Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

Chapter 4.0 – Cumulative Analysis
4.1 Introduction
4.0 Cumulative Analysis
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15130 requires that an EIR discuss the cumulative impacts of a
project and determine whether the project’s incremental effect is “cumulatively considerable.”
According to CEQA, incremental effects of an individual project are considerable when viewed in
connection with the effects of past projects and the effects of probable future projects (PRC
Section 21083[b][2]). “Cumulative impacts” refers to two or more individual effects that, when
considered together, are considerable or compound or increase other environmental impacts
(State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15355). Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor
but collectively substantial impacts taking place over a period of time. The cumulative impact from
several projects is the change in the environment that results from the incremental impact of the
project when added to other reasonably foreseeable projects that are closely related to the
proposed project.
For purposes of this DEIR, the project would have a significant cumulative effect if:
the cumulative effects of other past, current, and probable future projects without the
project are not significant and the project’s incremental impact is substantial enough, when
added to the cumulative effects, to result in a significant impact; or
the cumulative effects of other past, current, and probable future projects without the
project are already significant and the project contributes measurably to the effect.
A cumulative effect is “measurable” if the impact is noticeable or exceeds an established threshold
of significance.
Section 15130(b) of the State CEQA Guidelines states:
The discussion of cumulative impacts shall reflect the severity of the impacts and
their likelihood of occurrence, but the discussion need not provide as great detail as
is provided for the effects attributable to the project alone. The discussion should be
guided by standards of practicality and reasonableness, and should focus on the
cumulative impact to which the identified other projects contribute rather than the
attributes of other projects which do not contribute to the cumulative impact.
4.2 Geographic Scope
The geographic area that could be affected by implementing the Clay Pit SVRA General Plan,
including constructing and operating the headquarters facilities, varies depending on the type of
environmental resource being considered. Each section of this DEIR considers the specific
geographic segment that is directly related to the individual topic addressed. For example, some
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
Draft EIR 4-1 February 2012