Owens Lake T13-1, T13-1 Addition, T17-1, T17-2 North and T17-2 South Emergency Storm Repair
Summary
SCH Number
2022100582
Public Agency
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Document Title
Owens Lake T13-1, T13-1 Addition, T17-1, T17-2 North and T17-2 South Emergency Storm Repair
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/26/2022
Document Description
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is pursuing an interim and regular variance from enforcement of Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) Board Order 160413-01, GBUAPCD Rule 433, and Notice to Comply No. 2002 for dust control area (DCA) T13-1 (includes T13-1 and T13-1 Addition, operated as one unit, hereafter T13-1). This Board Order and Rule require LADWP to implement a Best Available Control Measure (BACM) and achieve dust control performance criteria in designated DCAs during the dust season. Between August 5, 2022, and September 13, 2022, three extraordinary high intensity rainfall events occurred in the upper Centennial Wash watershed. Known as Tropical Storm Kay, these events caused the Governor of California to declare an emergency along with the counties of Inyo, Los Angeles, Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino. These natural disasters resulted in extreme flash flooding that impacted the eastern portion of Centennial Wash Alluvial fan as well as the Owens Lakebed, including the Variance Areas discussed below.
Portions of DCAs T13-1, T13-1 Addition, T17-1, T17-2 North and T17-2 South are included in this variance (Variance Areas). Portions of these DCAs and their associated infrastructure (i.e. irrigation laterals, whipline, partitions/ berms, risers) were damaged or buried with sediment by the flash flood events. LADWP will rehabilitate the damaged DCA’s by removing deposited sediment and grading; repairing and unburying irrigation laterals and risers; repairing and constructing partitions/ berms; repairing, realigning, and installing whiplines; and flushing irrigation laterals and whiplines.
Ground disturbance activities would be monitored by qualified tribal monitors as a precautionary measure.
Contact Information
Name
Marshall Styers
Agency Name
Los Angeles Department of Power and Water
Job Title
Environmental Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Unincorporated Area
Counties
Inyo
Regions
Unincorporated
State Highways
CA 190
Waterways
Owens Lake, Owens River
Township
17,18S
Range
37,38E
Other Location Info
Portions of Dust Control Areas (DCAs) T13-1, T13-1 Addition, T17-1, T17-2 North and T17-2
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Declared Emergency
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(3); 15269(a)
Reasons for Exemption
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, this project is Statutorily Exempt from CEQA review pursuant to sections 15269 Emergency Projects. Section 15269(a) states that Projects to maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace property or facilities damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster in a disaster-stricken area in which a state of emergency has been proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act, commencing with Section 8550 of the Government Code. This includes projects that will remove, destroy, or significantly alter an historical resource when that resource represents an imminent threat to the public of bodily harm or of damage to adjacent property or when the project has received a determination by the State Office of Historic Preservation pursuant to Section 5028(b) of Public Resources Code. A State of Emergency was declared on September 16, 2022 in response to flash flooding events in Inyo County that caused damage to roads and public infrastructure in and around Owens Lake. The proposed project meets the requirements of this exemption; therefore, no further CEQA review is required.
County Clerk
Inyo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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