ZZ-2200060 - Waste Discharge Requirements for California Nuggets/Golden Gate Nut.

Summary

SCH Number
2022060413
Public Agency
San Joaquin County
Document Title
ZZ-2200060 - Waste Discharge Requirements for California Nuggets/Golden Gate Nut.
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/20/2022
Document Description
The facility is a nut processing facility that currently operates under Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) issued by the Central Valley Water Board related to discharge of treated wastewater to approximately 5 acres (APN: 228-130-21) at their facility. The facility has purchased approximately 8 acres of almonds immediately north of the footprint of the plant (APN: 228-130-20) to increase the land application area for discharge of their process water. Prior to discharge, their process water, which consists of water used to process corn nuts and almonds, is first directed to a series of settling tanks and a dissolved air flotation (DAF) system to remove solids and suspended solids, then to an aeration pond. The WDRs requires weekly pond/effluent monitoring and quarterly groundwater monitoring to evaluate nutrient loading to the land application area. The facility intends to irrigate the additional 8 acres of almonds with process water and possible convert the almonds to forage crop to maximize nutrient uptake. Condor is assisting the facility to submit an amendment to the Report of Waste Discharge (ROWD) to the Water Board to provide updated information on facility operations since WDRs were issued in 2014. There are currently no plans to alter the 8 acres in any way; the orchard is already equipped with micro irrigation, which will be kept and adapted if necessary to accommodate the facility’s process water. For now, it will be kept to almonds. The facility intends to add microbes to the process water (at the pond or settling tanks) to evaluate if that will assist in the denitrification cycle. Any future expansions of the facility in regard to building square footage or land used for production purposes may require an additional land use permit.

Contact Information

Name
Jennifer Jolley
Agency Name
San Joaquin County Community Development Department
Job Title
Interim Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Location

Cities
Ripon
Counties
San Joaquin
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Frederick Rd, West Ripon Rd
Zip
95336
Total Acres
13
Parcel #
228-130-20 & 21
State Highways
State Route 99
Railways
UPRR
Waterways
Stanislaus River

Notice of Exemption

Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15301, Class 1; Section 15304, Class 4; and Section 15306, Class 6
Reasons for Exemption
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15301. Class 1 (Existing Facilities) consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15304. Class 4 (Minor Alterations to Land) applies to minor public or private alterations of the condition of land, water, or vegetation that do not include the removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes. The exemption includes grading on land with a slope of less than 10% or new gardening or landscaping. This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15306. Class 6 consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded.

Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
General Exemptions: Section 15061 (b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3). Section 15061(b)(3) states that “CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.” There is no possibility that this project may have a significant effect on the environment and, therefore, the project is not subject to CEQA.
County Clerk
San Joaquin

Attachments

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