City of Modesto Sutter Water Quality Control Facility Drying Beds Groundwater Investigation
Summary
SCH Number
2023070121
Public Agency
City of Modesto
Document Title
City of Modesto Sutter Water Quality Control Facility Drying Beds Groundwater Investigation
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/7/2023
Document Description
The City of Modesto Sutter Water Quality Control Facility Drying Beds Groundwater Investigation is intended to assess groundwater beneath the biosolids drying beds at the Sutter Plant to determine whether the biosolids drying beds may be a source of nitrogen compounds to groundwater. The groundwater investigation will use cone penetrometer testing (CPT) and Hydropunch™ groundwater sampling techniques. These techniques use small diameter sampling equipment that is hydraulically pushed into the subsurface by the weight of the CPT truck. The sampling equipment is retracted after the samples are collected and the hole is grouted per applicable Stanislaus County drilling permit requirements. The groundwater samples are then sent to a laboratory to be chemically analyzed for nitrogen, total dissolved solids (TDS) and certain metals. The scope of the groundwater investigation will consist of cone penetrometer testing (CPT)/Hydropunch™ investigations at up to 30 locations in the biosolids drying beds and two background locations within the Sutter Plant footprint.
Contact Information
Name
Jim Alves
Agency Name
City of Modesto
Job Title
Sr. Civil Engineer, Water Resources Engineering
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Modesto
Counties
Stanislaus
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
1221 Sutter Avenue
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15306
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed Sutter Plant Drying Beds Groundwater Investigation Project meets the criteria for a Class 6 Categorical Exemption (15306). Class 6 consists of “Information Collection,” outlined under Section 15306 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Class 6 exemptions consist 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.” The Class 6 Criteria that is met by this project is that the proposed project is a groundwater investigation that would consist of data collection that would not result in serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource, and the data collected from the study would be used as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded. The study has been evaluated against the Categorical Exemption exceptions and does not fall under any exception based on the lack of historical, archaeological, and scenic resources within the site, and that no hazardous waste sites are located in the vicinity of the project, and no cumulative or significant effects are anticipated to occur as a result of project implementation. The project activities have been determined not to have a potential to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Therefore, this proposed project is not forecast to cause any potential for significant adverse environmental impacts and qualifies with the requirements for a Statutory Exemption (15262) and a Class 6 Categorical Exemption (15306).
County Clerk
Stanislaus
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.