Minor Amendment No. 2 to CESA Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2019-020-04 for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company ID 78/Spans 24 and 27, L-300 Project
4 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021070445
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4
(CDFW)
Document Title
Minor Amendment No. 2 to CESA Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2019-020-04 for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company ID 78/Spans 24 and 27, L-300 Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/11/2023
Document Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has issued a CESA (Fish & G. Code, § 2050 et seq.) ITP, Minor Amendment No. 1, and this Minor Amendment No. 2 to authorize Pacific Gas and Electric Company to incidentally take giant kangaroo rat, which is listed as endangered species under CESA (Fish & G. Code § 2050 et seq.; see Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 670.5, subd. (a)(6)(C)), San Joaquin kit fox, which is listed as threatened species under CESA (Fish & G. Code § 2050 et seq.; see Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 670.5, subd. (b)(6)(E)), and San Joaquin antelope squirrel, which is listed as threatened species under CESA (Fish & G. Code § 2050 et seq.; see Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 670.5, subd. (b)(6)(B)).
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company ID 78/Spans 24 and 27, L-300 Project includes maintenance and repair activities associated with an investigative dig and associated sniff holes on Gas Line 300B where a potential internal anomaly has been identified, recoating at pipeline spans at two locations where corrosion of exposed pipeline has occurred on both Gas Line 300A and Gas Line 300B, and cross compression. Amendment No. 2 makes two specific changes to the ITP, as amended: 1) Amendment No. 2 extends the expiration date of the ITP, as amended, from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2026; and (2) Amendment No. 2 extends the deadline in which to complete Condition of Approval 6 from within 18 months of the effective date of the ITP, as amended, to July 1, 2026.
Contact Information
Name
Stephanie Manzo
Agency Name
CDFW
Job Title
Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
San Benito
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
The Project is located within portions of the Panoche Valley and Tumey Hills in San Benito County.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15282(k); Public Resources Code, section 21080.21
Reasons for Exemption
Approval of this Project is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA, Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) because the Project is subject to California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 15282, subdivision (k), “The installation of new pipeline or maintenance, repair, restoration, removal, or demolition of an existing pipeline as set forth in Section 21080.21 of the Public Resources Code, as long as the project does not exceed one mile in length”. Public Resources Code, section 21080.21 states, “This division does not apply to any project of less than one mile in length within a public street or highway or any other right-of-way for the installation of a new pipeline or the maintenance, repair, restoration, reconditioning, relocation, replacement, removal, or demolition of an existing pipeline.” “‘Pipeline’ includes subsurface facilities but does not include any surface facility related to the operation of the underground facility.” (Pub. Resources Code, §21080.21(a)).
The Project includes maintenance and repair activities associated with an investigative dig and associated sniff holes on Gas Line 300B where a potential internal anomaly has been identified, recoating at pipeline spans at 2 locations where corrosion of exposed pipeline has occurred on both Gas Line 300A and Gas Line 300B, and cross compression.
On February 24, 2023, CDFW received the official request and the corresponding fee payment from the Permittee for a Minor Amendment (Amendment No. 2) to the ITP, as amended, to extend the expiration date of the ITP from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2026. An email requesting this change was received on February 23, 2023. The Covered Activities associated with the Project were completed on November 17, 2021. This request will also require the extension of the date in which Condition of Approval 6 is to be completed from within 18 months of the effective date of this ITP, as amended, to July 1, 2026.
CDFW has determined that this Amendment will not result in an increase in take of the Covered Species and will not increase Covered Species habitat impacts, therefore, there will be no increase in Project impacts to the Covered Species with this Amendment. Impacts will be minimized and fully mitigated through the implementation of measures required by Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2019-020-04, as amended. Measures include: 1) Monthly Compliance Reports; 2) establishment of avoidance zones; 3) worker education; 4) species relocation; 5) permanent habitat protection; and 6) site restoration.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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