Avenue J-1 2 And 50th Street West Site Improvements, Well No. 4-91 Project

Avenue J-1 2 And 50th Street West Site Improvements, Well No. 4-91 Project

Background and Project Description: Public Works plans to construct a groundwater well replacement to optimize the capacity of Waterworks District No. 40, Antelope Valley to produce its adjudicated groundwater rights and help meet the water supply demand within the area. The project will increase water supply reliability and drought preparedness in the event of an interruption to or reduction of imported water supply. The proposed project is located on property that is owned and operated by Public Works and is partially developed. The property is used for well water production, storage, disinfection, and pumping and currently contains structures, paving, fencing, water wells, a water tank, and associated piping as well as an undeveloped lawn. The proposed project will consist of the installation of a replacement groundwater well (approximately 510-feet-deep, 8-inch-diameter pipe) that will produce 550 gallons of water per minute, a detention basin (approximately 46-feet by 46-feet and 15-feet in depth) that will be used for well flushing, approximately 1,035 feet of pipe, and associated pumps and motors. The trenching for the pipe installation will be approximately 38 inches in width and 5 feet in depth and will be backfilled afterwards. The project also proposes to install appurtenances, such as a main switchboard and distribution board, pull boxes, an approximately 10-feet by 12-feet concrete slab for pad mounted transformers, block wall masonry, gates, and fencing. The work will incorporate construction best management practices and follow all applicable regulations, including preparation of and adherence to Noise Abatement and Noise Implementation Plans in accordance with the City of Lancaster's noise ordinance. Figure 2 shows the project overview. National Environmental Policy Act Documentation: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) intends to award a grant to Public Works for this project, requiring the USEPA's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). On August 11, 2022, the USEPA found that the project is categorically excluded from NEPA and identified feasible NEPA mitigation measures for cultural and tribal cultural resources. See Attachment A for a copy of the USEPA's NEPA finding. It is important to note that NEPA anticipates that mitigation will be provided for the impacts of a project where it is feasible to do so, whereas the presence of mitigation creates a presumption of significant impacts under CEQA. For this reason, the mitigation measures described in USEPA's categorical exclusion are wholly appropriate under NEPA, although the impacts they address are not considered significant under CEQA and the mitigation measures are feasible but not necessary to reduce impacts to less than significant; therefore, the proposed project is categorically exempt under CEQA. CEQA Evaluation/Finding: The project is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (a) and (b); Section 15303 (d) and (e); and Class 1 (e) and (l); and Class 3 (b) and (c) of the County's Environmental Document Reporting Procedures and Guidelines, Appendix G. (see attached documents for detail)

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