Major Amendment No. 3 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

7/10/2024

7/10/2024

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 City of Taft in Kern County, California. The Project is specifically located at five distinct Work Areas 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. Work Areas 1 - 4 are within California Department of Water Resources-owned land in Section 12 of Township 32 South, Range 24 East, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian (MDB&M). Work Area 5 is within privately-owned land in Section 7 of Township 32 South, Range 25 East, MDB&M. Work Areas are located at approximately 35.158518, 119.349025; 35.157883, -119.346292; 35.158184, -119.345164; 35.164648, -119.349428; and 35.155344°, 119.335747.

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 five 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 May 31, 2024, the Permittee requested to extend the expiration date of the ITP to November 30, 2024, because additional deteriorated pipe was discovered within Work Area 5 that needs to be replaced. The request also includes revising the Project Description to expand the trench within Work Area 5 by approximately 50 feet in length to accommodate replacing a longer section of pipeline while the limits of Work Area 5 will remain the same and replacement of an existing wooden vault with a concrete vault within Work Area 5. This Amended ITP (Major Amendment No. 3) amends the original ITP issued on November 22, 2022, to incorporate all previous amendments and includes extending the expiration date from May 31, 2024, to November 30, 2024, revisions to the Project Description to expand the trench in Work Area 5 by approximately 50 feet in length to accommodate replacing up to 65 feet of pipeline, replacement of the existing wooden vault with a concrete vault, and a revision to Figure 5 to reflect these changes to the Project Description. The resulting impacts of the Project to the Covered Species remain the same. CDFW has determined that although Major Amendment No. 3 may result in an increase in take of the Covered Species but will not increase Covered Species habitat impacts, and by implementing the Conditions of Approval, there will be no increase in Project impacts to the Covered Species with Amendment No. 3. Impacts will be minimized and fully mitigated through the implementation of measures required by Incidental Take Permit No. 2081 2022 064 04, as amended. Measures include: 1) Monthly Compliance Reports; 2) establishment of avoidance zones; 3) worker education; 4) species relocation; and 5) permanent habitat protection.