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Environmental Impact Statement - Sonoma Land Trust

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California Department of Fish and Game<br />

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<br />

Section 3.11. Air Quality<br />

The carbon sequestration change related to converting agricultural and fallow<br />

fields to tidal wetlands was estimated based on a range of literature values.<br />

Thresholds of Significance<br />

Pollutants other than GHG emissions<br />

Criteria used for determining the significance of an air quality impact are based<br />

on the State CEQA Guidelines and professional standards and practices. <strong>Impact</strong>s<br />

were considered significant if an alternative would:<br />

• Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan;<br />

• Violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or<br />

projected air quality violation;<br />

• Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant<br />

for which the project region is in non-attainment under an applicable federal<br />

or State ambient air quality standard (including releasing emissions which<br />

exceed quantitative thresholds for ozone precursors);<br />

• Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations; or<br />

• Create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people.<br />

The State CEQA Guidelines further state that the significance criteria established<br />

by the applicable air quality management or air pollution control district may be<br />

relied on to make the determinations above. The BAAQMD has specified<br />

significance thresholds within its BAAQMD CEQA Guidelines: Assessing the Air<br />

Quality <strong>Impact</strong>s of Projects and Plans (Bay Area Air Quality Management<br />

District 1999) to determine air quality impacts for projects located within the<br />

SFBAAB.<br />

The Project would therefore result in a significant impact on the environment if it<br />

would:<br />

• contribute to CO concentrations exceeding the State Ambient Air Quality<br />

Standard of 9 ppm averaged over 8 hours and 20 ppm for 1 hour;<br />

• Expose the public to toxic air contaminants that would increase the<br />

probability of contracting cancer for the Maximally Exposed Individual<br />

(MEI) in excess of 10 in one million; or<br />

• generate criteria air pollutant emissions in excess of the BAAQMD annual or<br />

daily thresholds (see Table 3.11-4 below).<br />

Sears Point Wetland and Watershed Restoration<br />

Project Final <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong><br />

Report/<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>Statement</strong><br />

3.11-15<br />

April 2012

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