Chapter 1 - Caltrans - State of California

Chapter 3 Comments and Coordination
wait time to turn onto U.S. 101 through the median openings would be for the NO
BUILD alternative. Closing the median openings would also prevent drivers from
making unsafe maneuvers resulting from frustration with long wait times. No cumulative
impacts are anticipated to result from these closures.
The project also includes an option for modification of the existing southbound bikeway
and construction of a northbound 2 directional Class I Bicycle facility. Upgrades to the
bicycle facility are identified as beneficial impacts and would facilitate movement of
cyclists through the corridor. Construction of a pedestrian under-crossing at La Conchita
would improve beach access for the community. These improvements would result in an
overall beneficial impact to the local and regional bikeway and pedestrian facilities;
therefore, cumulative contributions would be considered less than cumulatively
considerable.
Avoidance, Minimization and/or Mitigation Measures
With implementation of standard minimization measures and mitigation measures
proposed in this IS/EA, project contributions to cumulative impacts would be considered
less than cumulatively considerable, and no additional mitigation measures are required.
2.5 Climate Change (CEQA)
Regulatory Setting
While climate change has been a concern since at least 1988 as evidenced by the
establishment of the United Nations and World Meteorological Organization’s
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the efforts devoted to greenhouse gas
emissions reduction and climate change research and policy have increased dramatically
in recent years. In 2002, with the passage of Assembly Bill 1493, California launched an
innovative and proactive approach to dealing with greenhouse gas emissions and climate
change at the state level. Assembly Bill 1493 requires the Air Resources Board to
develop and implement regulations to reduce automobile and light truck greenhouse gas
emissions; these regulations will apply to automobiles and light trucks beginning with the
2009 model year. Greenhouse gases related to human activity include carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide, tetrafluoromethane, hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, HFC-
23 (fluoroform), HFC-134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane), and HFC-152a (difluoroethane).
On June 1, 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-3-05. The
goal of this executive order is to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions to: 1)
2000 levels by 2010, 2) 1990 levels by the 2020, and 3) 80 percent below the 1990 levels
by the year 2050. In 2006, this goal was further reinforced with the passage of Assembly
190 IS/EA VEN-SB US101 HOV Project