SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND IMPACTSP. CUMULATIVE ANALYSISdisturbed area. Management actions would extend the period of time that environmental impactswould occur, but would not increase the magnitude of ongoing, less than significantenvironmental impacts. As discussed in the Land Use (Section III.A) section, a significant effectof loss of prime agricultural land could result.Apperson Ridge Quarry. Plans have been in existence since the early 1980s for development ofthe Apperson Ridge Quarry (680 acres of a 2,500-acre private in-holding) in the San Antoniohydrologic watershed. The quarry would be outside of SFPUC-owned Watershed lands, but aneasement granting access through the Watershed was provided for this project in the early 1970s.Substantial truck traffic (up to 880 trips per day, to and from inclusive) would traverseapproximately 2.8 miles of Watershed lands from Calaveras Road to the Apperson Ranchboundary (also known as Diamond A Ranch). The proposed quarry was given an 80-year permitby Alameda County in 1984 with the option to renew. The private landholding is locatedbetween Watershed lands and the Sunol–Ohlone Regional Park. Currently, the proposed quarryis undergoing evaluation by the mining company permittee (Oliver deSilva) before initiation ofmining activities at this location. Several animal species have been listed as threatened orendangered since the 1984 EIR prepared by Alameda County, and the Apperson Ridge Quarrysite is relatively undisturbed land that may contain habitat for some of these species (e.g., theAlameda whipsnake). If the Apperson Ridge Quarry Project requires new discretionary permits,additional CEQA review could be necessary under the following circumstances: (1) if the projectdeviates from the original permit conditions and/or the project as described in the 1984 EIR,leading to new or substantially more severe environmental impacts; (2) if the project could causeadditional environmental impacts due to altered environmental conditions or new informationsince the previous environmental review; or (3) if new mitigation measures or alternatives thatwould reduce one or more significant effects of the project are found to be feasible but the projectsponsor declines to adopt the measure or alternative (CEQA Guidelines Section 15162).Chevron Pipe Retrofit. The Chevron Pipeline Company operates a high-pressure pipeline forthe transport of refined petroleum products. The pipeline runs through the San Antonio ReservoirWatershed and then crosses Alameda Creek in the Sunol Valley. Chevron has plans to realignand retrofit this pipeline.Residential Development. No known applications are currently pending for residentialdevelopment that would significantly impact Watershed lands. However, consideration has beengiven to residential development and a toll road along SR 84 within the hydrologic watershed ofSan Antonio Reservoir. Currently, Alameda County is considering a “Sunol Valley AgriculturalEnhancement Plan” encompassing lands inside and outside of the Watershed. The proposal isintended to preserve and enhance intensive agriculture in the Valley and maintain open space byallowing subdivision by private landowners into 20 acre parcels allowing one residence, withdedication of 90 percent of the area of each parcel to agriculture. Alameda County expects torelease a Draft EIR studying the proposal and various alternatives in early 2000.East Bay Regional Park District. EBRPD has proposed a trail segment from Sunol toPleasanton Ridge as part of the Calaveras Ridge Trail. This trail would connect Pleasanton RidgeNOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan III.P-5 ESA / 930385January 2001