SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND IMPACTSF. AIR QUALITYdes8 and sun17 would result in universal access improvements at existing Watershed facilitiesand trails and provide universal access at proposed facilities.Implementation of the management actions in the Sunol Valley Resources Management Elementwould also generate construction projects through restoration and reclamation activities relatedto mining pits, including construction of appropriate mining pit sideslopes (Actions sun4 andsun5); improvements to the existing Sunol maintenance facility (trade shops, equipment storageshelter, warehouse, offices, Watershed Visitor Education Center, etc.) (Action sun10); backfilland landscaping of a quarter-mile buffer zone at the mining module closest to the Sunol WaterTemple, between that module and the temple (Action sun11); and restoration of the entry to theSunol Water Temple (Action sun13). In addition, the Sunol management actions would involveconstruction of several public access facilities and improvements, including a public recreationarea around the Sunol Water Temple (Action sun14), commercial site (Action sun19), overnightnature study area (Action sun20), and trail connections (Action sun21).Implementation of the management actions in the Grazing Resources Management Elementwould generate construction projects primarily through structural protection measures andWatershed protection area improvements, including fencing around reservoirs, streams, and stockwater ponds; water developments; water collection systems; wildlife ponds; and livestock pondrehabilitation (Actions gra2, gra6, gra7, and gra8).Construction projects would generate fugitive 2 dust (including PM-10) and other criteria airpollutants primarily through excavation activities, exhaust from construction equipment and haultruck trips, and exhaust from construction-worker commute trips. Specific construction detailsrelated to these projects are unknown at this time, but specific project proposals could bepresented at some time over the 20-year planning period of the Management Plan. Dustemissions would vary from day to day, depending on the level and type of construction activity,the silt content of the soil, and the prevailing weather. A large portion of the total constructiondust emissions would result from equipment and motor-vehicle traffic over paved and unpavedroads and temporary parking lots at project sites. Other sources of fugitive dust duringconstruction would include excavation, earth movement, grading, and wind erosion from exposedsurfaces.Peak construction activities would involve minimal grading and earthmoving. The BAAQMDapproach to assessing impacts from air pollutant emissions during construction activities is basedon whether identified control measures for dust emissions are implemented. Withoutimplementation of these control measures during construction, PM-10 emissions would adverselyaffect air quality and could cause violations of ambient air quality standards for PM-10. Dustcontrol measures are proposed in management Action des9 and are further described below.2 “Fugitive” emissions generally refer to those emissions that are released to the atmosphere by some means otherthan a stack or tailpipe.NOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan III.F-9 ESA / 930385January 2001