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Home My WebLink AboutDune Palms AQ Technical Report Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Replacement Project Air Quality Report City of La Quinta, CA 08-RIV-Local Assistance Federal Project Number BLRKS-5433(014) April 2016 Air Quality Report Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Replacement Project City of La Quinta, CA 08-RIV-Local Assistance Federal Project Number BLRKS-5433(014) April 2016 Summary This report provides an air quality assessment for the replacement of the existing low- water crossing spanning the Coachella Valley Storm Water Channel (CVSC) at Dune Palms Road with an all-weather access. The project is located in the Coachella Valley, which is in the Salton Sea Air Basin (SSAB) portion of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Under federal standards, the Coachella Valley is classified as a severe nonattainment area for O3 and a serious nonattainment area for PM10. The area is a federal attainment area and/or unclassified for all other pollutants. Under state standards, the Coachella Valley is classified as a nonattainment area for O3 and PM10. The area is a state attainment area and/or unclassified for all other pollutants. The project is located in the jurisdiction of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and was included in the regional emissions analysis conducted by SCAG for the conforming 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP). The project is also included in the SCAG 2015 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). The design concept and scope of the proposed project is consistent with the project description in the RTP and FTIP and the assumptions in the SCAG regional emissions analysis. As such, the project demonstrates regional conformity. This project would not affect cold start percentages in the area, and would not affect traffic volumes or traffic flow (LOS or delay), when comparing 2040 Build conditions to 2040 No Build conditions. As such, no microscale CO impacts are anticipated. The project underwent Interagency Consultation (IAC) on April 28, 2015, and again on October 27, 2015, and it was agreed upon by the IAC that the project is not a project of air quality concern (POAQC) with regards to particulate matter (PM). The project is not affecting regional vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and is therefore not anticipated to have any mobile source air toxic (MSAT) or greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts. During construction, the proposed project will generate air pollutants, including windblown dust generated during excavation, grading, hauling, and various other activities. SCAQMD rules and regulations will be implemented at the construction site in order to minimize short-term air quality impacts associated with construction. The project is not located in an area known to contain naturally occurring asbestos. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  i Table of Contents Summary ........................................................................................................................ i Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... ii Chapter 1 Project Description .............................................................................. 3 1.1 Purpose of Air Quality Study Report ............................................................. 3 1.2 Project Location, Description, and Alternatives ............................................ 3 1.2.1 Project Purpose ....................................................................................... 3 1.2.2 Project Need ............................................................................................ 3 1.2.3 Project Description .................................................................................. 5 Chapter 2 Regulatory Framework ........................................................................ 9 2.1 Federal, State, and Local Regulations ............................................................ 9 2.2 Air Quality Pollutants and Standards ............................................................. 9 2.3 Air Quality Conformity ................................................................................ 14 2.4 Local Regulations ......................................................................................... 15 Chapter 3 Affected Environment ....................................................................... 18 3.1 Regional Climate and Topography .............................................................. 18 3.2 Sensitive Receptors ...................................................................................... 18 3.3 Climate Change ............................................................................................ 19 3.4 Monitored Data ............................................................................................ 23 3.5 Attainment Status ......................................................................................... 24 Chapter 4 Emissions Analyses ........................................................................... 26 4.1 Regional Analysis ........................................................................................ 26 4.2 Project Level Analysis ................................................................................. 26 4.2.1 Carbon Monoxide (CO) Analysis ......................................................... 26 4.2.2 Particulate Matter Analysis ................................................................... 30 4.2.3 Mobile Source Air Toxics ..................................................................... 31 4.3 Short-Term Construction Impacts ................................................................ 35 4.3.1 Construction Conformity ...................................................................... 37 4.3.2 Airborne Asbestos ................................................................................. 37 4.4 Climate Change ............................................................................................ 37 Chapter 5 Avoidance, Minimization, and/or Mitigation Measures ................... 39 5.1 Construction Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 39 5.2 Operational Mitigation Measures ................................................................. 41 Chapter 6 References ......................................................................................... 42 Chapter 7 List of Preparers ................................................................................ 43 Appendix A Regional Conformity Documents .................................................... 1 Appendix B CO Protocol Flowcharts .................................................................. 1 Appendix C PM Interagency Consultation .......................................................... 1 Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  ii Chapter 1 Project Description 1.1 Purpose of Air Quality Study Report This report documents the anticipated air quality effects of the proposed project. Because this document is intended to satisfy the requirements of both the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, it addresses both state and federal air quality standards. 1.2 Project Location, Description, and Alternatives 1.2.1 Project Purpose The purpose of the project is to replace the existing low-water crossing spanning the Coachella Valley Storm Water Channel (CVSC) at Dune Palms Road with an all- weather access. The proposed improvements will accomplish the following in the project area: • Provide safe access across the CVSC (Whitewater River) during all-weather events • Provide reliable route for emergency vehicles, motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists • Achieve the City’s General Plan goals for the corridor. 1.2.2 Project Need Dune Palms Road serves a vital access for emergency services within the project area, as well as for La Quinta High, John Glenn Middle and Amelia Earhart Elementary Schools. It also provides connectivity of the city residential development north of the Channel with the Highway 111 commercial corridor located south of the CVSC (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The CVSC conveys storm water runoff from the surrounding mountains as well as developed areas within the Coachella Valley. The elevation of the existing Dune Palms Road low-water crossing causes it to flood during minor rain events (2-year frequency) and results in full street closure and detour of both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. In the interest of public health and safety, and in response to community concerns regarding frequent closures of the low-water crossing, the City of La Quinta has determined that replacement of the low-water crossing with a new bridge is Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  3 needed to ensure that all-weather access is maintained. The Dune Palms Road low- water crossing is the last remaining low-water crossing of the CVSC within the City. Figure 1 – Project Vicinity Map Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  4 Figure 2 – Project Location Map 1.2.3 Project Description The project plan and proposed improvements are presented in Figure 3. Existing Conditions The existing roadway crosses the CVSC at the channel grade. The roadway width is 68 feet at the crossing, and consists of one northbound and two southbound through lanes, eight foot wide walkway area along the western edge, and an eight foot shoulder along the eastern edge of the road; and no median. The existing roadway approach south of the crossing consists of one northbound and two southbound through lanes. The northern roadway approach consists of one through lane in each direction. The transition from one to two lanes in the southbound direction occurs at the midpoint of the channel crossing. Dune Palms Road approximately one-quarter mile north of the channel low-water crossing and just south of the project limits is a four lane roadway with a median. The roadway section just north of the crossing will be widened as part of an approved City project (City Project Number 2009-04 per the City’s current CIP). The City widening project was originally approved with a Mitigated Negative Declaration under CEQA in April 2010. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  5 Figure 3 – Project Plan Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  6 Proposed Improvements The project proposes to remove the existing low-water crossing of Dune Palms Road at the CVSC in the City of La Quinta, Riverside County. The crossing will be replaced with a 480 feet long and 86 feet wide four-span bridge. The bridge typical section consists of six-foot sidewalk on both sides of the bridge, two (2) eight-foot outside shoulders also serving as bike/golf cart lanes, a 10 foot raised median, two (2) eleven-foot travel lanes, and two (2) twelve-foot travel lanes. The proposed configuration will be consistent with the existing four lane roadway section to the south, and the City’s current improvement project to the north (City Project Number 2009-04), which will widen Dune Palms Road from two to four lanes with a median and left turn lanes. The proposed improvements will include reconstruction of the north and south bridge approaches to accommodate the significant raised profile of the roadway. In order to match the roadway section on the south side of the bridge, the project’s construction limits will be extended to just north of Highway 111. On the north side of the bridge, the project construction limits will be extended to include a vacant lot immediately north of the project limits. The vacant lot is owned by the City and will be offered by the City in the bidding documents to be used for storage and construction staging by the contractor for the construction of this project. As a part of the bridge construction, concrete slope protection will be installed along the north side of the channel. Additionally, minor removal and replacement of slope protection will be required on the south side of channel west of the proposed bridge and extension of slope protection approximately 300 feet downstream of the proposed bridge. The slope protection is needed for scour countermeasures. As a result of the proposed cast-in-place drilled shaft bridge construction, scour protection within the bottom of the channel should not be required. The project will also include the following additional improvements: • Railing Architectural treatment. The bridge design will incorporate railing architectural treatment as required by the City’s standard design. • Integration of a regional Bike/Pedestrian/NEV corridor (CV Link). The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the communities within the Coachella Valley are working together on the implementation of a regional Bike/Pedestrian/NEV corridor (CV Link) along Whitewater River and Coachella Valley Storm Water Channel. The project design will be consistent with these plans by allowing for the integration of a trail under Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  7 crossing within the southern slope protection, which also includes a trail connector to the pedestrian and bike facilities proposed along Dune Palms Road in the project area. • Utility Relocation. The project will also require utility relocations for overhead electrical distribution lines (Imperial Irrigation District facility), adjustment to both water valve can and lids and the manhole covers, minor 12” ductile iron pipe water main relocations at each bridge abutment, and relocation of both a 12” and 18” sewer line at the northern bridge abutment. Right-of-Way Requirements The project will require right-of-way acquisition on the northeast and southeast corners of the proposed bridge. The existing development at the northeast corner of the proposed bridge consists of a Mobile Home Park with one single family home. Some of the mobile homes adjacent to the Dune Palms Road are encroaching within the street right of way. The project may require the acquisition of the single-family residence and relocation of two mobile homes residents. The project will be designed to avoid and minimize relocation impacts of the mobile homes. At the southeast corner of the crossing, the existing parcel is currently an undeveloped commercial parcel. Acquisition for the vacant parcel will consist of a strip acquisition parallel with Dune Palms Road. Temporary Construction Bypass The existing roadway will be modified to construct a temporary bypass road. The temporary bypass will allow for staged construction of the bridge, and maintaining vehicle and pedestrian access at all times. Temporary and short term access impact may occur during construction, and will require coordination with property owners, the public, and other stakeholders. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  8 Chapter 2 Regulatory Framework 2.1 Federal, State, and Local Regulations The Federal Clean Air Act (FCAA), as amended, is the primary federal law that governs air quality while the California Clean Air Act is its companion state law. These laws, and related regulations by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and California Air Resources Board (ARB), set standards for the concentration of pollutants in the air. At the federal level, these standards are called National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). NAAQS and state ambient air quality standards have been established for six transportation- related criteria pollutants that have been linked to potential health concerns: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM), which is broken down for regulatory purposes into particles of 10 micrometers or smaller (PM10) and particles of 2.5 micrometers and smaller (PM2.5), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). In addition, national and state standards exist for lead (Pb) and state standards exist for visibility reducing particles, sulfates, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and vinyl chloride. The NAAQS and state standards are set at levels that protect public health with a margin of safety, and are subject to periodic review and revision. Both state and federal regulatory schemes also cover toxic air contaminants (air toxics); some criteria pollutants are also air toxics or may include certain air toxics in their general definition. Federal air quality standards and regulations provide the basic scheme for project-level air quality analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In addition to this environmental analysis, a parallel “Conformity” requirement under the FCAA also applies. This project is located in the Coachella Valley, which is in the Salton Sea Air Basin (SSAB) portion of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The SCAQMD administers air quality regulations developed at the federal, state, and local levels. These regulations are described below. 2.2 Air Quality Pollutants and Standards As stated, the federal and state governments have established ambient air quality standards for six criteria pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and lead (Pb). See Table 1. O3 and PM are generally considered to be regional pollutants because they or their precursors affect air quality on a regional scale. Pollutants such as CO, NO2, SO2, and Pb are considered to be local pollutants because they tend to accumulate in the air locally. PM is also considered as a local pollutant. In Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  9 the area of the proposed project site, CO, O3 and particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller (PM2.5) are of particular concern. A. Carbon Monoxide (CO): Carbon Monoxide is a public health concern because it combines readily with hemoglobin and thus reduces the amount of oxygen transported in the bloodstream. Effects on humans range from slight headaches to nausea to death. State and federal CO standards have been set for both 1-hour and 8-hour averaging times. The state 1- hour standard is 20 parts per million (ppm) by volume, and the federal 1-hour is 35 ppm. Both the state and federal standards are 9 ppm for the 8-hour averaging period. Motor vehicles are the dominant source of CO emissions in most areas. High CO levels develop primarily during winter when periods of light wind combine with ground-level temperature inversions. These conditions result in reduced dispersion of vehicle emissions. In addition, motor vehicles emit more CO in cool temperatures than in warm temperatures. B. Ozone (O3): Ozone is not emitted directly into the air but is formed by a photochemical reaction in the atmosphere. Ozone precursors, which include oxides of nitrogen and reactive organic gases, react in the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight to form ozone. The state standard for ozone has been set for both an 8-hour and a 1-hour averaging time. The state requires that ozone concentration not exceed 0.09 ppm of ozone being produced in a given area in 1 hour. The state and federal 8-hour ozone standard is 0.070 ppm. C. Particulate Matter (PM10) & (PM2.5): Particulate matter emissions are generated by a wide variety of sources, including agricultural activities, industrial emissions, dust suspended by vehicle traffic and construction equipment, and secondary aerosols formed by reactions in the atmosphere. The NAAQS for particulate matter applies to two classes of particulate: particulate matter 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5) and particulate matter 10 microns or less in diameter (PM10). The state PM10 standards are 50 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) as a 24-hour average and 20 µg/m3 as an annual arithmetic mean. The federal PM10 standards are 150 µg/m3 as a 24-hour average. The federal standards for PM2.5 are 12 µg/m3 and 35 µg/m3 for annual and 24 hours respectively. The state standard for PM2.5 is also 12 µg/m3 as an annual arithmetic mean. There is no separate state standard for 24-hour PM2.5. D. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2): Nitrogen dioxide belongs to a family of highly reactive gases called nitrogen oxides (NOx). These gases form when fuel is burned at high temperatures, and come principally from motor vehicle exhaust and stationary sources such as electric utilities and industrial boilers. A suffocating, brownish gas, nitrogen dioxide is a strong oxidizing agent that reacts in air to form corrosive nitric acid, as well as toxic organic nitrates. It also plays a major role in the atmospheric reactions that produce ground-level ozone (or smog). EPA's health-based national annual air quality standard for nitrogen Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  10 dioxide is 0.053 ppm. The state’s annual standard is 0.030 ppm. The national one-hour standard is 0.100 ppm. The state’s one-hour standard is 0.180 ppm. E. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2): Sulfur dioxide belongs to the family of sulfur oxide gases (SOx). These gases are formed when fuel containing sulfur (mainly coal and oil) is burned, and during metal smelting and other industrial processes. EPA's health-based national air quality one-hour standard for sulfur dioxide is 0.075 ppm. The state’s one-hour standard is 0.25 ppm. F. Lead (Pb): Lead is a metal found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products. The major sources of lead emissions have historically been motor vehicles and industrial sources. Due to the phase out of leaded gasoline, metal processing is the major source of lead emissions to the air today. The highest levels of lead in air are generally found near lead smelters. Other stationary sources are waste incinerators, utilities, and lead- acid battery manufacturers. G. Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSATs): These toxics are a subset of the 188 air toxics defined in the Clean Air Act. They are now federally regulated under 40 Code of Federal Regulations 1502.22 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mobile source air toxics are 21 compounds emitted from highway vehicles and non-road equipment. There are seven main toxics: acrolein, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, diesel particulate matter plus diesel exhaust organic gases (diesel PM), formaldehyde, naphthalene, and polycyclic organic matter. On February 3, 2006, the FHWA released Interim Guidance on Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA Documents; this guidance was superseded on December 6, 2012 by FHWA’s Interim Guidance Update on Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA. The purpose of FHWA’s guidance is to advise on when and how to analyze MSATs in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process for highways. This guidance is considered interim since MSAT science is still evolving. As the science progresses, FHWA will update the guidance. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  11 Table 1 – Federal and State Ambient Air Quality Standards Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  12 Table 2-1 Federal and State Ambient Air Quality Standards (Cont’d) Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  13 2.3 Air Quality Conformity The conformity requirement is based on Federal Clean Air Act Section 176(c), which prohibits the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and other federal agencies from funding, authorizing, or approving plans, programs or projects that do not conform to State Implementation Plan (SIP) for attainting the NAAQS. “Transportation Conformity” applies to highway and transit projects and takes place on two levels: the regional—or, planning and programming—level and the project level. The proposed project must conform at both levels to be approved. Conformity requirements apply only in nonattainment and “maintenance” (former nonattainment) areas for the NAAQS, and only for the specific NAAQS that are or were violated. U.S. EPA regulations at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 93 govern the conformity process. Conformity requirements do not apply in unclassifiable/attainment areas for NAAQS and do not apply at all for state standards regardless of the status of the area. Regional conformity is concerned with how well the regional transportation system supports plans for attaining the NAAQS for carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and in some areas (although not in California) sulfur dioxide (SO2). California has attainment or maintenance areas for all of these transportation- related “criteria pollutants” except SO2, and also has a nonattainment area for lead (Pb); however, lead is not currently required by the FCAA to be covered in transportation conformity analysis. Regional conformity is based on emission analysis of Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs) and Federal Transportation Improvement Programs (FTIPs) that include all transportation projects planned for a region over a period of at least 20 years for the RTP) and 4 years (for the TIP). RTP and FTIP conformity uses travel demand and emission models to determine whether or not the implementation of those projects would conform to emission budgets or other tests at various analysis years showing that requirements of the Clean Air Act and the SIP are met. If the conformity analysis is successful, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), make determinations that the RTP and FTIP are in conformity with the SIP for achieving the goals of the FCAA. Otherwise, the projects in the RTP and/or FTIP must be modified until conformity is attained. If the design concept, scope, and “open-to-traffic” schedule of a proposed transportation project are the same as described in the RTP and FTIP, then the proposed project meets regional conformity requirements for purposes of project-level analysis. Conformity analysis at the project-level includes verification that the project is included in the regional conformity analysis and a “hot-spot” analysis if an area is “nonattainment” or “maintenance” for carbon monoxide (CO) and/or particulate matter (PM10 or PM2.5). A region Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  14 is “nonattainment” if one or more of the monitoring stations in the region measures a violation of the relevant standard and the U.S. EPA officially designates the area nonattainment. Areas that were previously designated as nonattainment areas but subsequently meet the standard may be officially re-designated to attainment by U.S. EPA and are then called “maintenance” areas. “Hot-spot” analysis is essentially the same, for technical purposes, as CO or particulate matter analysis performed for NEPA purposes. Conformity does include some specific procedural and documentation standards for projects that require a hot-spot analysis. In general, projects must not cause the “hot-spot” related standard to be violated, and must not cause any increase in the number and severity of violations in nonattainment areas. If a known CO or particulate matter violation is located in the project vicinity, the project must include measures to reduce or eliminate the existing violation(s) as well. The project is located in the Coachella Valley, which is in the Salton Sea Air Basin (SSAB) portion of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The Coachella Valley is classified as a severe nonattainment area for O3 and a serious nonattainment area for PM10. 2.4 Local Regulations Caltrans Standard Specifications The Department’s Standard Specifications (14-9) require compliance by the contractor with all applicable air quality laws and regulations, and also include a fugitive dust control specification; they also require the contractor to comply with SCAQMD rules, ordinances, and regulations. South Coast Air Quality Management District The SCAQMD protects public health from air pollution through a comprehensive program of planning, regulation, compliance assistance, enforcement, monitoring, technology advancement, and public education. Clean air plans are the essential blueprints for action by the SCAQMD. The SCAQMD is required to update its plans on a regular basis. Updates may take the form of a new plan or an amendment. Plans range in scope from the regional Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) to plans dealing with specific pollutants in specific geographic locales to the Air Quality Monitoring Network Plan. Included as part of many plans are documents that analyze its impact (i.e., socioeconomic and environmental analyses). The Air Quality Management Plan, which reviews air quality improvement across the South Coast Air Basin, is updated every three years. Each version is an update of the previous plan and has a 20-year horizon. The 2012 Air Quality Management Plan was adopted by the SCAQMD Governing Board on December 7, 2012. It incorporates the latest scientific and technological information and planning assumptions, including the 2012 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy and updated emission inventory Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  15 methodologies for various source categories. The 2012 AQMP included the new and changing federal requirements, implementation of new technology measures, and the continued development of economically sound, flexible compliance approaches. Staff is in the process of developing the 2016 AQMP, which is a comprehensive and integrated Plan primarily focused on addressing the ozone and PM2.5 standards. The Plan will be a regional and multi-agency effort (SCAQMD, California Air Resources Board, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and US Environmental Protection Agency). State and federal planning requirements include developing control strategies, attainment demonstrations, reasonable further progress, and maintenance plans. As with every AQMP, a comprehensive analysis of emissions, meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, regional growth projections, and the impact of existing control measures is updated with the latest data and methods. The result is targeted level of emissions in the Basin that would allow attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The 2016 AQMP will incorporate the latest scientific and technical information and planning assumptions, including the latest applicable growth assumptions, Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, and updated emission inventory methodologies for various source categories. The upcoming 2016 AQMP will develop integrated strategies and measures to meet the following NAAQS: • 8-hour Ozone (75 ppb) by 2032 • Annual PM2.5 (12 μg/m3) by 2021-2025 • 8-hour Ozone (80 ppb) by 2024 (updated from the 2007 and 2012 AQMPs) • 1-hour Ozone (120 ppb) by 2023 (updated from the 2012 AQMP) • 24-hour PM2.5 (35 μg/m3) by 2019 (updated from the 2012 AQMP) The 2016 AQMP will also take an initial look at the new federal 8-hour ozone standard (70 ppb range), as well as incorporate energy, transportation, goods movement, infrastructure and other planning efforts that affect future air quality. Rules and Regulations The SCAQMD has a number of rules and regulations that could apply to construction of the proposed project. These include: • Rule 401 - Visible Emissions. Rule 401 states that no person shall discharge air contaminants of specified opacity for more than 3 minutes in 1 hour. • Rule 402 - Nuisance. Under Rule 402, no air contaminant shall be released into the atmosphere that causes a public nuisance. The rule prohibits discharge of air Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  16 contaminants that could cause injury, detriment, nuisance, or annoyance to the public. An offensive odor can be considered a nuisance or annoyance. • Rule 403 – Fugitive Dust. The purpose of this Rule is to reduce the amount of particulate matter entrained in the ambient air as a result of anthropogenic (man-made) fugitive dust sources by requiring actions to prevent, reduce or mitigate fugitive dust emissions. • Rule 403.1 – Supplemental Fugitive Dust Control Requirements for Coachella Valley Sources. The purpose of this rule is to reduce or prevent the amount of fine particulate matter (PM10) entrained in the ambient air from anthropogenic (man-made) fugitive dust sources. • Rule 404 – Particulate Matter – Concentration. Under Rule 404, a person shall not discharge into the atmosphere from any source, particulate matter in excess of the concentration at standard conditions, as specified in the rule. • Rule 405 – Solid Particulate Matter – Weight. Under Rule 405, a person shall not discharge into the atmosphere from any source, solid particulate matter including lead and lead compounds, in excess of the rates specified in the rule. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  17 Chapter 3 Affected Environment 3.1 Regional Climate and Topography The Coachella Valley is situated at the westernmost extension of the Sonoran Desert, approximately 100 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The valley is bounded by the Santa Rosa Mountains and San Jacinto Mountains to the west and the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the northeast. Elevation ranges from approximately 500 feet above sea level in the northern part of the Valley to about 150 feet below sea level near the Salton Sea. The climate of the Coachella Valley is typical of a desert regime, with large daily and seasonal fluctuations in temperature and relatively high annual average temperatures. Temperatures frequently exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) for the summer months. During winter, temperatures can drop to near freezing (and below freezing at higher elevations). Throughout the year, average daily relative humidity and average rainfall are low. Daily temperature fluctuations and seasonal variations are generally extreme. Clear skies with rapid heating and cooling of desert soils create high temperatures by day and quick cooling by night. Daily temperatures range from the mid-40s to low 70 degrees during winter, and from low 70s to mid- 100s during summer. The average annual rainfall is about 3 inches, and the average annual air temperature is about 72. The weather of the area is governed by large-scale warming and sinking of air in the semi- permanent subtropical high-pressure center over the Pacific Ocean. The high-pressure ridge blocks most mid-latitude storms, except in the winter when the high-pressure ridge is weakest and farthest south. The coastal mountains prevent the intrusion of the cool, damp air found in California’s coastal regions. The flat terrain and strong temperature differentials created by intense heating and cooling patterns produce moderate winds and deep thermal circulation systems. As a result, the general dispersion of local air pollution is greater than in the coastal basins where polluted inversion layers may remain for long periods of time 1. 3.2 Sensitive Receptors Sensitive receptors for air quality include schools, medical centers and similar health care facilities, child care facilities, parks and playgrounds. A mobile home park and single family homes are located directly northeast of the project area. Furthermore, La Quinta High School is located directly northwest of the project area. 1 Source: City of Coachella, General Plan Update, 2015. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  18 3.3 Climate Change Climate change refers to long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and other elements of the earth's climate system. An ever-increasing body of scientific research attributes these climatological changes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly those generated from the production and use of fossil fuels. While climate change has been a concern for several decades, the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by the United Nations and World Meteorological Organization in 1988 has led to increased efforts devoted to GHG emissions reduction and climate change research and policy. These efforts are primarily concerned with the emissions of GHGs generated by human activity including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), tetrafluoromethane, hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), HFC-23 (fluoroform), HFC-134a (s, s, s, 2-tetrafluoroethane), and HFC-152a (difluoroethane). In the U.S., the main source of GHG emissions is electricity generation, followed by transportation. In California, however, transportation sources (including passenger cars, light- duty trucks, other trucks, buses, and motorcycles) make up the largest source of GHG-emitting sources. The dominant GHG emitted is CO2, mostly from fossil fuel combustion. There are typically two terms used when discussing the impacts of climate change: “Greenhouse Gas Mitigation” and “Adaptation.” "Greenhouse Gas Mitigation" is a term for reducing GHG emissions to reduce or "mitigate" the impacts of climate change. “Adaptation" refers to the effort of planning for and adapting to impacts resulting from climate change (such as adjusting transportation design standards to withstand more intense storms and higher sea levels)2. There are four primary strategies for reducing GHG emissions from transportation sources: 1) improving the transportation system and operational efficiencies, 2) reducing travel activity, 3) transitioning to lower GHG-emitting fuels, and 4) improving vehicle technologies/efficiency. To be most effective, all four strategies should be pursued cooperatively 3. 2 http://climatechange.transportation.org/ghg_mitigation/ 3 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/mitigation/ Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  19 State Regulations With the passage of several pieces of legislation including State Senate and Assembly bills and Executive Orders, California launched an innovative and proactive approach to dealing with GHG emissions and climate change. Assembly Bill 1493 (AB 1493), Pavley, Vehicular Emissions: Greenhouse Gases, 2002: This bill requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to develop and implement regulations to reduce automobile and light truck GHG emissions. These stricter emissions standards were designed to apply to automobiles and light trucks beginning with the 2009-model year. Executive Order (EO) S-3-05 (June 1, 2005): The goal of this EO is to reduce California’s GHG emissions to 1) year 2000 levels by 2010, 2) year 1990 levels by 2020, and 3) 80 percent below the year 1990 levels by 2050. In 2006, this goal was further reinforced with the passage of Assembly Bill 32. Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32), Núñez and Pavley, The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: AB 32 sets the same overall GHG emissions reduction goals as outlined in EO S-3-05, while further mandating that ARB create a scoping plan and implement rules to achieve “real, quantifiable, cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gases.” Executive Order S-20-06 (October 18, 2006): This order establishes the responsibilities and roles of the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) and state agencies with regard to climate change. Executive Order S-01-07 (January 18, 2007): This order set forth the low carbon fuel standard for California. Under this EO, the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuels is to be reduced by at least 10 percent by 2020. Senate Bill 97 (SB 97) Chapter 185, 2007, Greenhouse Gas Emissions: This bill required the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop recommended amendments to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines for addressing GHG emissions. The amendments became effective on March 18, 2010. Senate Bill 375 (SB 375), Chapter 728, 2008, Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection: This bill requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to set regional emissions reduction targets from passenger vehicles. The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for each region must then develop a "Sustainable Communities Strategy" (SCS) that integrates Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  20 transportation, land-use, and housing policies to plan for the achievement of the emissions target for their region. Senate Bill 391 (SB 391) Chapter 585, 2009 California Transportation Plan: This bill requires the State’s long-range transportation plan to meet California’s climate change goals under AB 32. Federal Regulations Although climate change and GHG reduction are a concern at the federal level, currently no regulations or legislation have been enacted specifically addressing GHG emissions reductions and climate change at the project level. Neither the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) nor the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has issued explicit guidance or methods to conduct project-level GHG analysis. 4 FHWA supports the approach that climate change considerations should be integrated throughout the transportation decision- making process–from planning through project development and delivery. Addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation up front in the planning process will assist in decision-making and improve efficiency at the program level, and will inform the analysis and stewardship needs of project-level decision-making. Climate change considerations can be integrated into many planning factors, such as supporting economic vitality and global efficiency, increasing safety and mobility, enhancing the environment, promoting energy conservation, and improving the quality of life. The four strategies outlined by FHWA to lessen climate change impacts correlate with efforts that the state is undertaking to deal with transportation and climate change; these strategies include improved transportation system efficiency, cleaner fuels, cleaner vehicles, and a reduction in travel activity. Climate change and its associated effects are also being addressed through various efforts at the federal level to improve fuel economy and energy efficiency, such as the “National Clean Car Program” and EO 13514 - Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance. Executive Order 13514 (October 5, 2009): This order is focused on reducing greenhouse gases internally in federal agency missions, programs and operations, but also directs federal agencies to participate in the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, which is engaged in developing a national strategy for adaptation to climate change. 4 To date, no national standards have been established regarding mobile source GHGs, nor has U.S. EPA established any ambient standards, criteria or thresholds for GHGs resulting from mobile sources. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  21 U.S. EPA’s authority to regulate GHG emissions stems from the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA (2007). The Supreme Court ruled that GHGs meet the definition of air pollutants under the existing Clean Air Act and must be regulated if these gases could be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. Responding to the Court’s ruling, U.S. EPA finalized an endangerment finding in December 2009. Based on scientific evidence it found that six greenhouse gases constitute a threat to public health and welfare. Thus, it is the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the existing Act and EPA’s assessment of the scientific evidence that form the basis for EPA’s regulatory actions. U.S. EPA in conjunction with NHTSA issued the first of a series of GHG emission standards for new cars and light-duty vehicles in April 2010.5 The U.S. EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are taking coordinated steps to enable the production of a new generation of clean vehicles with reduced GHG emissions and improved fuel efficiency from on-road vehicles and engines. These next steps include developing the first-ever GHG regulations for heavy-duty engines and vehicles, as well as additional light-duty vehicle GHG regulations. The final combined standards that made up the first phase of this national program apply to passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles, covering model years 2012 through 2016. The standards implemented by this program are expected to reduce GHG emissions by an estimated 960 million metric tons and 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program (model years 2012-2016). On August 28, 2012, U.S. EPA and NHTSA issued a joint Final Rulemaking to extend the National Program for fuel economy standards to model year 2017 through 2025 passenger vehicles. Over the lifetime of the model year 2017-2025 standards this program is projected to save approximately four billion barrels of oil and two billion metric tons of GHG emissions. The complementary U.S. EPA and NHTSA standards that make up the Heavy-Duty National Program apply to combination tractors (semi-trucks), heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, and vocational vehicles (including buses and refuse or utility trucks). Together, these standards will cut greenhouse gas emissions and domestic oil use significantly. This program responds to President Barack Obama’s 2010 request to jointly establish greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards for the medium- and heavy-duty highway vehicle sector. The agencies estimate that the combined standards will reduce CO2 emissions by about 270 million metric tons and save about 530 million barrels of oil over the life of model year 2014 to 2018 heavy duty vehicles. 5 http://www.c2es.org/federal/executive/epa/greenhouse-gas-regulation-faq Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  22 3.4 Monitored Data Table 2 shows the ambient air quality monitor data for two monitoring locations in the La Quinta area for the years 2012-2014. These monitoring locations were chosen due to their proximity to the project area (Figure 4) and because they contain monitored data for a majority of the criteria pollutants. The Indio monitor is approximately 3.5 miles from the project location; the Palms Springs monitor is approximately 18 miles from the project location. Table 2 – Ambient Air Quality Monitored Data (2012-2014) Air Pollutant Standard/ Exceedance** Fire Station 590 Racquet Club Ave Palm Springs 46-990 Jackson St Indio 2012 2013 2014 2012 2013 2014 Carbon Monoxide (CO) Year Coverage* Max. 1-hour Concentration (ppm) Max. 8-hour Concentration (ppm) # Days>Federal 1-hour Std. of >35 ppm # Days>California 8-hour Std. of >9.0 ppm 43% 0.9 0.45 0 0 NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM Ozone (O3) Year Coverage* Max. 1-hour Concentration (ppm) Max. 8-hour Concentration (ppm) # Days>California 8-hour Std. Of >0.070 ppm # Days>California 1-hour Std. Of >0.09 ppm 96% 0.126 0.101 79 17 95% 0.113 0.104 82 10 97% 0.108 0.093 61 9 97% 0.102 0.090 45 2 100% 0.105 0.087 38 2 99% 0.095 0.091 30 2 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Year Coverage* Max. 1-hour Concentration (ppm) Annual Average (ppm) # Days>California 1-hour Std. of >0.18 ppm 87% 0.045 0.007 0 99% 0.052 0.007 0 86% 0.046 NA 0 NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Year Coverage* Max. 24-hour Concentration (ppm) Annual Arithmetic Mean (ppm) # Days>Federal 24-hour Std. of >0.14 ppm # Days>California 24-hour Std. of >0.04 ppm NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM Suspended Particulates (PM10) Year Coverage* Max. 24-hour Concentration (µg/m3) #Days>Fed. 24-hour Std. of>150 µg/m3 #Days>California 24-hour Std. of>50 µg/m3 State Annual Average (µg/m3) NA 143.4 0 0 16.1 NA 185.8 1 2 22.1 NA 313.8 1 2 NA NA 270.6 2 7 33.4 NA 255.2 3 14 38.6 NA 322.3 6 15 44.8 Suspended Particulates (PM2.5) Year Coverage* Max. 24-hour Concentration (µg/m3) State Annual Average (µg/m3) #Days>Fed. 24-hour Std. of>35 µg/m3 National Annual Average (µg/m3) 99% 15.5 6.5 0 6.4 96% 18.5 6.5 0 6.5 96% 15.5 NA 0 6.4 97% 18.4 7.6 0 7.6 95% 25.8 8.3 0 8.3 90% 26.5 NA 0 8.3 Lead Maximum Monthly Concentration (µg/m3) # Months Exceeding Federal Std. # Months Exceeding State Std. NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM Sulfates Max. 24-hour Concentration (µg/m3) #Samples>California 24-hour Std.>=25 µg/m3 NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM NM = not measured; NA = not available *Year Coverage indicates how extensive monitoring was during the time of year when high pollutant concentrations were expected. **The number of days above the standard is not necessarily the number of violations of the standard for the year. Source: California Air Resources Board: http://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/welcome.html EPA AIRSData (for 1-Hour CO only): http://www3.epa.gov/airdata/ Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  23 Figure 4 – Location of Air Quality Monitors Relative to Project 3.5 Attainment Status The project is located in the Coachella Valley, which is in the Salton Sea Air Basin (SSAB) portion of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Table 3 summarizes the project area’s attainment status, based on federal standards (NAAQS) and the state standards (CAAQS). Under federal standards, the Coachella Valley is classified as a severe nonattainment area for O3 and a serious nonattainment area for PM10. The area is a federal attainment area and/or unclassified for all other pollutants. Under state standards, the Coachella Valley is classified as a nonattainment area for O3 and PM10. The area is a state attainment area and/or unclassified for all other pollutants. Palm Springs Monitor Indio Monitor Project Location Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  24 Table 3 – State and Federal Attainment Status Pollutant Federal Attainment Status State Attainment Status O3 8-hour Nonattainment (Severe) Nonattainment O3 1-hour No Federal Standard Nonattainment CO Unclassified/Attainment Attainment PM10 Nonattainment (Serious) Nonattainment PM2.5 Unclassified/Attainment Attainment SO2 Unclassified Attainment NO2 Unclassified/Attainment Attainment H2S No Federal Standard Unclassified Lead Unclassified/Attainment Attainment Source: CARB, http://www.arb.ca.gov/desig/adm/adm.htm Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  25 Chapter 4 Emissions Analyses 4.1 Regional Analysis The Dune Palms Low Water Crossing Replacement Project was included in the regional emissions analysis conducted by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for the conforming 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy. The project’s design concept and scope have not changed significantly from what was analyzed in the regional emission analysis. This analysis found that the plan, which takes into account regionally significant projects and financial constraint, will conform to the state implementation plan(s) (SIP(s)) for attaining and maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as provided in Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act. FHWA determined that the RTP conforms to the SIP on June 4, 2012, that Amendment #1 to the RTP conforms to the SIP on July 15, 2013, and that Amendment #2 to the RTP conforms to the SIP on December 15, 2014. Additional documentation related to the regional emissions analysis is contained in Appendix A. The Dune Palms Low Water Crossing Replacement Project is also included in the SCAG 2015 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). The project’s open-to-traffic year is consistent with (within the same regional emission analysis period as) the construction completion date identified in the federal TIP and RTP. The federal TIP gives priority to eligible Transportation Control Measures (TCMs) identified in the SIP and provides sufficient funds to provide for their implementation. FHWA determined that the TIP conforms to the SIP on December 15, 2014. Documentation related to the public and interagency consultation process conducted to develop the TIP is contained in Appendix A. Furthermore, the project will not affect regional VMT. As such, the project is not expected to affect regional emission burdens. 4.2 Project Level Analysis The Coachella Valley is currently designated as a state and federal nonattainment area for O3 and PM10. The Coachella Valley is designated as attainment and/or unclassified for all other pollutants (Table 3). Project level analyses have been performed for CO, PM, and mobile source air toxics (MSATs). 4.2.1 Carbon Monoxide (CO) Analysis In order to determine the CO conformity requirements and the project-level CO impacts of a specific project, the flowcharts on pages 3-2 and 4-10 of the Transportation Project-Level Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  26 Carbon Monoxide Protocol (UCD-ITS-RR-97-21) (CO Protocol) document, as revised in December 1997, are consulted. These flowcharts are provided in Appendix B. The following series of questions and answers can be followed along with the flowcharts (highlighted in yellow in Appendix B). Is this project exempt from all emissions analyses? NO According to Table 1 on page 2-6 of the Transportation Project-Level Carbon Monoxide Protocol, this project is not exempt from all emissions analyses. Is project exempt from regional emissions analyses? NO According to Table 2 on page 2-7 of the Project-Level Carbon Monoxide Protocol, this project is not exempt from regional emissions analyses. Is project locally defined as regionally significant? YES According to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Transportation Conformity Reference Guide: “[a] regionally significant project means [a] transportation project (other than an exempt project) that is on a facility which serves regional transportation needs (such as access to and from the area outside of the region, major activity centers in the region, major planned developments such as new retail malls, sports complexes, etc., or transportation terminals as well as most terminals themselves) and would normally be included in the modeling of a metropolitan area’s transportation network, including, at minimum, all principal arterial highways and all fixed guideway transit facilities that offer an alternative to regional highway travel.” Dune Palms Road is locally defined as regionally significant because it is included in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) modeling and it connects to an arterial highway. Is project in a federal attainment area? NO Is there a currently conforming RTP and TIP? YES Is the project included in the regional emissions analysis supporting the currently conforming RTP and TIP? YES Has project design concept and/or scope changed significantly from that in the regional analysis? NO Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  27 The Dune Palms Low Water Crossing Replacement Project was included in the regional emissions analysis conducted by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for the conforming 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy. The project’s design concept and scope have not changed significantly from what was analyzed in the regional emission analysis. This analysis found that the plan, which takes into account regionally significant projects and financial constraint, will conform to the state implementation plan(s) (SIP(s)) for attaining and maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as provided in Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act. FHWA determined that the RTP conforms to the SIP on June 4, 2012, that Amendment #1 to the RTP conforms to the SIP on July 15, 2013, and that Amendment #2 to the RTP conforms to the SIP on December 15, 2014. Additional documentation related to the regional emissions analysis is contained in Appendix A. The Dune Palms Low Water Crossing Replacement Project is also included in the SCAG 2015 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). The project’s open-to-traffic year is consistent with (within the same regional emission analysis period as) the construction completion date identified in the federal TIP and RTP. The federal TIP gives priority to eligible Transportation Control Measures (TCMs) identified in the SIP and provides sufficient funds to provide for their implementation. FHWA determined that the TIP conforms to the SIP on December 15, 2014. Documentation related to the public and interagency consultation process conducted to develop the TIP is contained in Appendix A. Examine local impacts. Local CO impacts are examined in the section below. Is the project in a CO non-attainment area? NO The project is in a federal CO maintenance area and a state CO attainment area. Was the area re-designated as “attainment” after the 1990 Clean Air Act? YES Riverside County was designated a federal CO maintenance area on June 11, 2007 6. Has “continued attainment” been verified with the local Air District, if appropriate? YES Based on CARB monitored CO data for the Salton Sea Air Basin, from years 2007 through the most recent records, there have been no exceedances of state or federal CO standards since Riverside County was re-designated as a maintenance area. Does project worsen air quality? NO 6 Source: EPA Green Book, http://www3.epa.gov/airquality/greenbook/anayo_ca.html Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  28 According to the CO Protocol, Section 4.7.1, the following criteria should be used to determine whether a project is likely to worsen air quality for the area substantially affected by the project: • The project significantly increases the percentage of vehicles operating in cold start mode. Increasing the number of vehicles operating in cold start mode by as little as 2% should be considered potentially significant. • The project significantly increases traffic volumes. Increases in traffic volumes in excess of 5% should be considered potentially significant. Increasing the traffic volume by less than 5% may still be potentially significant if there is also a reduction in average speeds. • The project worsens traffic flow. For uninterrupted roadway segments, a reduction in average speeds (within a range of 3 to 50 mph) should be regarded as worsening traffic flow. For intersection segments, a reduction in average speed or an increase in average delay should be considered as worsening traffic flow. This project does not include any parking facilities where vehicles would be cold-started. Therefore, this project would not affect cold start percentages in the area. Furthermore, as shown Table 4 and Table 5 below, the project would not affect traffic volumes or traffic flow (LOS or delay), when comparing 2040 Build conditions to 2040 No Build conditions. Table 4 – 2040 AADT and Truck Percentages Segment 2040 No Build 2040 Build AADT Total AADT Trucks Truck % AADT Total AADT Trucks Truck % Dune Palms Road (between Hwy 111 and Blackhawk Way/Westward Ho Drive) 16,500 594 3.6% 16,500 594 3.6% Table 5 – 2040 Level of Service Intersection 2040 No Build 2040 Build AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay LOS Delay LOS Delay LOS Delay LOS Dune Palms Road and Blackhawk Way/Westward Ho Drive 32.2 C 40.7 D 32.2 C 40.7 D Dune Palms Road and Highway 111 32.5 C 46.1 D 32.5 C 46.1 D Project satisfactory, no further analysis needed. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  29 4.2.2 Particulate Matter Analysis The project is located in a federal nonattainment area for PM10. Following the guidelines in USEPA’s Transportation Conformity Guidance for Quantitative Hot-Spot Analyses in PM2.5 and PM10 Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas (November, 2015) a PM hot-spot analysis should be conducted according to qualitative guidance only if the project is a project of air quality concern, defined in 40 CFR 93.123(b)(1) as: (i) New or expanded highway projects that have a significant number of or significant increase in diesel vehicles; (ii) Projects affecting intersections that are at LOS D, E, or F with a significant number of diesel vehicles, or those that would change to LOS D, E or F because of increased traffic volumes from a significant number of diesel vehicles; (iii) New bus and rail terminals and transfer points that have a significant number of diesel vehicles congregating at a single location; (iv) Expanded bus and rail terminals and transfer points that significantly increase the number of diesel vehicles congregating at a single location; and (v) Projects in or affecting locations, areas, or categories of sites which are identified in the PM2.5 or PM10 applicable implementation plan or implementation plan submission, as appropriate, as sites of violation or possible violation. The proposed project is not considered a project of air quality concern for PM10 and/or PM2.5 (POAQC) because it does not meet the definition of a POAQC as defined in U.S. EPA’s Transportation Conformity Guidance. The project is not a new or expanded highway project with a significant number of or significant increase in diesel vehicles (U.S. EPA’s Transportation Conformity Guidance defines significant as greater than 125,000 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) and 8% or more of such AADT is diesel truck traffic, or in practice 10,000 truck AADT or more regardless of total AADT; significant increase is defined in practice as a 10% increase in heavy duty truck traffic). As shown in Table 4, total 2040 AADT on this segment of Dune Palms Road is 16,500, with 3.6% trucks and a truck AADT of 594. This is far below the EPA thresholds; furthermore, the project does not increase diesel vehicles, as the truck AADT and percentages do not change from No Build to Build Conditions. The project does not affect intersections that are at a Level of Service D, E, F, with a significant number of diesel vehicles, or that that will change to Level of Service D, E, or F because of Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  30 increased traffic volumes from a significant number of diesel vehicles related to the project. As shown in Table 4, the project does not have a significant number of diesel vehicles, nor does it increase the number of diesel vehicles. Furthermore, as shown in Table 5, the project does not affect LOS at the intersections in the project area, when Build conditions are compared to No Build Conditions. Furthermore, the project does not affect delay at intersections in the project area. The project does not involve new or expanded bus and rail terminals and transfer points that have a significant number of or increase in diesel vehicles congregating at a single location. As such, PM hot-spot analysis is not required. The project underwent Interagency Consultation (IAC) on April 28, 2015, and it was agreed upon by the IAC that the project is not a POAQC 7 (See Appendix C). Following the October 2015 update of traffic analyses for the project, this decision was reaffirmed at the IAC meeting on October 27, 2015. 4.2.3 Mobile Source Air Toxics The EPA is the lead federal agency for administering the CAA and has certain responsibilities regarding the health effects of MSATs. The EPA issued a Final Rule on Controlling Emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants from Mobile Sources (66 Federal Register 17229, March 29, 2001). This rule was issued under the authority in Section 202 of the CAA. In its rule, the EPA examined the impacts of existing and newly promulgated mobile source control programs including: its reformulated gasoline program; its national low emission vehicle standards; its Tier 2 motor vehicle emissions standards and gasoline sulfur control requirements; and its proposed heavy duty engine and vehicle standards and on-highway diesel fuel requirements. Future emissions likely would be lower than present levels as result of the EPA’s national control programs that are projected to reduce MSAT emissions by 83 percent from 2010 to 2050, even if VMT increases by 102 percent (see Figure 5). 7 Available at http://www.scag.ca.gov/programs/Pages/ProjectLevel.aspx Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  31 Figure 5 – National MSAT Emission Trends 2010–2050 for Vehicles Operating on Roadways Using EPA’s MOVES 2010b Model Source: Federal Highway Administration’s Interim Guidance Update on Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA Documents (FHWA, 2012) – EPA MOVES2010b model runs conducted during May–June 2012 by FHWA Note: Trends for specific locations may be different, depending on locally derived information representing vehicle-miles traveled, vehicle speeds, vehicle mix, fuels, emission control programs, meteorology, and other factors On February 9, 2007, and under authority of CAA Section 202(l), the EPA signed a Final Rule, Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants from Mobile Sources, which sets standards to control MSATs from motor vehicles. Under this rule, the EPA is setting standards on fuel composition, vehicle exhaust emissions, and evaporative losses from portable containers. The new standards are estimated to reduce total emissions of MSATs by 330,000 tons in 2030, including 61,000 tons of benzene. Concurrently, total emissions of VOC will be reduced by over 1.1 million tons in 2030 as a result of adopting these standards. On February 3, 2006, the FHWA released Interim Guidance on Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA Documents (FHWA 2006a). This guidance was superseded on December 6, 2012 by FHWA’s Interim Guidance Update on Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA (FHWA 2012). The purpose of Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  32 FHWA’s guidance is to advise on when and how to analyze MSATs in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process for highways. This guidance is considered interim since MSAT science is still evolving. As the science progresses, FHWA will update the guidance. A qualitative analysis provides a basis for identifying and comparing the potential differences among MSAT emissions, if any, from the various alternatives. The qualitative assessment presented is derived in part from a study conducted by the FHWA entitled A Methodology for Evaluating Mobile Source Air Toxic Emissions Among Transportation Project Alternatives (FHWA 2006b). The FHWA’s Interim Guidance groups projects into the following tier categories: 1. No analysis for projects without potential for meaningful MSAT effects 2. Qualitative analysis for projects with low potential MSAT effects 3. Quantitative analysis to differentiate alternatives for projects with higher potential MSAT effects Based on the FHWA’s recommended tiering approach, this project falls within the Tier 2 approach (i.e., for projects with a low potential for MSAT effects). The amount of MSATs emitted would be proportional to the VMT, assuming the vehicle mix does not change. As shown in Table 4, the Build Alternative would not affect AADT in the project area and, as compared to the No Build Alternative and, as such, would not affect VMT. Because the estimated VMT under each of the alternatives would be the same, it is expected there would be no difference in overall MSAT emissions among the various alternatives. Also, regardless of the alternative chosen, emissions will likely be lower than present levels in the design year as a result of EPA's national control programs that are projected to reduce annual MSAT emissions by over 80 percent between 2010 and 2050. Local conditions may differ from these national projections in terms of fleet mix and turnover, VMT growth rates, and local control measures. However, the magnitude of the EPA-projected reductions is so great that MSAT emissions in the study area are likely to be lower in the future in nearly all cases. Information that is Unavailable or Incomplete In the FHWA’s view, information is incomplete or unavailable to credibly predict the project- specific health impacts due to changes in MSAT emissions associated with a proposed set of highway alternatives. The outcome of such an assessment, adverse or not, would be influenced more by the uncertainty introduced into the process through assumption and speculation rather than any genuine insight into the actual health impacts directly attributable to MSAT exposure associated with a proposed action. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  33 The EPA is responsible for protecting the public health and welfare from any known or anticipated effect of an air pollutant. They are the lead authority for administering the CAA and its amendments and have specific statutory obligations with respect to hazardous air pollutants and MSAT. The EPA is in the continual process of assessing human health effects, exposures, and risks posed by air pollutants. They maintain the IRIS, which is “a compilation of electronic reports on specific substances found in the environment and their potential to cause human health effects” (EPA, http://www.epa.gov/iris/). Each report contains assessments of non- cancerous and cancerous effects from compounds and estimates of risk levels from exposure. Other organizations are also active in the research and analyses of the human health effects of MSAT, including the Health Effects Institute (HEI). Two HEI studies are summarized in Appendix D of FHWA’s Interim Guidance Update on Mobile Source Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA Documents. Among the adverse health effects linked to MSAT compounds at high exposures are: cancer in humans in occupational settings; cancer in animals; and irritation to the respiratory tract, including the exacerbation of asthma. Less obvious is the adverse human health effects of MSAT compounds at current environmental concentrations (HEI, Mobile- Source Air Toxics: A Critical Review of the Literature on Exposure and Health Effects, Special Report 16, 2007) or in the future as vehicle emissions substantially decrease (HEI, Traffic- Related Air Pollution: A Critical Review of the Literature on Emissions, Exposure, and Health Effects, HEI Panel on the Health Effects of Traffic-Related Air Pollution, Preprint Special Report 17, 2009). The methodologies for forecasting health impacts include emissions modeling; dispersion modeling; exposure modeling; and then final determination of health impacts—each step in the process building on the model predictions obtained in the previous step. All are encumbered by technical shortcomings or uncertain science that prevents a more complete differentiation of the MSAT health impacts among a set of project alternatives. These difficulties are magnified for lifetime (i.e., 70 year) assessments, particularly because unsupportable assumptions would have to be made regarding changes in travel patterns and vehicle technology (which affects emissions rates) over that time frame, since such information is unavailable. It is particularly difficult to reliably forecast 70-year lifetime MSAT concentrations and exposure near roadways; to determine the portion of time that people are actually exposed at a specific location; and to establish the extent attributable to a proposed action, especially given that some of the information needed is unavailable. There are considerable uncertainties associated with the existing estimates of toxicity of the various MSAT, because of factors such as low-dose extrapolation and translation of occupational exposure data to the general population, a concern expressed by HEI (http://pubs.healtheffects.org/ view.php?id=282). As a result, there is no national consensus on air dose-response values assumed to protect the public health and welfare for MSAT Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  34 compounds, and in particular for diesel PM. The EPA (http://www.epa.gov/risk/basicinformation.htm#g) and the HEI (http://pubs.healtheffects.org/ getfile.php?u=395) have not established a basis for quantitative risk assessment of diesel PM in ambient settings. There is also the lack of a national consensus on an acceptable level of risk. The current context is the process used by the EPA as provided by the CAA to determine whether more stringent controls are required in order to provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health or to prevent an adverse environmental effect for industrial sources subject to the maximum achievable control technology standards, such as benzene emissions from refineries. The decision framework is a two-step process. The first step requires EPA to determine an “acceptable” level of risk due to emissions from a source, which is generally no greater than approximately 100 in a million. Additional factors are considered in the second step, the goal of which is to maximize the number of people with risks less than 1 in a million due to emissions from a source. The results of this statutory two-step process do not guarantee that cancer risks from exposure to air toxics are less than 1 in a million; in some cases, the residual risk determination could result in maximum individual cancer risks that are as high as approximately 100 in a million. In a June 2008 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the EPA’s approach to addressing risk in its two-step decision framework. Information is incomplete or unavailable to establish that even the largest of highway projects would result in levels of risk greater than deemed acceptable. Because of the limitations in the methodologies for forecasting health impacts described, any predicted difference in health impacts between alternatives is likely to be much smaller than the uncertainties associated with predicting the impacts. Consequently, the results of such assessments would not be useful to decision makers, who would need to weigh this information against project benefits, such as reducing traffic congestion, accident rates, and fatalities plus improved access for emergency response, that are better suited for quantitative analysis. 4.3 Short-Term Construction Impacts During construction, short-term degradation of air quality may occur due to the release of particulate emissions (airborne dust) generated by excavation, grading, hauling, and other construction-related activities. Emissions from construction equipment also are expected and would include carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), directly-emitted particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and toxic air contaminants such as diesel exhaust particulate matter. Ozone is a regional pollutant that is derived from NOx and VOCs in the presence of sunlight and heat. Site preparation and roadway construction typically involves clearing, cut-and-fill activities, grading, removing or improving existing roadways, building bridges, and paving roadway Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  35 surfaces. Construction-related effects on air quality from most highway projects would be greatest during the site preparation phase because most engine emissions are associated with the excavation, handling, and transport of soils to and from the site. These activities could temporarily generate enough PM10, PM2.5, and small amounts of CO, SO2, NOx, and VOCs to be of concern. Sources of fugitive dust would include disturbed soils at the construction site and trucks carrying uncovered loads of soils. Unless properly controlled, vehicles leaving the site could deposit mud on local streets, which could be an added source of airborne dust after it dries. PM10 emissions would vary from day to day, depending on the nature and magnitude of construction activity and local weather conditions. PM10 emissions would depend on soil moisture, silt content of soil, wind speed, and the amount of equipment operating. Larger dust particles would settle near the source, while fine particles would be dispersed over greater distances from the construction site. Construction activities for large development projects are estimated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to add 1.2 tons of fugitive dust per acre of soil disturbed per month of activity. If water or other soil stabilizers are used to control dust, the emissions can be reduced by up to 50 percent. The Department’s Standard Specifications (Section 14-9.03) on dust minimization requirements requires use of water or dust palliative compounds and will reduce potential fugitive dust emissions during construction. In addition to dust-related PM10 emissions, heavy-duty trucks and construction equipment powered by gasoline and diesel engines would generate CO, SO2, NOx, VOCs and some soot particulate (PM10 and PM2.5) in exhaust emissions. If construction activities were to increase traffic congestion in the area, CO and other emissions from traffic would increase slightly while those vehicles are delayed. These emissions would be temporary and limited to the immediate area surrounding the construction site. SO2 is generated by oxidation during combustion of organic sulfur compounds contained in diesel fuel. Under California law and ARB regulations, off-road diesel fuel used in California must meet the same sulfur and other standards as on-road diesel fuel (not more than 15 ppm sulfur), so SO2-related issues due to diesel exhaust will be minimal. Some phases of construction, particularly asphalt paving, may result in short-term odors in the immediate area of each paving site(s). Such odors would quickly disperse to below detectable levels as distance from the site(s) increases. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  36 4.3.1 Construction Conformity Construction activities will last for approximately 14 months. As they will not last for more than 5 years at one general location, construction-related emissions do not need to be included in regional and project-level conformity analysis (40 CFR 93.123(c)(5)). 4.3.2 Airborne Asbestos Asbestos minerals occur in rock and soil as the result of natural geologic processes, often in veins near earthquake faults in the coastal ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and other areas of California. Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) takes the form of long, thin, flexible, separable fibers. Natural weathering or human disturbance can break NOA down to microscopic fibers, easily suspended in air. When inhaled, these thin fibers irritate tissues and resist the body's natural defenses. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen. It causes cancers of the lung and the lining of internal organs, as well as asbestosis and pleural disease that inhibit lung function. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is working to address concerns about potential effects of NOA in a number of areas in California. The California Geological Survey identifies ultramafic rocks in California to be the source of NOA, and in August of 2000 they published a report titled A General Location Guide for Ultramafic Rocks in California – Areas More Likely to Contain Naturally Occurring Asbestos (available at http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5126473.pdf). According to the map on the second page of this document, the project area does not contain ultramafic rocks and therefore is not a Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) area. 4.4 Climate Change An individual project does not generate enough GHG emissions to significantly influence global climate change. Rather, global climate change is a cumulative impact. This means that a project may contribute to a potential impact through its incremental change in emissions when combined with the contributions of all other sources of GHG.8 In assessing cumulative impacts, it must be determined if a project’s incremental effect is “cumulatively considerable” (CEQA Guidelines Sections 15064(h)(1) and 15130). To make this determination, the incremental impacts of the project must be compared with the effects of past, current, and probable future projects. To gather sufficient information on a global scale of all past, current, and future projects to make this determination is a difficult, if not impossible, task. 8 This approach is supported by the AEP: Recommendations by the Association of Environmental Professionals on How to Analyze GHG Emissions and Global Climate Change in CEQA Documents (March 5, 2007), as well as the South Coast Air Quality Management District (Chapter 6: The CEQA Guide, April 2011) and the U.S. Forest Service (Climate Change Considerations in Project Level NEPA Analysis, July 13, 2009). Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  37 The AB 32 Scoping Plan mandated by AB 32 includes the main strategies California will use to reduce GHG emissions. As part of its supporting documentation for the Draft Scoping Plan, the ARB released the GHG inventory for California (forecast last updated: October 28, 2010). The forecast is an estimate of the emissions expected to occur in 2020 if none of the foreseeable measures included in the Scoping Plan were implemented. The base year used for forecasting emissions is the average of statewide emissions in the GHG inventory for 2006, 2007, and 2008. Figure 6 – California Greenhouse Gas Forecast Source: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/inventory/data/forecast.htm The Department and its parent agency, the Transportation Agency, have taken an active role in addressing GHG emission reduction and climate change. Recognizing that 98 percent of California’s GHG emissions are from the burning of fossil fuels and 40 percent of all human made GHG emissions are from transportation, the Department has created and is implementing the Climate Action Program at Caltrans that was published in December 2006.9 This project will not be affecting traffic volumes, delay or LOS in the project area (Table 4 & Table 5). As such, the project is not expected to affect GHG emissions. Construction emissions will produce temporary GHG emissions from the operation of equipment, but there will likely be long-term GHG benefits with the new roadway’s smoother pavement surfaces and provision of bicycle lanes. 9 Caltrans Climate Action Program is located at the following web address: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/ogm/key_reports_files/State_Wide_Strategy/Caltrans_Climate_Action_Progr am.pdf Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  38 Chapter 5 Avoidance, Minimization, and/or Mitigation Measures 5.1 Construction Mitigation Measures Most of the construction impacts to air quality are short-term in duration and, therefore, will not result in long-term adverse conditions. Implementation of the following measures, some of which may also be required for other purposes such as storm water pollution control, will reduce any air quality impacts resulting from construction activities: • The construction contractor must comply with the Department’s Standard Specifications in Section 14-9 (2010). o Section 14-9.02 specifically requires compliance by the contractor with all applicable laws and regulations related to air quality, including air pollution control district and air quality management district regulations and local ordinances. o Section 14-9.03 is directed at controlling dust. If dust palliative materials other than water are to be used, material specifications are described in Section 18. • Water or dust palliative will be applied to the site and equipment as often as necessary to control fugitive dust emissions. Fugitive emissions generally must meet a “no visible dust” criterion either at the point of emissions or at the right-of-way line depending on local regulations. • Soil binder will be spread on any unpaved roads used for construction purposes, and on all project construction parking areas. • Trucks will be washed as they leave the right-of-way as necessary to control fugitive dust emissions. • Construction equipment and vehicles will be properly tuned and maintained. All construction equipment will use low sulfur fuel as required by CA Code of Regulations Title 17, Section 93114. • A dust control plan will be developed documenting sprinkling, temporary paving, speed limits, and timely revegetation of disturbed slopes as needed to minimize construction impacts to existing communities. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  39 • Equipment and materials storage sites will be located as far away from residential and park uses as practicable. Construction areas will be kept clean and orderly. • ESA (Environmentally Sensitive Area)-like areas or their equivalent will be established near sensitive air receptors. Within these areas construction activities involving the extended idling of diesel equipment or vehicles will be prohibited, to the extent feasible. • Track-out reduction measures, such as gravel pads at project access points to minimize dust and mud deposits on roads affected by construction traffic, will be used. • All transported loads of soils and wet materials will be covered before transport, or adequate freeboard (space from the top of the material to the top of the truck) will be provided to minimize emission of dust (particulate matter) during transportation. • Dust and mud that are deposited on paved, public roads due to construction activity and traffic will be promptly and regularly removed to decrease particulate matter. • To the extent feasible, construction traffic will be scheduled and routed to reduce congestion and related air quality impacts caused by idling vehicles along local roads during peak travel times. • Mulch will be installed or vegetation planted as soon as practical after grading to reduce windblown particulate in the area. Be aware that certain methods of mulch placement, such as straw blowing, may themselves cause dust and visible emission issues and may need to use controls such as dampened straw. In addition, the below SCAQMD rules must be adhered to by the contractor during construction operations: • Rule 401 - Visible Emissions. Rule 401 states that no person shall discharge air contaminants of specified opacity for more than 3 minutes in 1 hour. • Rule 402 - Nuisance. Under Rule 402, no air contaminant shall be released into the atmosphere that causes a public nuisance. The rule prohibits discharge of air contaminants that could cause injury, detriment, nuisance, or annoyance to the public. An offensive odor can be considered a nuisance or annoyance. • Rule 403 – Fugitive Dust. The purpose of this Rule is to reduce the amount of particulate matter entrained in the ambient air as a result of anthropogenic (man-made) fugitive dust sources by requiring actions to prevent, reduce or mitigate fugitive dust emissions. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  40 • Rule 403.1 – Supplemental Fugitive Dust Control Requirements for Coachella Valley Sources. The purpose of this rule is to reduce or prevent the amount of fine particulate matter (PM10) entrained in the ambient air from anthropogenic (man-made) fugitive dust sources. • Rule 404 – Particulate Matter – Concentration. Under Rule 404, a person shall not discharge into the atmosphere from any source, particulate matter in excess of the concentration at standard conditions, as specified in the rule. • Rule 405 – Solid Particulate Matter – Weight. Under Rule 405, a person shall not discharge into the atmosphere from any source, solid particulate matter including lead and lead compounds, in excess of the rates specified in the rule. 5.2 Operational Mitigation Measures The Dune Palms Low Water Crossing Replacement Project was included in the regional emissions analysis conducted by SCAG for the conforming 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP). The project is also included in the SCAG 2015 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP). The design concept and scope of the proposed project is consistent with the project description in the RTP and FTIP and the assumptions in the SCAG regional emissions analysis. As such, the project demonstrates regional conformity. This project would not affect cold start percentages in the area, and would not affect traffic volumes or traffic flow (LOS or delay), when comparing 2040 Build conditions to 2040 No Build conditions. As such, no microscale CO impacts are anticipated. The project underwent Interagency Consultation (IAC) on April 28, 2015, and again on October 27, 2015, and it was agreed upon by the IAC that the project is not a POAQC with regards to particulate matter (PM). The project is not affecting regional VMT, and is therefore not anticipated to have any MSAT or GHG impacts. As such, no operational impacts are expected with the project, and no mitigation measures are recommended. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  41 Chapter 6 References California Air Resources Board, California Air Quality Data. 2016. http://www.arb.ca.gov/adam/index.html California Department of Conversation, Division of Mines and Geology, A General Location Guide for Ultramafic Rocks in California – Areas More Likely to Contain Naturally Occurring Asbestos. August 2000. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5126473.pdfv California Department of Transportation, Standard Environmental Reference, Forms and Templates. 2016. http://www.dot.ca.gov/ser/forms.htm City of Coachella, General Plan Update 2035. April 2015. http://www.coachella.org/services/document-central/-folder-165 Federal Highway Administration, Interim Guidance Update on Air Toxic Analysis in NEPA. December 6, 2012. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/air_toxics/policy_and_guidanc e/aqintguidmem.cfm Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Conformity. 2015. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/conformity/index.cfm Southern California Association of Governments, 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy. April 2012. http://rtpscs.scag.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx Southern California Association of Governments, 2015 Federal Transportation Improvement Program. December 2014. http://ftip.scag.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx South Coast Air Quality Management District, Rules and Regulations. 2016. http://www.aqmd.gov/home/regulations/rules/scaqmd-rule-book United States Environmental Protection Agency, Transportation Conformity Guidance for Quantitative Hot-Spot Analyses in PM2.5 and PM10 Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas. November 2015. http://www3.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/documents/420b15084.pdf University of California, Davis, Transportation Project-Level Carbon Monoxide Protocol. December 1997. http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist11/news/163/appendix/co_protcl.pdf Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  42 Chapter 7 List of Preparers Edward Tadross Supervising Environmental Planner WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff B.A., Earth Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana B.A., Environmental Studies, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana With over 17 years of experience, Edward has specialized in air quality, greenhouse gas, energy, construction and noise analyses. Edward has extensive experience managing projects, and has prepared a wide range of environmental documents, including Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements and Technical Memos. Edward served as the Environmental Engineering Manager for the No. 7 Subway Extension in New York, and is on the management team for California’s High Speed Rail. He has worked out of offices in New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Orange, California. Air Quality Technical Report – Dune Palms Road Low Water Crossing Project  43 Appendix A Regional Conformity Documents Regional Emissions Analysis Conducted for Conforming RTP The regional emissions analysis found that regional emissions will not exceed the SIP’s emission budgets for mobile sources in the build year, a horizon year at least 20 years from when conformity analysis started, and additional years meeting conformity regulation requirements for periodic analysis. The regional emissions analysis was based on the latest population and employment projections for Riverside County that were adopted by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) at the time the conformity analysis was started on April 4, 2012. These assumptions are less than five years old. The modeling was conducted using current and future population, employment, traffic, and congestion estimates. The traffic data, including the fleet mix data, were based on the most recently available vehicle registration data included in the EMFAC model. EMFAC2007 was used, which was the most recent version of the model developed by the California Air Resources Board and approved for use in California by the U.S. EPA at the time of the analysis. Public and Interagency Consultation Process for TIP The federal TIP was developed in accordance with SCAG policies for community input and interagency consultation procedures. These procedures ensure that the public has adequate opportunity to be informed of the federal TIP development process and encourages public participation and comment. In the SCAG region, interagency consultation and public participation are facilitated by the Southern California Transportation Conformity Working Group, which is a collaborative group of federal, state, regional, and local transportation and air quality stakeholders. The group meets on a monthly basis to facilitate an inclusive air quality planning process and to fulfill the interagency consultation requirements of the Federal Transportation Conformity Rule. The group helps resolve regional issues pertaining to transportation conformity and coordinates with and supports the quarterly meetings of the Statewide Transportation Conformity Working Group. On April 3, 2014, SCAG’s Regional Council adopted SCAG’s 2014 Public Participation Plan. The adopted plan describes SCAG’s responsibilities, goals and strategies for engaging the broadest and most diverse audiences possible and outlines opportunities for SCAG to increase public awareness and diversity in participation, while expanding the range of voices and views in developing regional plans. The public involvement process provides for: • Early and continuing public involvement opportunities throughout the transportation planning and programming process; • Timely information about transportation issues and processes to citizens, affected public agencies, representatives of transportation agency employees, private providers of transportation, other interested parties and segments of the community affected by the transportation improvement program’s projects; • Reasonable public access to technical and policy information used in the development of the transportation improvement program; • Adequate public notice of public involvement activities and time for public review and comment at key decision points including, but not limited to, action on the transportation improvement program; • A process for demonstrating explicit consideration and response to public input during the transportation improvement program development process; • A process for seeking out and considering the needs of those traditionally under-served by existing transportation systems, such as low-income and minority households which may face challenges accessing employment and other amenities; and, • A comment period of at least thirty days and two formal public hearings prior to adoption of the transportation improvement program. RTP and FTIP Listings The following pages contain the RTP and FTIP listings for the project. Appendix B CO Protocol Flowcharts Appendix C PM Interagency Consultation The project underwent Interagency Consultation (IAC) on April 28, 2015, and it was agreed upon by the IAC that the project is not a POAQC. The official decision is available on the SCAG website at http://www.scag.ca.gov/programs/Pages/ProjectLevel.aspx. A screenshot is provided below (project is identified as RIV121202 April 2015). Following the October 2015 update of traffic analyses for the project, this decision was reaffirmed at the IAC meeting on October 27, 2015. A screenshot of that decision is provided below.