BOARD MEETING

DATE: January 12, 1995

AGENDA NO. 13

PROPOSAL: Status Report on Lead Agency Projects and Environmental Documents Received by the AQMD

SYNOPIS: This report provides for the Governing Board's consideration a listing of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents received by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) between October 4, 1995, and November 3, 1995, and those projects for which the AQMD is acting as lead agency pursuant to CEQA.

COMMITTEE: Mobile Source

RECOMMENDED ACTION

1. Receive and file this report.

James M. Lents, Ph.D.

Executive Officer

BRW:CSL:CG:SS:li

Attachments

Background

EIR and Document Log (Attachments A and B) - Each month, the AQMD receives numerous CEQA documents from other public agencies on projects which could adversely affect air quality. Listings of all documents received for review are contained in Attachments A and B. Monthly listings which are shaded note those CEQA documents for which the AQMD staff has or will prepare and submit comments to the lead agency. A list of active projects from previous months for which AQMD staff is continuing to evaluate or prepare comments is included as Attachment B. A new column has been added to Attachments A and B of this report in response to Board member request. The column captioned "contacts" identifies parties who have contacted the AQMD with concerns or issues about the proposed project. A notation of 1 in the contact column indicates the contact was supportive of the project noted. A notation of 2 indicates the party was opposed or expressed concerns about the project.

In the past, AQMD staff routinely reviewed many of these documents and commented upon the air quality analyses and possible impacts on the air quality of the district. Due to staffing constraints, the AQMD is no longer able to routinely comment on all CEQA documents received. Publication of the Board-approved CEQA Air Quality Handbook, however, has provided local governments and other public agencies with the necessary information to prepare appropriate air quality analyses on projects for which they act as lead agency. As resources permit, staff evaluates and may prepare comments for projects that may have significant adverse regional air quality impacts (e.g., special event centers, landfills, etc.) and those projects for which a lead or responsible agency has specifically requested AQMD review

AQMD Lead Agency Projects (Attachment C) - Pursuant to CEQA, the AQMD periodically acts as lead agency on stationary source permit projects. Under CEQA the lead agency is responsible for determining whether an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or a Negative Declaration is necessary for any proposal considered to be a "project" as defined by CEQA. An EIR is prepared when the AQMD as lead agency finds substantial evidence that the proposed project may have a significant adverse effect on the environment. A Negative Declaration may be prepared if the AQMD determines that the proposed project will not generate significant adverse environmental impacts. The Negative Declaration is a written statement describing the reasons a proposed project will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment and, therefore, does not require the preparation of an EIR.

Attachment C to this report summarizes the active projects for which the AQMD is lead agency and is currently preparing or has prepared environmental documentation. As noted in Attachment C, during November 1995, the AQMD continued working on CEQA documents for two (2) active projects. A project at the Mobil Oil Refinery in Torrance has recently been proposed for which the AQMD will act as lead agency.

To date in 1995, the AQMD, as lead agency, has prepared or contracted for the preparation of and certified four (4) CEQA documents.

(jancqbl)