SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

V. SIGNIFICANT UNAVOIDABLE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTSsignificant impact of that project, and implementation of the Management Plan would includeapproval of a new lease between SFPUC (as land owner) and the mining operator, entitlingmining that would also lead to the unavoidable significant impact.As described in Section III.B.1.3, options presented under Actions sun2a and sun2b wouldrequire amendments to existing mining permits (SMP-24 and SMP-30). It may be reasonablyassumed that Alameda County would apply conditions of approval to the permit modificationsconsistent with those applied to SMP-24, SMP-30, and more recent permits such as SMP-32 thatmitigate significant effects of mining. The increase in mining depths proposed in bothActions sun2a and sun2b would not be likely to result in impacts beyond levels previouslyanalyzed and mitigated in previous environmental documentation. Expanding the miningfootprint within the leased area, proposed under Action sun2a, could conflict with some existingnursery operations in the valley. However, the conflict would not likely be significant due to theextent of existing adjacent mining activities (including gravel processing plants and reclamationpits). Depending on the location and amount of horizontal expansion of the mining footprintproposed under Action sun2a, a significant loss of prime agricultural land could occur.Amendment of the existing permits would be subject to project-level environmental review byAlameda County to examine in more detail the potential for significant effects and to identifymitigation measures if warranted to reduce or avoid significant effects.NOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan V-2 ESA / 930385January 2001