Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Environmental Consequences
Construction equipment and vehicles shall not track dirt and dust onto public roads and all
equipment and tires shall be washed/swept prior to leaving the project site.
All equipment used on the site shall meet SCAQMD standards.
The construction activities proposed under Alternative C would not generate any long-term vehicle
trips; therefore, no long-term impacts to air quality are anticipated. Through the implementation
of the measures described above, short-term emissions generated as a result of the proposed
management activities would not contribute significantly to direct or cumulative increases in shortterm
emissions.
Compliance with SCAQMD rules and regulations, as well as the implementation of the air quality
measures described above, would ensure that air emission from the implementation of this
alternative would not result in the further degradation of air quality within the SCAQMD. Finally,
the proposals in this alternative are not expected to exceed SCAQMD thresholds and Federal de
minimis levels, however general conformity analysis may be implemented in the future when more
detailed information about the restoration proposal is available.
Pest Management
The analysis of potential effects to air quality from the implementation of the IPM and Mosquito
Management plans would be the same under this alternative as described previously for
Alternative B.
Public Use
Expanding the public use program on the Refuge would result in minor increases in annual
visitation to the Refuge, representing an increase in vehicle trips generated. This increase is not
however expected to be significant as access to the Refuge is limited by the security needs of the
Navy. Vehicular emissions from the travel of visitors to the Refuge under this alternative would be
negligible in the context of the wider airshed of the SCAQMD.
5.2.3.9 Effects Related to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Wildlife and Habitat Management
The GHG emissions generated as a result of implementing the management activities included
under Alternative C would be slightly higher than those anticipated under Alternative B. The
increase would be attributed to the temporary use of generators to facilitate hydraulic spraying of
marsh mud onto existing cordgrass habitat. Some of these emissions would be offset by a slight
reduction in construction emission, as upland restoration would require less grading activity than
would the extent of salt marsh restoration proposed under Alternative B.
Although this alternative would result in a slight increase in the generation of temporary GHG
emissions, the emissions would occur over relatively short period of time. Therefore, the GHG
emissions anticipated to result from the implementation of this alternative are not expected to
represent a significant direct or indirect impact on the environment.
The measures described for reducing GHG emissions associated with Refuge management, as
described under Alternative B, would also be implemented under this alternative.
Public Use
Although the public use program would be expanded under this alternative, the increase in
visitation that would result would not of a sufficient magnitude to generate significant volumes of
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan 5-29