Major Amendment No. 1 to CESA ITP No. 2081-2022-064-04 for the Southern California Gas Company eTS 58713.01 Line 85 Milepost 75.85 Remediation Digs Project

2022110521

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW)

NOE - Notice of Exemption

6/2/2023

6/2/2023

Sarah Bahm

CDFW

Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)

Lead/Public Agency

1234 East Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710

(559) 243-4005

Sarah.Bahm@wildlife.ca.gov

The Project is located in the southern San Joaquin Valley approximately 6 miles east of the town of Taft in Kern County, California. The Project is specifically located at three distinct Work Areas on California Department of Water Resources-owned land adjacent to and on both sides of the California Aqueduct near Lake Station Road within the United States Geological Survey 7.5-Minute Quadrangle Map Buena Vista Lake Bed in Township 32 South, Range 24 East, Section 12, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian. Work Areas are located at approximately 35.158518, -119.349025, 35.157883, -119.346292, and 35.158184, -119.345164.

Statutory Exemption

California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 15269, subd. (b); Public Resources Code, section 21080, subd. (b)(4)

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 15269, subdivision (b), “Emergency repairs to publicly or privately owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety, or welfare which includes those actions that require a reasonable amount of planning to address an anticipated emergency” and Public Resources Code, section 21080, subdivision (b)(4), “Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency”. “Emergency” is defined as “a sudden, unexpected occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services” (Pub. Resources Code, § 21060.3). The purpose of the Project is to prevent pipeline failure by inspecting and repairing three segments of the 26-inch natural gas pipeline (Line) 85 near Milepost 75.85 where potential anomalies have been identified via remote pigging equipment and installing cathodic protection to protect the integrity of the pipeline. The repairs are needed urgently to protect the integrity and safety of the pipeline as well as to ensure service to natural gas customers is not impacted this winter. Additionally, repairs are needed urgently to reduce potential impacts to other pipelines in the vicinity of the California Aqueduct, and possibly to the California Aqueduct itself. On April 25, 2023, the Permittee requested to extend the expiration date of the ITP to November 30, 2023 because the Project was delayed due to access constraints by the landowner, the California Department of Water Resources and a revision to the Project Description to include the installation of three junction boxes which will require the conversion of approximately 4 square feet of temporary impacts within two of the Work Areas to permanent impacts. CDFW has determined that although Major Amendment No. 1 may result in an increase in take of the Covered Species and permanent Covered Species habitat impacts from those contemplated in the ITP as originally issued, the additional impacts of the taking will be minimized and fully mitigated through implementation of the Conditions of Approval. Because the impacts will be minimized and fully mitigated, there will be no increase in Project impacts to the Covered Species with Major Amendment No. 1. Impacts will be minimized and fully mitigated through the implementation of measures required by Incidental Take Permit No. 2081 2022 064 04. Measures include: 1) Monthly Compliance Reports; 2) establishment of avoidance zones; 3) worker education; 4) species relocation; and 5) permanent habitat protection.