIR .................................................................................................... 2-3 2.6 Public Involvement and Scoping Process ........................................................................... 2-3 2.6.1 Notice of Preparation .......................................................................................... 2-3 2.6.2 Environmental Issues Determined Not to Be Significant ................................... 2-3 2.6.3 Potentially Significant Environmental Issues...................................................... 2-5 2.7 Organization of this EIR ....................................................................................................... 2-5 2.8 Document Incorporated by Reference ................................................................................ 2-6 2.9 Documents Prepared for the Project ................................................................................... 2-6 2.10 Review of the Draft EIR ....................................................................................................... 2-7 3. Project Description............................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Project Location ............................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Project Objectives ................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.3 Background and Context ..................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3.1 Existing Unsewered Condition in Fairhaven and Finntown ................................ 3-3 3.3.2 Samoa Townsite Master Plan ............................................................................ 3-4 3.3.3 RMT II Ocean Outfall .......................................................................................... 3-5 3.3.4 Peninsula Community Services District ............................................................. 3-5 County of Humboldt | Samoa Peninsula Wastewater Project Draft EIR | i Table Contents 3.3.5 Samoa Peninsula Wastewater Project Planning and Design Study .................. 3-6 3.3.6 Humboldt Bay Area Plan/Local Coastal Plan ..................................................... 3-6 3.3.7 California Ocean Plan ........................................................................................ 3-7 3.4 Project Relationship to Samoa Townsite Master Plan ........................................................ 3-8 3.5 Project Components ............................................................................................................ 3-9 3.5.1 Sanitary Sewer Service ...................................................................................... 3-9 3.5.2 Design Flow and Treated Effluent Standards .................................................. 3-11 3.5.3 Project Improvements ...................................................................................... 3-11 3.5.4 Humboldt Bay Area Plan/Local Coastal Plan Amendment .............................. 3-15 3.6 Construction Activities ....................................................................................................... 3-16 3.6.1 Site Access and Staging .................................................................................. 3-17 3.6.2 Collection System ............................................................................................. 3-17 3.6.3 Improvements to Approved Samoa WWTF ..................................................... 3-18 3.6.4 Treated Effluent Disposal System .................................................................... 3-18 3.7 Energy Usage .................................................................................................................... 3-18 3.7.1 Collection System ............................................................................................. 3-18 3.7.2 Treatment System ............................................................................................ 3-19 3.7.3 Treated Effluent Disposal System .................................................................... 3-19 3.8 Operation and Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-19 3.8.1 Collection System ............................................................................................. 3-19 3.8.2 Improvements to Approved Samoa WWTF ..................................................... 3-20 3.8.3 Treated Effluent Disposal System .................................................................... 3-20 3.8.4 Solids Handling and Hauling ............................................................................ 3-20 3.9 Permits and Approvals ...................................................................................................... 3-21 3.10 References ........................................................................................................................ 3-21 4. Environmental Analysis .................................................................................................................. 4-1 Scope of Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 4-1 Environmental Impact Section Format ........................................................................................... 4-1 Significance Determination ............................................................................................................ 4-2 Cumulative Impacts ....................................................................................................................... 4-3 Approach to Cumulative Impact Analysis............................................................................ 4-3 Incorporation by Reference ........................................................................................................... 4-4 Humboldt County General Plan and Environmental Impact Report ................................... 4-4 Samoa Townsite Master Plan and Environmental Impact Report ...................................... 4-5 4.1 Aesthetics ........................................................................................................................