Major Amendment No. 1 to CESA ITP No. 2081-2023-003-04 for the Southern California Gas Company eTS 56109.02 Line 85 Milepost 70.54 Leak Repair Project (Project)

2023020542

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

NOE - Notice of Exemption

4/27/2023

4/27/2023

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

31S

24E

29

MDB&M

The Project is located in the southern San Joaquin Valley approximately one-half mile west of the community of Valley Acres in Kern County, California. The Project is specifically located within property owned by California Resources Elk Hills LLC within the United States Geological Survey 7.5-Minute Taft Quadrangle Map in Township 31 South, Range 24 East, Section 29, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian, at approximately 35.206175°N Latitude, -119.418448°W Longitude.

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 replacing a segment of the 26-inch natural gas pipeline (Line) 85 near Milepost 70.54 where a leak has been detected. The replacement is needed urgently to continue safe operation of the pipeline, maintain gas service to the San Joaquin Valley, and to protect the health and safety of the nearby community of Valley Acres. On March 24, 2023, the Permittee requested changes to the Project to increase the footprint of the workspace surrounding the excavation area by approximately 10 feet to the southwest to allow adequate room for equipment to safely ingress and egress along the excavation area perimeter. The Permittee also requested to add an existing access road to the northwest to the Project Description to use for ingress and egress when needed. The expansion of the workspace will increase the total Project footprint by 0.074 acre, and this will also increase the impacts to Covered Species habitat by 0.074 acre. CDFW has determined that although Major Amendment No. 1 may result in an increase in take of the Covered Species and increased 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 2023 003 04, as amended. Measures include: 1) Weekly Compliance Reports; 2) establishment of avoidance zones; 3) worker education; 4) species relocation; and 5) permanent habitat protection.