Draft EIS/EIR for the San Luis Reservoir SRA Resource ...

5. Environmental Analysis
Population and Housing to be of Hispanic origin, regardless of race, and all
persons not of Hispanic origin other than White (i.e., Black, American Indian,
Eskimo or Aleut, Asian or Pacific Islander, or other race).
No formal, commonly accepted significance criteria have been adopted for
Environmental Justice impacts. However, the Presidential Memorandum
accompanying the Executive Order directs federal agencies to include measures to
mitigate disproportionately high and adverse environmental effects of proposed
federal actions on minority and low-income populations. Federal agencies are also
required to give affected communities opportunities to provide input into the
NEPA process, including identification of mitigation measures. No specific
significance thresholds have been developed. Application of Executive Order
12898 to NEPA documentation suggests that the following two questions should
be examined:
• Is a federal project with significant adverse environmental impacts being
proposed in a community comprised largely of minority or low-income
persons?
• Would any significant adverse human health or environmental effects of
the project disproportionately affect minority or low-income persons?
No aspect of the Plan or any of the action alternatives would result in
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on
minority or low-income populations. Any restrictions on travel or access to areas
of the Plan Area that might result from implementation of the Plan would be
equally applied to all visitors, regardless of race or socioeconomic standing.
Furthermore, none of the action alternatives would change current management
direction or housing policies with respect to housing policies in the Plan Area or
vicinity. Therefore, the Plan and the action alternatives would not result in the
destruction or disruption of community cohesion or economic vitality,
displacement of public and private facilities and services, and/or exclusion or
separation of minority or low-income populations from the broader community.
5.3 Environmental Setting
The analysis of environmental consequences is based on the description of the
existing Plan Area environment, resource values, and the local and regional
vicinity presented in Chapter 2.
5.4 Environmental Consequences
5.4.1 Hydrology, Floodplain, and Water Quality
Hydrology refers to hydrologic processes such as flooding, erosion, deposition,
and channel movement. Water quality, particularly the enhancement or
degradation of water quality, relates to and has an effect on the suitability of
surface water for recreational use and wildlife habitat. The Clean Water Act
San Luis Reservoir SRA 5-9
Draft RMP/GP and Draft EIS/EIR